Shifting Responsibilities
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enemy. A transfer of property will not lessen their responsibility. They
are accountable for the means which Heaven has entrusted to their care,
and in no way can they excuse themselves from this responsibility
until they are released by rendering back to God that which He has
committed to them.
The love of the world separates from God. “If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.” It is impossible for any to
discern the truth while the world has their affections. The world comes
between them and God, beclouding the vision and benumbing the
sensibilities to such a degree that it is impossible for them to discern
sacred things. God calls upon such: “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
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and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn,
and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to
heaviness.” Those who have stained their hands with the pollution of
the world are required to cleanse themselves from its stains. Those who
think they can serve the world and yet love God are double-minded.
But they cannot serve God and mammon. They are men of two minds,
loving the world and losing all sense of their obligation to God, and
yet professing to be Christ’s followers. They are neither the one thing
nor the other. They will lose both worlds unless they cleanse their
hands and purify their hearts through obedience to the pure principles
of truth. “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to
walk, even as He walked.” “Herein is our love made perfect, that we
may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are
we in this world.” “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and
precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
It is worldly lust that is destroying true godliness. Love of the
world and the things that are in the world is separating from the Father.
The passion for earthly gain is increasing among those who profess
to be looking for the soon appearing of our Saviour. The lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life control even professed
Christians. They are seeking for the things of the world with avaricious
lust, and many will sell eternal life for unholy gain.
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