Love Not The World

TEXT: 1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever."

THE WORLD

"The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Ps 24:1). What God created was good. The 'world' as used in the text above refers to the corrupted creation of God, under the influence of Satan and his demons. Satan is described as the Prince of this world (Jn 14:30). Jesus declared in John 18:36 that his Kingdom was not of this 'world.' The 'world' we are exhorted not to love is the carnal and corrupted state of the earth. Satan will not drag you into his world in Jesus name.

WHAT THE WORLD OFFERS

The world according to 1 Jn 2:16 offers "...a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see and pride in our achievements and possessions." It offers the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The followers of Christ are not part of this world. Jesus told his disciples in John 15:18 -19: "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

GOD STILL LOVES THE WORLD

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." (Jn 3:16). God loves the world but not the sin that has corrupted the world. He allowed Jesus to sacrifice his life in order to reconcile the world back to himself. He did not allow gross darkness to take over the world, Jesus came as the light of the world and left his light in the heart of all believers. You are the light in a dark world. "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Jn 8:12).

THE JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD

If you do not want to be consumed by the corruption of the world, you need to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and receive the light of life. God destroyed the first world because of gross wickedness and sin. The world today would soon face the judgment of God. Are your ready for him? John 12:31 says: "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out."

James 4:4 says: "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." Are you a lover of the pleasures of the world like Demas? 2 Timothy 4:10 tells us: "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonic..."

Do you delight in amassing worldly goods to the detriment of your service to God? Has pride taken hold of your life? Watch it, you may become an enemy of God. Eternity beckons, let your light shine.

A BRAND NEW WORLD

God has promised to create a brand new world where righteousness reigns (Isa 65:17). In this new world the influence of Satan will be eliminated. Revelation 21:1 says:

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." If you desire to be a part of this new world of righteousness and peace, accept Jesus today.

PRAYER:

Father, purge my heart and flood my heart with your light. Deliver me from the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life in Jesus name.

CONFESSION:

I am God's special possession.

God bless you. Shalom.