CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD

From Lectures to Professing Christians Chapter 8

Based on a message delivered in 1836 by Charles G. Finney

Modernized by Cliff Collins

“Do not be conformed to this world.” (Rom 12:2)

Some who are here tonight will remember that some time ago I used this passage in another message, but the purpose of this evening's message is so different that I will use the same text again. The following is a brief outline of tonight’s message.

I. I will show what this scripture does not mean.

II. I will show what is meant by the command: “Do not be conformed to this world”.

III. I will give some reasons why this requirement is for all who will live a godly life.

IV. I will answer some objections to the principles laid down.

I. I will show what the requirement, “Be not conformed to this world” does not mean.

It does not mean that Christians should refuse to benefit by the useful arts, or the modern improvements, and discoveries of the world. It is not only the privilege but also the duty of the friends of God to make themselves available for these things, and to use for God all the arts and improvements that arise.

II. What does the command, “Do not be conformed to this world,” mean?

This command means that Christians are required to not conform to the world in three areas. I mention just these three, not because there aren’t many other things in which conformity to the world is forbidden, but because these three things are all that I have time to examine tonight. Also, these three things are especially important these days. These three things are three areas of life where we should not be conformed to this world.

They are business, fashion, and politics.

In these three areas, Christians should not do as the world does, they should neither receive the demands, nor adopt the principles, nor follow the practices of the world.

III. Let me now mention some reasons for the command, “Be not conformed to this world”.

You are not to act on the same principles, nor from the same motives, nor pursue your object in the same way the world does, either in pursuing business, fashion, or politics. I will now examine each of these three things separately.

First, let me discuss business.

1. The first reason why we must not be conformed to this world in business is that the principles of the business world are based on selfishness. This is universally true in the pursuit of business. The whole course of business in the world is governed and regulated by supreme and unmixed selfish practices. It is regulated without the least concern for God’s commands, or God’s glory, or the welfare of their fellow men. The rules of business flow among businessmen, and their habits and usages are all based on supreme selfishness.

Who does not know that in offering bargains, the businesspersons of the world consult their own interests, and seek their own benefit, and not the benefit of those they deal with? Who has ever heard of a worldly businessperson offering bargains and doing business for the benefit of his customers? No, it is always for their own benefit. And should Christians do the same? Christians are required to act on an opposite principle: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.” (I Cor. 10:24) Christians are required to imitate the example of Jesus Christ. Did Jesus ever do business for His own advantage? And should His followers adopt this worldly principle, a principle that contains in it the seeds of hell! If Christians do this, it is pure fantasy to believe the world is ever going to be converted to the gospel.

2. Christians are required not to conform to the world, because conformity to the world is inconsistent with the love of God or man.

The whole system of the world recognizes only the love of self. Go through all the ranks of businessmen, from the man that sells hot dogs on the sidewalk, to the greatest wholesale merchant or importer in the United States, and you will find that one practice runs through everything: “buy as low as you can, sell as high as you can, and look out for number one”. And they will always do, as far as the rules of honesty will allow, anything that can advance their own interests, no matter what happens to the interests of others. Ungodly men will admit that these practices are the practices on which business is done in this world today. Everybody considers that the person who pursues this course does business on business principles. Now, are these principles consistent with holiness, with the love of God or the love of man, with the spirit of the Gospel or the example of Jesus Christ? Can a person conform to the world in these principles, and still love God? Impossible! No two things can be more unlike. Therefore, Christians must not conform to worldly business practices.

3. These practices, and the rules by which business is done in the world, are directly opposite to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit He demonstrated, and the rules He repeatedly stressed that all His followers should obey on pain of hell.

What was the spirit that Jesus Christ manifested on earth? It was the spirit of self-denial, of unselfish love, of sacrificing Himself to do good for others. He exhibited the Spirit of God, who enjoys His infinite happiness in going beyond Himself to gratify His unselfish loving heart in doing good to others. This is the religion of the Gospel, to be like God, not only doing good, but also enjoying it, and joyfully going beyond self to do good. This is the gospel principle: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Again, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”. (Phil 2:4) What do the businessmen of the world say? “Look out for number one.” People who did not know nor care for the gospel established these principles. Why should Christians conform to such principles as these?

4. To conform to the world in pursuing business is a flat contradiction of the commitment that Christians make when they enter the church.

What is the commitment that you made when you entered the church? Was it not to renounce the world and live for God, and to be led by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and to love God with all your heart, and to renounce self, and to glorify God and do good to men? You profess not to love the world, its honors, or its riches. Around the communion table, with your hand on the broken body of your Savior, you vow that loving God and your neighbor are your principles, and pledge yourself to live by these principles. And then, what do you do? You go away, and follow demands and rules created by people, whose principle is the love of the world, and whose goal is to gain the world? Is this your way? Is this your goal? Then, unless you repent, let me tell you, you will be damned.

The wickedest wretch has no better chance of going to hell, than a professing Christian who conforms to the world. Such a Christian has double guilt. He swore before God to travel a different path, but when he pursues the business principles of the world, he shows that he is a perjured wretch.

5. Conforming to the world is such a clear contradiction of the principles of the gospel, that when sinners see professing Christians conforming to the world they cannot see the true nature and purpose of the gospel from their behavior.

How can they understand that the purpose of the gospel is to raise men above the love of the world, and above the influence of the world, and to place them on higher ground to live on totally different principles? When they see professing Christians acting on the same principles as other people, how can they understand the true principles of the gospel, or know what things like heavenly-mindedness means, or what self-denial means, or even unselfish love?

6. It is this spirit of conformity to the world that has drained the love of God from the church.

Show me a young convert, while his heart is warm, and the love of God radiates on his face. He’s not interested in the world. Call his attention to the world, point him to its riches, its pleasures, or its honors, and try to engage him to seek the things of the world, and he detests the thought. But let him ease into the business world, and do business on the principles of the world for one year. You will no longer find the love of God glowing in his heart. His religion has become the religion of conscience, dry, meager, and unimportant. Everything but the glowing love of God moves him to works of unselfish love. I appeal to every man in this house tonight, and if my voice were loud enough I would appeal to every professing Christian in this city. And if anyone should say, “No, that is not true”, I will consider it as proof that he never knew what it’s like to feel the glow of a convert's first love.

7. This conformity to the world in business is one of the greatest obstacles in the way of the sinner’s conversion.

What do wicked men think when they see professing Christians, claiming to have a relationship with Christ, and pretending to believe what the Bible teaches, and yet running after the world as enthusiastically as anybody, obtaining the best bargains and dealing as hard as the most worldly person around? What do they think? I can tell you what they say. They say, “I see these Christians doing the same things as the rest of us do. They act on the same principles, look out for number one, drive hard bargains, and get the best interest anybody can get.” The world is being honest when they accuse Christians of these things. It is a notorious fact that most church members today pursue the world. It appears is if they are in the same spirit, and use the same principles to the same degree that the ungodly use. The ungodly have a reputation for uprightness and humanity. The world says, “Look at the church, I don't see that they are any better than I am. They chase after the world just as hard as I do.” If professing Christians act on the same principles as worldly people, as the Lord lives, they will have the same reward. They are written down in God's book of remembrance as hypocrites, pretending to be the friends of God while they love the world. “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) These people claim to be governed by principles directly opposite to the world, and if they do the same things with the world, they are hypocrites.

8. Another reason for the requirement, “Be not conformed to this world”, is the immense, wholesome, and instantaneous influence it would have if everybody would do business on gospel principles. Just turn the tables over, and let Christians do business for one year on gospel principles. It would shake the world. It would ring louder than thunder. Let the ungodly see professing Christians, in every bargain, consulting the good of the person they are trading with, seeking not their own wealth, but seeking another's wealth, living above the world, setting no value on the world any more than using it as a means to glorify God. What do you think would happen? What effect did it have in Jerusalem, when the Christians gave up their businesses, and went forth as a body to pursue the salvation of the world? They were only a few ignorant fishermen, and a few humble women, but they turned the world upside down. Let the church live that way today, and it would cover the world with living testimonies, and overwhelm the world with convictions of sin. Just let them see the church living above the world, and doing business on gospel principles, seeking not their own interests but the interests of their fellow men, and infidelity would hide its head, heresy would be driven from the church, and this charming, blessed spirit of love would sweep over the world like the waves of the sea.

Second. I will discuss fashions.

Why must Christians not follow the fashions of the world?

1. Because today’s fashions are directly at war with the spirit of the gospel, and is minding earthly things.

What is minding earthly things, if it is not to follow the fashions and fads of the world, that, like a tide, are continually coming and going and keeping the world constantly changing? There are many big business owners, and wealthy people, who believe they aren’t interested in fashions. They are busy with other things, and so they put the responsibility of dealing with fashions into the hands of their tailor, trusting that he will take care of everything. But, if that tailor makes a garment that is unfashionable, you would see that they do care about fashions, and they will quickly fire that tailor. Still, they don’t think much about fashions. They have more important things to worry about. And they think that it is even beneath the dignity of a minister to preach about fashions. They overlook the fact that with most of mankind fashion is everything. Most people are not rich, and never expect to be, but they look to the world to enable them to make a “respectable” appearance, and to bring up their families in a “respectable” manner; that is, to “follow the fashions”. Nine-tenths of the population never looks at any thing higher than to do what the world does, or to follow the fashions of the world. They put all their efforts into this. This is what they set their hearts on, and this is what they live for.

The merchant and the rich man deceive themselves. Therefore, they believe that fashion is not important. The minds of most of the people in the world today are set on fashion. The thing that they look for in life is to have their dress, belongings, furniture, and so on, just like those people who are fashionable or “respectable” as they call it.

2. To conform to the world is contrary to their profession of faith.

When people join the church, they claim to give up the spirit that gives rise to the fashions. They claim to renounce the displays and vanities of the world, to repent of their pride, to follow the meek and lowly Savior, to live for God. And now, what do they do? You often see professing Christians go to extremes in fashion. Nothing will satisfy them that is not the height of fashion. And a Christian dressmaker, who is conscientiously opposed to following fashions, would go out of business. People today would not get employment even among professing Christians, unless they follow the fashions in all their countless changes. God knows this is true, and they must give up their business if their conscience will not permit them to follow the changes of fashion.

3. This conformity is a broad and complete approval of the spirit of the world.

What lies at the bottom of all this shifting scenery? What is the cause that produces all this gaudy show, splash, and display? It is the love of applause. And when Christians follow the changes of fashion, they declare that all this is innocent. Sadly, the church approves of all the money they waste, all the time and thought they waste, and all their feeding and cherishing vanity and their love of applause.

4. Not only that, but by following the fashions of the world, professing Christians show that they love the world.

They show it by their conduct, just as the ungodly show it by the same conduct. Since they act alike, they both give evidence that they are motivated by the same principle, the love of fashion.

5. When professing Christians do this, they clearly show that they love the praise of men.

It is clear that they love admiration and attention, just as sinners do. But it is inconsistent with Christian principles, to do the very same things that are established by the pride, fashion, and lust of the ungodly.

6. By conforming to the world in fashion, you show that you do not hold yourself accountable to God for the way in which you spend your money.

You practically disown your stewardship of the money you possess. By spending money to gratify your own vanity and lust, you falsify that truth, which should cut that sinner, who is living for himself, in two. It is practically denying that the earth is the Lord's, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

7. You show that reputation is your idol.

The cry comes to your ears on every wind, from the ignorant and the lost of all nations, “Come over and help us, come over and help us”. And every week another call comes to send the gospel, to send tracts, Bibles, and missionaries to those who are perishing for lack of knowledge. If you choose to spend money on everything that is fashionable, it demonstrates that reputation is your idol. Just for now, let us suppose, for the sake of argument, that following today’s fashions is not prohibited in the word of God. Suppose professing Christians, if they are allowed, innocently follow the fashions: (I deny that it is innocent, but suppose it were) does not the fact that they invest in the latest fashions when there are desperate calls for money, time, thought, and labor to save souls, prove conclusively that they do not love God or the souls of men?

Take the case of a woman whose husband is in slavery, and she is trying to raise enough cash to buy his redemption. There she is, toiling and saving, getting up early and staying up late, and living on beans and bread because her husband, the father of her children, the friend of her youth, is in slavery. Now go to that woman and tell her that there is nothing wrong for her to follow the fashions, and dress up real fancy like her neighbors. Will she do it? Why not? She does not want to do it. She will wear worn out shoes rather than buy a new pair. She almost hates to buy the bread she eats, that is how intent she is to achieve her goal.

Now, suppose a person loves God, loves the souls of the whole human race, and the kingdom of Christ. Does he need a clear command from God to prevent him from spending his money and his life in following the latest fashions? No! In fact, he may need a positive injunction to take what he needs for his own comfort and to support his own life.

Take the case of Timothy. Did Timothy need a command to keep him from indulging in the use of wine? No way! In fact, he was so cautious that it required a command from God to make him drink a little for medicinal purposes. Although he was sick, he would not drink wine until he had a word from God through the apostle Paul to drink it. He saw the evils of it so clearly. Now, show me a man or a woman, I don’t care what their professions are, who follow the fashions of the world, and I will show you what spirit they are in.

Now, don’t ask me why Abraham, David, and Solomon, who were so rich, did not give their money to spread the kingdom of God. Ah, tell me, did they enjoy the light that we now enjoy today? Did they even know so much as this, that the world could be converted, as Christians now see clearly? But suppose it was as allowable for you as it was for Abraham or David to be rich, and to spend your riches on display, pomp, and fashion. Suppose it was perfectly innocent. Anyone who loves the Lord Jesus Christ would not want to spend their money on fashion when they could spend it to gratify their ALL-ABSORBING passion, to do good to the souls of others?

8. By conforming to the world in fashion, you show that there is no difference between you and ungodly sinners.

Ungodly sinners say, “It looks like these Christian men and women love to follow the fashions as much as I do”. Who does not know that this encourages many to continue sinning?

9. By following the fashions, you are tempting God to give you up to a worldly spirit.

Many people today have followed the world, and followed the fashions, until God seems to have given them over to the devil for the destruction of their flesh. They have little or no religious feeling, no spirit of prayer, no zeal for the glory of God or the conversion of sinners. The Holy Spirit seems to have withdrawn from them.

10. You tempt the church when you follow today’s fashions.

Whenever you find that the principal members, the elders and leaders in the church, and their wives and families, are fashionable Christians, they drag the whole church along with them into following after today’s fashion, and every one imitates them as best as they can, right down to the lowest servant. Simply let a rich Christian lady come out to the house of God in full fashion, and the whole church becomes eager to follow as far as they can, even if they might have to go into debt to do it.

11. You run the risk of becoming proud and foolish, and you inherit a worldly spirit.

Suppose a person, who had been an alcoholic and was reformed, should go and surround himself with wine, brandy, and seductive liquor, always keeping these temptations within sight, and from time to time tasting a little; doesn’t he tempt himself? Look at that woman who has been brought up in the spirit of pride and show, and has been reformed and now she claims that she has abandoned all of these things. Let her keep all her adornments, and continue to follow the fashions, and pride will drag her backwards as sure as she lives. She tempts herself to sin and folly.

12. You are tempting the world by following after today’s fashions.

You are encouraging the world to continue pursuing these things. The things that the world loves are also accompanied with uneasy feelings about whether it is right. But professing Christians fall in with the world and follow them, thus tempting the world to continue in the pursuit of what will destroy their souls in hell.

13. By following the fashions, you are tempting the devil to tempt you.

When you follow the fashions, you open your heart to the devil. You keep your heart for him, empty, swept, and garnished. Every woman that follows the fashions is helping Satan to tempt her to pride and sin.

14. You lay a tremendous obstacle before the majority of the human race.

A few people today are currently pursuing greater objects than fashion. They are currently engaged in the scramble for political power, or they are eager for literary distinction, or they are striving for wealth. They do not know that their hearts are set on fashion at all. They are busy following selfishness on a larger scale. But most of the community is influenced by these fluctuating fashions. It is a tremendous obstacle for these people to see professing Christians quickly and eagerly following the changing fashions. They look, and say, “What good is their profession of faith, when they follow the fashions as much as anybody?” Or, they say, “Certainly it must be right to follow the fashions, for look; those professing Christians do it as much as we do.”

15. Another reason why professing Christians are required not to be conformed to the world in fashion is, the great influence that their disregarding of today’s fashion would have on the world.

If professing Christians would show their contempt for these things, and don’t pretend to follow them, or regard them, how it would shame the world, and convince the world that they were living for another reason than for God and eternity! How irresistible that would be! What an overwhelming testimony in favor of our religion! Even the apparent renunciation of the world, by many orders of monks, has done more than anything else to put down the opposition to their religion, and give it acceptance and influence in the world. Now suppose all this was hearty and sincere, and coupled with all that is consistent and lovely in Christian character, and all that is zealous and bold in labors for the conversion of the world from sin to holiness. What an influence that would have! What thunders it would pour into the ears of the world, to wake them up to follow God!

Finally. Let me discuss politics.

I will show why professing Christians are required not to be conformed to the world in politics.

1. Because the politics of the world are perfectly dishonest.

Who doesn’t know this? Who doesn’t know that it is the proposed policy of every political party to cover up the defects of their own candidate, and the good qualities of the opposing candidate? Isn’t this dishonest? Every party holds up its candidate as a piece of perfection, and then aims to ride himself into office by any means, fair or foul. No man can be an honest man that is committed to a party, goes along with them, and lets them do what they want to. Can a Christian do it, and keep his conscience void of offense?

2. To conform to the world in politics is to tempt God.

By joining the world in politics, Christians are guilty of setting up rulers over them by their own vote. These politicians neither fear nor love God. They defy God’s law. They break the Sabbath, gamble, commit adultery, lie, slander, argue, fight, swear profanely, only execute the laws that they want to execute, and don’t care for the prosperity or happiness of their country as long as they can stay in office. I say, can Christians support such politicians? For it is clear that where parties are divided, as they are in this country, there are enough Christians to turn the scale in any election.

Now let Christians take the ground that they will not vote for a dishonest man, or a Sabbath breaker, or gambler, or whoremonger, or homosexual for any office, and no party could ever nominate such a character with any hope of success. But the way it is today, where people will let the laws go unexecuted, and ignore mob activities, or drug trafficking, or prostitution, or anything else, so they can elect their own candidate who will give them a political position; any one that will do this is dishonest, whether he professes to be a Christian or not. Can a Christian do this and be blameless?

3. By engaging with the world in politics, Christians grieve the Spirit of God.

Ask any Christian politician if he ever carried the Spirit of God with him into a political campaign? Never. Please listen, I strongly believe that Christians should vote and exercise their lawful influence in public affairs. But they should not follow a party.

4. By following the present course of politics, you are contributing your aid to undermine all government and order in the land.

Who does not know that this great nation now rocks and reels because the laws are broken and trampled under foot, and the executive power refuses or is afraid to act? Either the elected official does not want to put down disorder, or he evades the issue and lets the devil rule. This is happening all over the country in all political parties. Can a Christian be consistent with his profession of faith, and vote such men into office?

5. If you conform to the world in politics, you lay an obstacle in the way of sinners.

What do sinners think when they see professing Christians joining them in their political activities, which they know are dishonest and corrupt? They say, “We know what we are doing, we are seeking office, we are determined to carry our party into power, we are pursuing our own interest; but these Christians profess to live for another and a higher end, and yet here they come, and join us, as eager for the loaves and fishes as the rest of us.” What greater stumbling block can they have?

6. You prove to the ungodly that professing Christians are motivated by the same spirit that they possess.

Is it any wonder that the world is skeptical to the reality of religion? If they examine the scriptures themselves, and there learn what religion is, if they are influenced by what they see in the lives of professing Christians, they should be skeptical. From the evidence that they see in the lives of professing Christians, they probably will conclude that the Christians they see don’t believe in their own religion. It is a sad fact, but I doubt whether most of today’s professing Christians believe the Bible.

7. They show, as far as their evidence shows, that they have never had a change of heart.

What is a change of heart? Is it going to the communion table once in a month or two, and sometimes attending a prayer meeting? Is there a change of heart, when they are just as eager to scramble morally corrupt politicians into office? Anyone who believes in a change of heart on such evidence must be a fool.

8. Christians should stop conforming to the world in politics because of the effect conforming to the world has on the world. Suppose Christians were to act perfectly conscientious and consistent in politics, and say, “We will not vote any man into office, unless he fears God, and will rule the people in righteousness”. Ungodly men would not make those people, who defy the laws, candidates.

Every candidate must show that he is prepared to act from higher motives, and that he would devote his time to make the country prosperous, and to promote virtue, and to put down vice, oppression, and disorder, and to do all he can to make the people happy and holy! It would shame the dishonest politicians to show that the love of God and man is the motive that Christians have in view. A blessed influence would go over the land like a wave.

IV. Let me answer some objections that are made against what I have just said.

1. Concerning business.

Objection. “If we do not transact business on the same principles that the ungodly do, we cannot compete with them, and the business world will fall into the hands of the ungodly. If we pursue our business for the good of others, if we buy and sell on the principle of not seeking our own wealth, but the wealth of those we do business with, we cannot compete with worldly men, and they will get all the business.”

Let them have it, then. You can support yourself by working in some humbler calling, and let worldly men do all the business.

Objection. “But then, how can we get money to spread the gospel?”

A holy church that would act on the principles of the gospel would spread the gospel faster than all the money that ever was in New York, or that ever will be. Give me a holy church, that would live above the world, and the work of salvation would roll on faster than with all the money in Christendom.

Objection. “But we must spend a great deal of money to produce an educated ministry.”

Oh! If we had a HOLY ministry, it would be far more important than an educated ministry. If the ministry were holy enough, they wouldn’t need so much education. God forbid that I should undervalue an educated ministry. Let ministers be educated as well as they can, the more the better, if they are holy enough. But it is silly to think that an educated ministry can convert the world. Let the ministry have the spirit of prayer, let the baptism of the Holy Ghost be on them, and they will spread the gospel. Only let Christians live as they should live, and the church will shake the world! If Christians in New York would do it, the report would soon sweep across the land, and the news would go out on every wind until the earth would be full of excitement and inquiry, and conversions would multiply like the drops of morning dew.

Suppose you were to give up your business, and devote yourselves completely to the work of extending the gospel. The church once did this, and you know what happened. When that little band in Jerusalem gave up their business and spent their time in the work of God, salvation spread like a wave across the Roman Empire. And I believe if the whole Christian church were to march forward and convert the world, it could be accomplished in a very short time.

The truth is, you would not have to give up your business or your occupation. If Christians would do business in the spirit of the gospel, they would soon acquire the business of the world.

All the world has to see is that if they go to a Christian to do business, that Christian will not only deal honestly with him, but unselfishly. He will actually consult the interest of the people he deals with, as if it was his own interest. Who would want to deal with anybody else? What merchant would go to an ungodly man to trade, if he knew that person would try to take advantage of him, and cheat him; while, at the same time, he knew that there were Christian merchants to deal with that would consult his interests as much as they do their own? Indeed, it is a known fact, that there are now Christian merchants in this country, who regulate the prices of the articles they deal in. Merchants come from all over the world, and ask around to see how they can buy goods, and they go to these men to know exactly what articles are worth at a fair price, and govern themselves accordingly.

The advantage, then, is all on one side. The church has the power to make it in the best interest of the ungodly to do business on right principles. The church can regulate the business of the world, and woe to them if they do not.

2. Concerning fashion.

Objection. “Is it best for Christians to be unique?"

Certainly, Christians are unique. God calls us to be a peculiar people, that is, a unique people, essentially different from the rest of mankind. To claim that we are not to be unique is the same as to insist that we must be conformed to the world. “Don’t be different,” they claim. “Be like the world.” In other words, they are saying, “Be conformed to the world.” This is the direct opposite of the command in our passage tonight.

But the question concerns fashion in dress, jewelry, belongings, and so on. And here I will confess that I myself was completely wrong in this matter. I believed, and taught that the best way for Christians to pursue, was to dress so they wouldn’t be noticed, to follow the fashions and changes so they don’t look any different, and that nobody would be led to think that they are different from others in these particulars. But now I know that I was wrong, and am surprised at my former blindness. It is your duty to dress simple enough to show to the world, that you place no faith in the things of fashion, and set no value on them, but despise and neglect them altogether. Unless you are different, unless you separate yourselves from the fashions of the world, you show that you value them. There is no way in which you can demonstrate a proper testimony by your lives against the fashions of the day unless you dress conservatively. I do not mean that you should go overboard in being different, but you should consider convenience and economy, even though it may be different.

Objection. “But if we dress conservatively, it will attract the attention of people.”

That is because so few do it that it is a novelty, and everybody stares when they see a professing Christian who is strict concerning fashions. Let every Christian do it, and the only thing you show by it is that you are a Christian, and do not wish to be confused with the ungodly. Would it not affect the pride of the world, if all the Christians in it were united in bearing a practical testimony against its display of vanity?

Objection. “But by doing this, you carry religion too far away from the people. It is better not to set up an artificial distinction between the church and the world."

The direct opposite of this is true. The closer you bring the church to the world, the more you eliminate the reasons that should stand out for the world to see, that would encourage them to change sides and come over to the church.

Unless you come out from among them, and show that you don’t belong to them, and carry the church so far as to have a broad separation between saints and sinners, how can you make the ungodly feel that so great a change is necessary?

Objection. “But this change that is necessary is a change of heart.”

True; but will not a change of heart produce a change of life?

Objection. “You will throw obstacles in the way of people becoming Christians. Many respectable people will become disgusted with religion, and if they can’t be allowed to dress, adorn themselves, and still be Christians, they will slide into the world altogether."

This is just about as reasonable as it would be for a rehabilitated man to think he must get drunk every once in a while, to avoid disgusting the alcoholic, and to maintain his influence over them. The truth is, that people should know, and should see in the lives of professing Christians, that if they embrace religion, they must be weaned from the world, and must give up the love of the world, and its pride, and show, and folly, and live a holy life, in watchfulness, self-denial, and active love.

Objection. “Is it not better for us to disregard this altogether, and not pay any attention to such little things, and let the world go its own way; let Calvin Klein and Victoria’s Secret do as they please, and give the society in which we live what they want?”

Is this the way to show contempt for the fashions of the world? Do people ordinarily take this course of showing contempt for a thing, to practice it? Why, is the way you want to show your abhorrence of the world is to participate in the customs and the fashions of the world? What kind of reasoning is this?

Objection. “It doesn’t matter how we dress, if our hearts are right?”

Your heart is right? How can your heart be right when your conduct is all wrong? The person who swears profanity might just as well say, “It doesn’t matter what I say as long as my heart is right”. No, your heart is not right, unless your conduct is right. What is outward conduct, but the acting out of what is in your heart? If your heart were right, you would not wish to follow the fashions of the world.

Objection. “What is the standard of dress? I do not see the use of all your preaching unless you lay down rules about how we dress. Give us a standard to go by.”

This is a mighty stumbling block with many. But to many Christians, this matter is extremely simple. Everything can be summarized in two simple rules. One is Be sure everything you own, your dress, furniture, and automobile shows that you have no fellowship with the designs and principles of those who are aiming to exalt themselves and gain the applause of men. The other rule is to simply let economy be first consulted, and then convenience. Follow Christian economy; that is, save all you can for Christ's service; and then, let things be as convenient as Christian economy will admit. If all Christians would dress conservatively, who can doubt that the conversion of the world would speed up?

Is there any reason why a young Christian woman, who fears God and loves the souls of men, should neglect the means which may make an impression that she is separated from the world, and pour contempt on the fashions of the ungodly, who are dancing their way to hell?

Objection. “This is not important enough for a minister to waste an entire night talking about it.”

I often hear this objection from worldly professing Christians. But the minister who fears God will not be deterred by it. He will pursue the subject, until those professing Christians are either cut off from their conformity to the world, or cut off from the church. It is not so much the dress, as dress but it is the conformity to the world in dress and fashion that is such an obstacle for sinners. How can the world be converted, while professing Christians conform to the world? What good will it do to give money to send the gospel to the heathen, when Christians live so worldly at home? The heathen might ask, “Why should we become Christians, when Christians are pursuing the world with all the hot haste of the ungodly?” The church needs to break away from its conformity to the world, then they will have power with God in prayer, the Holy Ghost will descend and bless their efforts, and the world will be converted back to God.

Objection. “But if we dress conservatively, we shall be called fanatics.”

Whatever the ungodly may call you, fanatics, charismatics, or anything else, you will be known as Christians, and in the secret consciences of men, you will be acknowledged as such. Unbelievers do not have the power to pour contempt on a holy church that is separated from the world. Remember the early Christians? They lived separate from the world, and it made such an impression that even an ungodly writer said of them, “These men win the hearts of the mass of the people because they give themselves up to deeds of charity, and pour contempt on the world.” I promise you, if Christians would live like this today, the last effort of hell would soon be expended in vain to defeat the spread of the gospel. Wave after wave of the gospel would flow around the world, until the highest mountaintops were covered with the waters of life.

3. Concerning politics.

Objection. “By acting on gospel principles and refusing to unite with the world in politics, we would have no influence in government and national affairs.”

First, let me say that Christians have no true influence now. There is not one Christian principle adopted simply because it is Christian, or because it is according to the law of God.

Secondly, If there is no other way for Christians to have an influence in government but by becoming conformed to the world in their habitual principles and parties, then let the ungodly take the government and manage it in their own way, and you go and serve God.

Finally, No such result will follow. In fact, the opposite of this would happen. Just let it be known that there is no way that Christian citizens will vote bad men into office; just let it be known that the church will vote only for men who will aim at the public good, and both parties will be sure to nominate such people. And in this way, the church would legitimately exert an influence by compelling all parties to bring forward only those people who are worthy of an honest man's support.

REMARKS.

1. By not conforming to the world, you may be able to set aside a lot of money for doing good.

In the first year alone, the church might save more money than has ever been raised for the spread of the gospel.

2. By not conforming to the world, a great deal of time may be saved for doing good that is now consumed and wasted in following after fashions, and obeying the principles, and joining in the pursuits of the world.

3. At the same time, Christians would preserve their peace of conscience, would enjoy communion with God, would have the spirit of prayer, and would possess far greater usefulness.

Is it not time something was done? Is it not time that some church struck out a path that should not be conformed to the world, but should be according to the example and Spirit of Christ?

You claim that you want to see sinners converted. But what good would it be if they sink right back again into conforming to the world? Brethren, I confess that I am filled with pain in view of the conduct of the church. Where are the proper results of the glorious revivals we once had? I believe there were genuine revivals of religion and outpourings of the Holy Ghost that the church enjoyed in past years. I believe the converts of the last ten years are among the best Christians in the land. Yet, after all of this, the majority of professing Christians remain a disgrace to religion.

What use would it be to have a thousand members added to the church, to be living as they are now in the church? Would religion be any more honored by it in the estimation of ungodly men? One holy church that is really crucified to the world, and the world to them, would do more to recommend Christianity to the world, than most of the churches in this country living as they now do. O, if I had strength of body to go through the churches again, instead of preaching to convert sinners, I would preach to bring the churches up to the gospel standard of holy living. Of what use is it to convert sinners, and make them Christians who love and wallow in the world? Of what use is it to try to convert sinners, and make them feel there is something in religion, and when they go to trade with you, or meet you in the street, have you contradict all of it, and tell them by your conforming to the world, that there is nothing in it?

Where shall I look, where shall the Lord look for a church like the early church, that will come out from the world and be separate, and give themselves up to serve God? Oh, if this church would do so. It is of little use to make Christians if they are not any better. I am not saying that the converts made in our revivals are false. But the way many old professing Christians live today is a disgrace to religion. Many new converts are so stumbled by old professing Christians that many of these old professing Christians do more harm than good. The more there are of them, the more opportunities infidelity seems to find for her jeers and scoffs.

Now, do you believe that God commands you not to be conformed to the world? Do you believe it? And dare you obey it, no matter what the people around you might say? Dare you now separate yourselves from the world? Will you never again be controlled by its principles, never again copy its practices, and never again drawn here and there by its fashions? I know a man that lives like that. I could mention his name. He pays no attention to the customs of the world in these things, and what is the result? Wherever that man goes, he leaves the impression behind that he is a Christian. Oh, if one church would do the same, and would conform to God with all the energy that the men of this world engage in their business, they would turn the world upside down.

Will you do so? Will you break off from the world now, and enter into a covenant with God, and declare that you will dare to be different enough to be separate from the world, and from this time forward, set sour faces as a flint to obey God, no matter what the world might way? Will you dare to do it? Will you do it?