Feeling inspired again

In this short article I will analyse how George Fox talks about the world and worldly things in his epistles. “For those who have their conversation in this world, and only mind the things of this world, profess godliness in vain.” He says in epistle number two: “But the children of God, who are conceived and begotten of him, are not of this world, neither do they mind only the things of this world, but the things which are eternal.” The things of the world are thus not eternal but temporary and the children of God focus their energies on the things which are eternal since they are not of this world. In the next sentence in the same letter he says “But the children of this world do mostly mind the external things, and their love is in them, and the others live by faith; the one is sanctified by the word, the other painted with the words.” The things of the world are not just temporary as opposed to eternal they are also external as opposed to internal. They are on the outside. He continues “The children of God are pure in heart, not looking only at the outside.” This is opposed to the children of the world who look only at the outside. He says in the same letter “So, marvel not if the world hates you; for the world lies in hatred and wickedness.” “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” (1 John 3:13) and “[...] the whole world lieth in wickedness.”(1 John 5:19) The world lies in hatred and wickedness and sin. He continues “Whoever loves this world, are enemies to Christ; and whoever loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and have him for their Lord over them, they are redeemed out of the world. “He says and referring thus to 1 John 2:15 – 16 “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. 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.” We are redeemed out of the world as it says in Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

There is a worldly nature within us and there is a struggle between Christ in us and the worldly nature in us “The world would have a Christ, but not to rule over them; the nature of the world chains down Christ in man, until Christ has subdued that nature in man.” He continues:” While the nature of the world rules in man, oh, the deaf ears and blind eyes, and the understandings, that are all shut up among them, with which they judge! But those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, do not mind the world's judgment, nor are troubled at it; but consider all our brethren, who have gone before us.” This worldly nature will make one spiritually blind and deaf. The worldly nature is probably the same as the carnal mind as he writes in letter seven “Love that which judges the carnal mind, and crosses it, “ referring to Romans 8:6 – 8 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

The truth will lead one out of the world as he writes in another letter. Letter 13: “And so, walk in the truth, and all of you be servants to it, and it will lead you out of the world. The world would have the truth to serve them, to talk of, to trade with, and to contend with; these are the wells without water, these are the trees without fruit. “ He continues writing that “those who dwell in the spirit of the Lord” [...] “see all these things, and are separated from them.” Life in the world is fulfillment of the lusts of the flesh. He writes:  “So if you live in the spirit, and walk in it, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which will lead into uncleanness, and into adultery, and into that which despises dignity, which defiles the flesh, and goes from the pure.” In letter fifteen he writes “Every one in particular, who are of God, and not of the world, walk out of the world's vain customs, ordinances, and commands; and stand a witness against them all, in the testimony of Jesus,[...]” The world’s customs, ordinances and commands refer to Mark chapter 7:6 - 8 where Jesus says “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.” Furthermore he says in the same letter that “And be famous in his light, and bold in his strength, which will carry you above the world, and above all the deceits of it.” The world is full of deceits but God’s strength and light will carry one above all this. He also writes “But as you dwell in that which is of God, it guides you up out of the elementary life, and out of the mortal into the immortal, which is hidden from all the fleshly ones, where is peace and joy eternal to all who can witness the new birth.” The fleshly ones must mean those who follow the carnal mind, that is the worldly nature.

In letter sixteen he writes “To all you, my dear friends, who have tasted of the immediate, working power of the Lord, and find an alteration in your minds, and see from where virtue comes, and strength, that renews the inward man, and refreshes you; which draws you in love to forsake the world, and that which has form and beauty in it to the eye of the world; and has turned your minds within, [...]” The world and that which has form an beauty in the eye of the world is to be forsaken in the new life of the believer who turns their mind within. Here we find that he is contrasting the external with the internal. The external world contrasted to the Spirit within. In letter seventeen he writes “The light checks you, when you speak an evil word, and tells you that you should not be proud or unrestrained, nor fashion yourselves like the world; for the fashion of this world passes away.” The fashions of the world are temporary as explained above, and since the fashions of this world are temporary one need not concern oneself with them but concentrate on the things which are eternal. One final quote from the same letter and then I’m done “If you hearken to the light in you, it will not allow you to conform to the evil ways, customs, fashions, delights, and vanities of the world; but lead you to purity, to holiness, to uprightness, even up to the Lord.” In short I think George Fox is saying that purity, holiness and uprightness are what one should aim for not conforming to the ways of the world but doing what is right. That we should look critically at the ways of the world and not automatically follow every trend, fashion and custom. That we must have the courage to question our own customs and habits and ask ourselves if we are doing the right thing in following them. That we must not judge people based on their external appearance or their social status only but try to look beyond the surface. What is external and temporary then? -  Your clothes, your jewels, your possessions your worldly goods all the external things people use to signal status, but in the new life in Christ we are not supposed to judge people based on their possessions or their looks.  

Source:

A Collection of Many Select Epistles to Friends of That Ancient, Eminent, and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ George Fox <http://www.hallvworthington.com/Letters/gfsection1.html> 19.03.2017.