Conformity to the World

by Edward Hoare

I say ‘our choice of friends,’ because there are many given us by God without any choice of our own. There are often dearly-beloved relations respecting whom we may feel a deep anxiety; but that anxiety must not deaden the affections, or take away the natural love which God Himself has planted towards them. But these are not our chosen friends, not those whom we have sought out or made for ourselves. But there is probably scarcely anything that marks a character more than its friendships. Nothing can be stronger than the Scripture is upon this subject, ‘Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity against God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.’ (James, iv. 4.) Thus there is a direct act of conformity to the world in the cultivation of worldly friendships. If the people of God are thought dull, and are therefore disregarded, while we seek our friendships from those who belong to the world, it shows that there is no affinity with the people of God, and I fear we must go one step further, and say, no real love for God Himself; for the words of Scripture are perfectly plain, ‘Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.’ (1 John, v. 1.)

Amusements.

But now I come to that which, I am inclined to think, is the most difficult portion of our whole subject, viz.—amusements. We are conformed to the world when we go into many of the amusements of the world. I say ‘into many,’ because I cannot say all, as many do not belong exclusively to the world, but are a legitimate source of recreation to the children of God; and this it is that makes the subject so pre-eminently difficult.

There are, however, a few general principles which may help to guide us.

(1.) The Christian man has no place in those amusements which have become practically connected with immorality and open wickedness.

This principle will clear off a great many at once; such, for example, as theatres, operas, and races. There is no harm in racing a horse, acting a play, or the performance of beautiful music, regarded in the abstract; but in practical life they are mixed up with gambling, fraud, profligacy, and the degradation of female character. The mischief has become part and parcel of the system, so that the Christian man has nothing to do but to withdraw. He is not called to reform the racecourse, the ballet, or the stage, so that his only course is to have nothing whatever to do with them.

(2.) But, further still. There is conformity to the world when we go into those amusements which are decidedly worldly in their character. As I have already shown, there may be thorough worldliness where there is no profligacy; and in such a case it is for the people of God to keep clear. On this principle, I believe we should abstain from balls. There is no denying that the fashionable ball is altogether of the world. The dress, the flirtation, the excitement, the late hours, are all of the world; and the moral sense is sufficient to decide that any thing savouring of the Gospel, or of the Lord Jesus Christ, is utterly out of place in such a scene. If balls are not worldly, I cannot imagine what is. I went to some in early life—sober, quiet, well-conducted family balls, and I do not hesitate to express my conviction that I never met with anything in which I have seen so complete a combination as in the ball-room of the three things mentioned by St. John, ‘The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life,’ which are ‘not of the Father, but of the world.’ Some dances, such as polkas and waltzes, I believe to be objectionable on moral grounds; and I have known instances in which perfectly steady young men have been exposed to great temptation through them. I can quite believe, however, that this is not the case with all, and therefore it is not the point on which I rest my chief objection. It is the thorough, avowed, open worldliness of all balls that I think should lead the Christian to abstain. The whole thing is of the world. The conversation is of the world; the gratifications are all of the world; the excitement is altogether of the world; the society assembled there is, for the most part, of the world; and, therefore, I cannot believe that they are the fitting enjoyments for those who wish to carry out the Apostolic precept, ‘Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.’

(3.) Surely the Christian is out of place where he cannot reasonably hope to enjoy the presence and companionship of God.

If the whole scene is of such a character that it would be clearly out of place to speak of the things of His kingdom, and if the effect of the whole is likely to be such as to forbid secret communion at the time, or to unfit us for stated prayer afterwards, it is surely a clear case that such is not the amusement for those whose earnest desire it is to walk with God, and to do His will.

(4.) So further, I think we may conclude that, as a general rule, it is safer and wiser to be guided by the experience and common practice of the people of God. I do not mean to say that Christian people are infallible, or that they may not in some cases draw the line too tight. They are but men, and they are liable to human failures. But still they are much more likely to be right in such matters than those are who have never sought counsel from God upon the subject. If therefore we see that the most decided Christians have as a body been led to abstain from a certain class of amusements, it is surely wise to believe that they have seen some good reason for doing so, and the prudent course for the young Christian is to endeavour to avail himself of their experience, instead of relying on his own wisdom, and so striking out a new course for himself. This lesson is well taught us in the Song of Solomon (chap. i. 7, 8). The Bride there says, ‘Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?’ Her desire was to be near to the Lord, and not to turn aside to strangers. Now mark well the answer: ‘If thou know not, O thou fairest among women,’ if thou know not, that is, where to find the beloved, ‘go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.’ In order to find the chief shepherd she was to trace the footsteps of the flock that followed him, and tracing those footsteps, she would be guided to her Lord Himself. So if we want to live near to the Lord, I am persuaded we must not be ashamed of tracing the footsteps of His people. We must be prepared to identify ourselves with them; we must not set aside their experience as a thing of nought; and must so far yield our own will as to be guided by their concurrent judgment. When, therefore, a young person finds that all the most decidedly serious persons of his acquaintance have thought it best to abstain from any particular amusement, I am persuaded that he is more likely to enjoy the presence of his Lord if he decides on abstaining with them, even though he may not see their reasons, than if he sets aside their experience, and follows in the steps of those whose boast it is that they make no profession.