Articles
Love Not The World
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever”(1 John 2:15-17).
It is impossible for one to claim fellowship with God and to pattern their life after the world. John repeats this theme throughout this letter. He informs us that we must “walk in the light” and that we cannot simultaneously walk in the light and walk in darkness (1 John 1:7). “Don’t love the world’s ways or the world’s goods,” John says. To John, the “world” represents everything that is contrary to keeping the faith.
Indeed, the world has a different view of how we should live. Our postmodern culture believes that all ideas are valid. We are free to believe and practice whatever we desire, in the name of diversity and tolerance. In our broadminded world more and more folks have gravitated toward the hedonistic view – “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” It is easy for the Christian, in this environment, to have a Playboy view of the world rather than a biblical view.
Before His departure, Jesus told His disciples, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). James said, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God”(James 4:4-5). Looking, dressing, acting, and talking like the world are not the marks of followers of Christ.
God wants more for me. Therefore, I must hear and do what He says day by day, and moment by moment. So let us determine to stop that affair you’ve been having with sin. Get busy enjoying the rewards of living for God.
