Provoking Thoughts From 1 John (6 Of 16)

So far we have taken FOUR tests:

I. The Attitude Test

II. The Action Test

III. The Affection Test

IV. The Actuality Test

Today we want to look at this FIFTH test.

V. THE ADULTERY TEST

WHAT KIND OF TEST IS THIS? This is a test that deals with our relationship with the world. That is, as Christians we can have a PROPER or IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP with the world.

Illus: We Christians are like the child that has been placed in the back yard to play. The child can enjoy everything in the back yard, but can not go beyond a certain point or else he would have crossed the line of where he was supposed to stay.

Illus: (Draw an imaginary circle) And explain, “As long as I walk within this circle I am in the will of God. But when I allow the world to seduce me, entice me, lure me out of that circle to the gods of this world, I am committing spiritual adultery.”

Let me show you some things about this ADULTERY TEST. Before you take it you need to consider THREE things. Such as...

A. THE PROOF

Look at verse 15. John said, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. IF ANY MAN LOVE THE WORLD, the love of the Father IS NOT IN HIM.” John states clearly that we, as Christians, can fall in love with the things which are in this world.

Illus: This something that happened to a co-worker of the apostle Paul. Paul said, 2 Tim. 4:10, “For Demas hath forsaken me, HAVING LOVED THIS PRESENT WORLD...”

We can fall in love with the things of the world. We can allow these things to lure us, entice us, and seduce us from the love of God.

This is why Paul said, Col. 3:2, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Also, this is why it is so hard to reach sinners, they are in love. When a person is in love, he is hard to deal with. You can not just walk into his life and say, “Now this love relationship you have with the world is something you need to get out of!” But, this is exactly what the Word of God teaches Christians should do. God has something greater for us to love, HIMSELF! Look at 2 Cor. 6:17. We read, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. However, we all know it is difficult to break a love relationship.

Illus: A pastor was called to a home where a Christian young man was weeping with a broken heart. He was a strong athlete. He excelled in sports. But the pastor was called because he and his girl friend had broken up and his heart was broken. He was contemplating suicide. He felt he did not have a thing to live for.

When we are in love, it breaks our hearts to have to depart from that loved one.

The world can entice us to fall in love with it, thus John gives the warning that we can not love GOD and the WORLD at the same time.

Before we go any farther, we need to qualify what John meant when he said, “LOVE NOT THE WORLD.” He was not saying we were not to enjoy the beauty of this world. Most of us are guilty of not loving the beauty of this world that God created for us to enjoy.

Illus: That is, every day God’s beautiful clouds, trees, oceans, mountains, flowers, water falls, sunsets, and sunrises are there for us to see and enjoy, but we do not even take time to look at them.

The beauty of this marvelous creation of God reveals many wonderful things about Him. Psalm 19:1 tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.”

We can look at the handiwork of God and it will reveal many things about this God we KNOW and SERVE. For example, anyone who looks at the handiwork of God can not help but conclude that God loves beauty. We reach this conclusion because He created so many beautiful places, and things for us to enjoy.

John was not teaching that we should not enjoy the beauty of God’s creation when he said, “Love not the world...” He was talking about something entirely different. For example, have you noticed the world’s philosophy is different from the philosophy of Christians?

Illus: That is, when we, God-loving Christians:

• Listen to a television program, like the Larry King show on CNN, it upsets us as we hear those people who are out in left field in sin tell everything they are for. Everything they are for, we are against and everything they are against, we are for! We can not help but observe...THIS IS A STRANGE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE!