Peter. "Blessed are the poor
in spirit."

PART III.

EXTERNAL FOES.

What are our enemies without? What does James say? "Know ye not that
the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore
will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." And John? "Love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Now, people want to know what is _the world_. When you talk with them
they say:

"Well, when you say 'the world,' what do you mean?"

Here we have the answer in the next verse: "For all that is in the
world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride
of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world
passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth forever."

"The world" does not mean nature around us. God nowhere tells us that
the material world is an enemy to be overcome. On the contrary, we
read: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world,
and they that dwell therein." "The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork."

It means "human life and society as far as alienated from God, through
being centered on material aims and objects, and thus opposed to God's
Spirit and kingdom." Christ said: "If the world hate you, ye know that
it hated Me before it hated you . . . the world hath hated them
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
Love of the world means the forgetfulness of the eternal future by
reason of love for passing things.

How can the world be overcome? Not by education, not by experience;
only by faith. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even
our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth
that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Worldly Habits and Fashions.

For one thing we must fight _worldly habits and fashions_. We must
often go against the customs of the world. I have great respect for a
man who can stand up for what he believes is right against all the
world. He who can stand alone is a hero.

Suppose it is the custom for young men to do certain things you
wouldn't like your mother to know of--things that your mother taught
you are wrong. You may have to stand up alone among all your
companions.

They will say: "You can't get away from your mother, eh? Tied to your
mother's apron strings!"

But just you say: "Yes! I have so