"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 (I John 1:7) "walk in the light" and that we cannot
simultaneously walk in the light and walk in darkness. "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.
If I intend to be all that God wants me to be, I must hear and do what he
says day by day, and moment by moment. So determine to stop that affair
you've been having with sin. Get busy enjoying the rewards of living for
God.
