From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

The world is in unending conflict. Lawlessness is in conflict with the lawful. Intrigue and dishonesty are in conflict with truth and honesty. Intolerance is at odds with tolerance and human understanding. Lust and pleasure are in conflict with propriety and purity. Godlessness is at odds with righteousness. Disorder is at war with decency and order. As long as sin exists, conflict will continue to rage.

The Bible teaches that the world is at war with the spiritually minded Christian. Worldliness is a mood, a tempo, an attitude of the soul that peers out horizontally upon life. Its head is never lifted upward in recognition of God. Its gaze is manward—never Godward. It is a materialistic, sensual view of life that centers its attention on the gratification of the lower appetites and desires, completely blind to the things of the spirit. In this kind of world, God is not just denied, He is forgotten.

In spite of the fact that many people belong to, and serve, Christ, the wretched bent toward sin is ever-present to drag us down. Thus, we find ourselves in daily conflict with the world around us, but we are not to yield an inch—we are to be the light of Christ that shines in the darkness.

Instead of saturating ourselves with things of the world, we can saturate ourselves with God’s commands and wisdom. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth … Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:2,16), and then proclaim boldly that Christ will bring peace to each heart that seeks His salvation.

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

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