LOVE FOR THE WORLD

“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” – 1 John 2:15

While meditating on LOVE, it is needful to place LOVE for the WORLD in proper perspective: “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” (1Jh.2:15). This command is supported by three incentives for not loving the world – its systems, patterns, sinful and lustful desires.

The first incentive is that “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (v.15b). Love for the world pushes out love for the Father, and love for God pushes out love for the world: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Mt.6:24). Loving the world will put one in the class with the God-haters. Why? Because all that is in the world – “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” is not of God (v.16). It’s just empty talk to say that you love God if you love what is not of God. Love for the world can’t coexist with love for God.

The second incentive is that the World and its lusts will pass: “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it” (v.17a) Nobody settles down in a sinking ship. Nobody buys stock in a company that is sure to go bankrupt. No reasonable person would lay up treasure where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal (Mt.6:19-20). The world is passing away! To set your heart on it is only asking for heartache and misery in the end. Not only is the world passing away, but also the lusts of it – whoever puts confidence in the desires of the world will lose his treasure and his life.

The third incentive is that: “he who does the will of God abides forever” (v.17b). The opposite of loving the world is not only loving the Father (v.15), but also doing His Will (v. 17). Jesus said, “If you love me, keep My commandments” (Jh.14:15). John said: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1Jh.5:3a). Loving the Father and doing the will of God are one and the same (v.15,17). If you love God, you will love what He wills. He who loves God loves what God loves.

Loving the Father and freeing ourselves from the love of the world is not optional. It is not icing on the cake of salvation. It is number one on life’s agenda. Nothing in the world is more important than experiencing love for God in your heart. This love is the first and great commandment (Mt.22:36-40). If one is not feeling much love for God, there are two possibilities: either one is not born again, but just a cultural or hereditary Christian or love has grown cold and weak. There are numerous religious church-goers who know nothing of the new birth and genuine heartfelt love for God, but simply have the “form of religion” (2Tim.3:1-5). The other possibility is of those who have been born again, but whose love for God has simply grown lukewarm, weak, and passionless (Rev.3:16).

Meanwhile, John 3:16 affirms: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jh.3:16). How do we reconcile these seemingly contradictory statements? To not love the world doesn’t mean being so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly use. It doesn’t mean losing touch with humanity, or alienating others by giving off signals that we are somehow spiritually superior to them. We are meant to be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Mt.5:13-16). But we must not be conformed to the systems – cultures, economics, philosophies, entertainment, politics, and other sectors – of the world that are passing away! Choose your love – the world or the Father?