1 John 2:15 "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 Wesley said "Anything that cools my love for Christ is the world." If that be true, wouldn't it also be true that we love the world if our love for Christ isn't burning? Think about it. Anytime our affections are not focused on Christ, and whenever our love for Him isn't the apex of our life, we are loving the world. The Bible says if we love the world, the love of God isn't in us. The Bible also says in the same book that if we don't have love, we're not saved. Isn't that scary in some respects? To think that whenever our attention isn't on Christ, but on the world, the love of God is not in us. That is scary. It changes my perspective on some things.
Notice the Scripture says "Love not the world." At first glance one might interpret that to mean "We shouldn't love the things of the world." But that interpretation is made void by the next clause "neither the things that are in the world". So the Bible says that we shouldn't even love the world. We shouldn't be so attached to this ball of dust that we forget about eternity. Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher from the 18th century preached the timeless sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." It is said that when he preached that sermon, he wasn't eloquent, but his voice was monotone. He didn't use forceful displays with his body, but he read his text with the paper close to his face because of poor eyesight. One would think that a sermon without any display of emotion or eloquence would hardly see results, but when he preached that sermon, the people in his congregation rose from their seats wailing and weeping because of their sins. He so impressed upon them their need for conversion that this was the result. Why? Not because of eloquence, not because he was emotional, but because before he preached that sermon he prayed "God stamp ETERNITY on my eyeballs."
Love not the world. Don't forget that this world is not our home. Hebrews 11 speaks of those saints who endured so many trials and temptations. It says that they were tormented, afflicted, wandering about in sheepskins and goatskins, it says some were even sawn asunder. Sawn in half. It speaks of these saints and says "Of whom the world was not worthy." They were looking "for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." If we're too occupied with the things of this life that we can't turn our eyes to Christ, we're in a dangerous love affair with the world, and we need to get our priorities straight. Don't be too busy for Jesus, He wasn't too busy to leave His glorious throne in heaven and stoop down to rescue us from the devil, to free us from sin and the power of darkness.
Then we come to the next line "Neither the things that are in the world." Lust, pride, television, sports, money, etc. Everything that is not of God is the world. If we could get ahold of this truth, and really grasp onto it, we would continually be aware of God's presence. It isn't enough to forsake our sins, but God says in His Word to forsake the world. He isn't talking about an ascetic, monastery life, but a life of humble devotion to Him. Suppose the President called you to notify you that he needed someone trustworthy to serve as ambassador to a foreign country. He chooses you. This mission isn't the most glorious, and the nation is very poor, but the President feels that you're the man or woman for the job. This foreign country is far away, and the language and culture totally alien to you, but you go because he asked you to go, and because there is a hefty reward awaiting when you return. Once there, do you think that you will mix yourself with the culture? Do you think you'll tour the land? It's nothing compared to America. The weather is hot and sticky, the people are rude and unwelcoming. Why in the world would you want to associate yourself with the things of that land? You wouldn't. You're only there to fulfill your mission, and your only joy lies in the fact that you will return to America. The reward doesn't even matter anymore, you just want to come back home. It is the same with Christians. We are (or at least we are supposed to be) ambassadors for Christ. This land that we are serving in is nothing to be compared with our eternal home in the heavens. The people are rude and unwelcoming to us, and trials and tribulations abound. The only thing that keeps us going is Christ. Now why, oh why would we want to associate ourselves with the things of this life? Do you see how foolish it is? Do you see the ridiculousness of loving the things of the world. The Bible says "the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." We do the same things as the world, we live the same way, and we love the same things, when it is our mission to inform them that this world is going to pass away one day! What is wrong with us? He says "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world."
Then finally, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Ouch. Do i love Christ? If so, i shouldn't love the world. God doesn't accept roommates. He won't dwell in our hearts if at the same time the world is there too. So often we forget that the Bible says "examine yourselves". If we would hold up our lives and compare them them to the Scriptures, would we be frightened and shocked to see that the life we are living is utterly contrary to the will of God? Would we see that the things we do are the things the Bible calls "works of the flesh"? Or would we find peace and assurance that we are in the will of God, and this is the true Grace of God wherein we stand. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (1 Cor 11:31).
