Do not love the world… (1John 2:15-17) 291007
Love God, not the world. Love the people of the world, but do not love the world (v15). This is such a simple and plain message. But it is one of the most difficult principles to live by, because we are in the world, and yet we are told not to love the world or of this world. It is like trying to be in the fire but not to be burnt.
Apostle John brought to our attention three things that are in the world which we have to avoid: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life (v16, NASB). Many preachers had alluded these three aspects of worldliness to the temptation of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. I am not too sure about that, but I am certain that John was warning his readers about these three aspects of worldliness are dangerous to be ignored.
Lust of the flesh: simply our bodily gratification, such as food and sex. I am not too sure about you, but for me, food is a great danger! I really love to eat and eating to me is more than keeping me alive, but it is to satisfy my taste butt and my greed too. I love food so much that I even have a systematic theology of food. I eat more than I should, I eat what I shouldn’t be eating and I eat even when I shouldn’t. What about sex? I don’t think I should go R-Rated here. But you know and I know what is the struggle (I think both men and women had the fair share of it).
Lust of the eyes: simply a lust of what we see, a lust of the mind. Thoughts cannot be checked by others, because we don’t read mind. But we know what we are think about and we know the difference between imagination and fantasy. I can be extremely creative and imaginative, but the danger is when I start to fantasize. And fantasize is basically hoping for what is unreal, not the truth and it is a mean of self-gratification in the mind. What are you thinking now?
Boastful pride of life: people say that this is the root of all sins. I sort of agree. Pride is simply trusting self more than God. The fact that we study and work so hard is a sign of finding self-worth without God. I am not saying that we shouldn’t study and learn or work, but when we do so, what are we hoping for? What are we proving? Are we proving that we can do it? Or we are weak and need God’s help to accomplish our study and work? Maybe it is time to examine your attitude in your work.
Unless we are doing God’s will and living in the will of God, we are not from God, but of the world (v17). Everything will pass, include our achievements and this world, do not put our hope in this world. Do the will of God, love God and abide in Him. Do not love the world.
HHS…
Abel…
