The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Aberystwyth Conference 2024 Session 9 (Evening 5)


There was no official Friday evening meeting last year but it was back with a bang this year. A packed Great Hall listened to Dyfan Williams give the final address of the 2024 conference looking at scenes from the life of Jacob. For me, this meeting (including Alun Ebenezer leading in prayer) was the highlight of the week. Clearly, warmly and with rhetorical power Dyfan expounded the Scriptures very practically and helpfully and ended with a powerful evangelistic call. Judicious use of powerpoint helped rather than hindered the message. 
He closed saying,
Now let me ask you this as we come to a close, will you hear Jesus's word tonight? Will you believe the God who sent him? Robert Frost, the American poet, wrote a poem The Road Not Taken and he says "I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence. Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less travelled by and that has made all the difference."
I want to suggest to you this evening, the final day of Aber, two roads are converging for you this evening, two roads, Jesus talked about them didn't he? He talked about the broad road and the narrow road. He talked about the broad road - there are many on it. The broad road leads to destruction. The narrow road, the narrow road they're not on it, so many. The narrow road leads to life, eternal life. And I want to ask you which road are you on? Which road are you on? Will you believe in the Lord Jesus? Will you put your faith in him? Will you get off the broad road and will you trust in this Saviour who promises you eternal life? Will you do it? Paul talks in in 2 Corinthians 5, he says we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were making his appeal through us - be reconciled to God. Well, I want to be that voice this this evening to you. I want to say, God is making an appeal to you through me, through his word this evening - be reconciled to God, come to this God. He is appealing to you this evening. He's saying, come on, come on. Trust in my son. Get off the broad road, get onto the narrow road that leads to life. The consequences are eternal. Robert Frost says that it's made all the difference. It's made all the difference, the road which I took and it's going to make all the difference for us, for you. Get on the narrow road, follow this
Lord Jesus, put your trust in him. There are young people that were with me in Aber at the conference, years and years ago ... there are people who were with me and in our friendship group. They are nowhere now. They are nowhere. They're not following the Lord; they're on the broad road and I don't want that to happen to you. I don't want it to happen to you.
God is appealing. God made Christ who had no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him. You can be righteous. You can be right with God this evening through faith in Jesus. You've crossed over from death to life. Take the road less travelled by and that will make all the difference.
Maybe this evening, maybe this evening, this will be the first stage of God's grace for you here. May we all know God's grace through the various stages of life and may we be strong to the finish. Amen, amen.

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