This world or the world to come?

I just found in my drafts this very convicting excerpt (below). 

[The worldly man] is fond of the world, fond of money, fond of preferment; one that would not let his religion stand in the way of his advancement, who could pocket all scruples if he could pocket a little gold along with them. [He is] hollow of heart, but with a fair outside; just an Erasmus*; no Luther*, no Calvin*, no Knox*, no confessor, no martyr. His worldly interests are the main thing to him. He would rather not risk offending God, but yet he would not like to lose Balak’s rewards and honors. He would rather not take up his cross, nor deny himself, nor forsake all for his God. Religion with him is not just a thing to be suffered for,—at least if he can help it.

So is it with multitudes amongst us. They want as much religion as will save them from hell; not an atom more. The world is their real God; gold is their idol; it is in mammon’s temple that they worship. Love God with all their heart!—they do not so much as understand the meaning of such a thing. Sacrifice riches, place, honor, friends to Christ!—they scoff at the thing as madness.

Oh, be on the side of God, out and out. Do not trifle with religion. Do not mock God and Christ. Love not the world. Be religious in your inmost soul. Do not mistake sentimentalism for religion, or a good character for the new birth. You may go very far and yet not be a Christian. You may follow Christ in some things; but if not in all, what is your following worth?

This world or the world to come; that is the alternative, not this world and the world to come. Christ all or nothing. The soul more precious than worlds, or utterly worthless. No middle ground; no half-discipleship; no compromise. No! The friendship of the world is enmity with God. Come out and be separate. The new birth or no religion at all!

Horatius Bonar

[bold emphasis mine]

Notes:

Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1469-1536) – leading Christian humanist scholar of the Renaissance; wanted to reform Roman Catholicism, but never broke with it; initially neutral toward Martin Luther’s reforms, he later condemned them.

Martin Luther Martin Luther (1483-1546) – German Reformer.

John Calvin (1509-1564) – French Reformer.

John Knox (c. 1513-1572) – Scottish Reformer.