LOVING the ‘WORLD’ is a SIN against GOD!
December
22 Bible Reading: 1 John Chapters 1-3
LOVING the ‘WORLD’ is a SIN against GOD!
"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)
In the above
passage, the term ‘world’ does not refer to the universe created by God but the
community of sinful humanity that possesses a spirit of rebellion against God
under the dominion of Satan (1 John 5:19). In this sense, the ‘world’ is the
satanic system opposing Christ’s kingdom on this earth. We are plainly warned
not to love the ‘world’ or the things that are in the ‘world’ since our love
for the world is not compatible with our love for God.
All that the
‘world’ has to offer may be described as the lust of the flesh (sinful sensual pleasures), the lust of the eyes (covetousness or
materialism), and the pride of life (being
proud about ourselves). The lust of the
flesh refers to such sensual bodily appetites as proceed from within our
evil nature. The lust of the eyes
applies to such evil desires as may arise from what we see. The pride of life is an unholy ambition for
self-display and self-glory. These three areas of appeal were presented to Eve,
who gave in (Gen. 3:6) and to Jesus Christ, who overcame through the Word of
God (Matt. 4:1–11). We should also depend on the Word of God to defeat
temptation in our lives.
Living for
this ‘world’ is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic that will sink
soon. This ‘world’ is passing away so there is no point in living for this
world alone. To be consumed with this life is to be unprepared for the next.
What a tragedy to invest our resources in what will not last. But we will abide
forever when we do the will of God as this will deliver us from the temptation
of passing things.
Let us be careful that nothing breaches our spiritual defense. We cannot afford to let down our guard anytime, but need to be alert to what entices us today. A lapse opens the door to sin, which in turn may develop into a sinful habit that will eventually cause us to drift from God. Let us pray this simple prayer today: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalms 139:23-24)
