VII. THE GREAT FOES.

The child of God has three great enemies in his life on earth-seductive, selfish, unrelenting in their warfare. They are:

I. The World.-In the New Testament, "the world" is used for "the habitable earth," "the people dwelling on it," and the customs, habits, ways, usages etc. of the people (Rom. 12:2); and it is in this last sense we use it. "All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (i John 2:16). The child of God having been delivered from this present evil world (or age) Gal. 1:4. is to remember its "friendship is enmity with God" (James 4:4), and so is not to love it (i John 2:15), nor to be conformed to it in any manner (Rom. 12:2). Because "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (or the wicked one), (i John 5:19; 2 Cor. 4:4; i Pet. 4:3). The customs, society, usages, etc. of the world, would allure the child of God from whole heartedness to Christ, by their seductive attractions, amusements etc. ; just as the "mixed multitude" coming; out from Egypt with the Israelites "fell a lusting," and caused them to sigh for "the cucumbers and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic" of Egypt (Num. 11:). Following those who were sheltered from judgment by the blood of the Lamb (Ex. 12:), and delivered by passing the Red Sea (Ex. 14:), their heart goes back to the fruit of that from which they had escaped. Do we try to excuse or justify our action, by saying many "good people" do likewise? This, alas, may be only too true, but "thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil" (Ex. 23:2). It is not a question of approval or disapproval of "good people " but whether it is of God or not. 1 John 2:15 and i Cor. 10:31 should be decisive. It may be a matter of dress, some "harmless amusement" in these days of summer relaxation, the desire for the worldly position, or wealth, but, alas, if yielded to it may sever the saint's communion, grieve the Spirit, and cause much prayer, and brokenness of spirit ere it be restored.

" In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, in shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array" (i Tim. 2:9).

"They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things" (i Tim. 6:9-11). Beware of "the little foxes which spoil the vines" (Song 2:15). It is against a disposition to this "the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy," 1:e., earnestly desireth the whole heart for Christ.

2. The Flesh.-This is self, the most subtle enemy of the three; we may withdraw from the world's alluring power, and yet so vain is the natural heart, that it may gender in a Christian, a spirit of self-complacency, near akin to self-righteousness, or a "holier than thou" spirit, or self-gratification, vain display, either in dress or speech, or manner, so different from Him who has left us an example (i Pet. 2:21), "meek and lowly" (Matt. 11:29), and "made Himself of no reputation" (Phil. 2:7). The injunction is "Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul" (i Pet. 2:ii). Is it some habit, considered by many as not inconsistent? "That they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him, which died for them and rose again" (2 Cor. 5:15), and so we are not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, for it is just as bad in the believer as in the unbeliever and cannot please God (Rom. 8:7). Thus we are to have no confidence in it (Phil. 3:3) and make no provision for it (Rom. 13:14).

3. The Devil.-He is the one who gives activity and power to the two former enemies, bringing them into living action against the child of God, with an energy which only the Son of God can overcome. " For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil " (i Jno. 3:8). Sometimes he appears in a most attractive garb, as "an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14) often hindering the movements of God's people (i Thess. 2:18), calling in question the truth of God's word and His love (Gen. 3:4; Matt. 4:3-11; Luke 4:3-13; Eph. 6:ii, 12), and in open opposition i Pet. 5:8. His great aim ever is to cast a slur or dishonor upon the name of our blessed Lord, or to mar His work, if such were possible. Imitation is his most powerful weapon in these days especially presenting "the form of godliness." Thus he works through the world by suggesting conformity to it, and through the flesh by pandering to its taste and gratifying self.

The relief, deliverance, and victory. There is but one method for this, and this is complete subjection to the word of God. God places every believer on His blessed Son before Him, as dead.

"For ye are dead" (Col. 3:3).

"Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Him " (Rom. 6:6).

"The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world " (Gal. 6:14).

Such is the position in which the weakest, youngest believer is placed before God, just as the Israelites were sheltered from judgment by the blood of the Lamb, and brought out of Egypt (a place of bondage, type of the world) given victory over the Egyptians, and Pharaoh (types of sins and sin) by the passage of the Red Sea, as God, in the death of Christ grants each believer shelter from a worse wrath, deliverance from a worse bondage; victory over spiritual foes, and places His people in a new position, on the resurrection side of the grave, and with a new life to live for Him. Victory is then not a matter of personal attainment in holiness of character, accomplished by some struggle, or yielding process, but is a matter of believing God's word, and reckoning oneself in the place practically in which God places such positionally (Rom. 6:4).

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead " (Rom. 6:11-13).

"And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him " (2 Cor. 5:15).

But it must ever be remembered that this is only accomplished by the energy of the Holy Spirit applying the word of God to the heart, for practical effect in life, and the believer recognizing his responsibility by complete obedience to the Word.
"Therefore brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Rom. 8:12, 13).

"This I say then, walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:and these are contrary the one to the other:so that ye can not do the things that ye would. If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit " (Gal. 5:16, 17, 25).

"And this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith" (i John 5:4).

'' And take . . . the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).

Thus and thus alone can the child of God be fortified against these three foes or overcome them, and should he succumb to any of their attacks God's grace still provides a relief in the advocacy of Christ, and deep contrite confession of the sin.

"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (i John 2:i; 1:9).

As to the devil, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7). He is a conquered foe, whom Christ has "destroyed" (Heb. 2:14). We need not fear one already overcome, but can overcome him practically in our daily life " steadfast in the faith." B. W. J.