Don't Make the World Your Preference

“I am writing to you, little children,

    because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.

I am writing to you, fathers,

    because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

    because you have overcome the evil one.

I write to you, children,

    because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

    because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

    because you are strong,

    and the word of God abides in you,

    and you have overcome the evil one.

“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 desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:12-17 ESV)

John addressed these words to those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, which may include some or many whose faith is not genuine, not meaning that their sins are forgiven, too, but that there were superficial “believers” in Christ in the gatherings of the church in Bible times like there are today, only now it appears that the superficial “believers” are in the majority, and not in the minority like those who are walking in obedience to the Lord in the forsaking of their sins and in holy living. 

So, what is the message here for all of us? We are not to love the world, but not meaning the people of the world whom we are to love, but the trappings and the idols and the things of the world which pull us away from our walks of faith in the Lord Jesus and which draw us back into sin. But this word for love in the Greek is “agape” which literally means to prefer, to prefer to love, to prefer what God prefers, and to prefer to live through Christ and to obey him in his power in living in moral purity, honesty, and faithfulness to him.

So, if we “love” the world, it means that we prefer the world and its trappings and all that it has to offer us above God and above all that is holy, righteous, morally pure, upright, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord. It means that we take pleasure in and we esteem that which is of this ungodly and sinful world that we live in, above God, and so we choose its choices, and we obey them in our flesh, instead of choosing God’s choices and obeying them in his power and strength. And that is wrong!

For, what does it say next? If we love (prefer) the world – the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life – the love of God the Father is not in us. And this goes right along with what we read in 1 John 1:5-10 and in 1 John 2:3-6. For if we say we are in fellowship with God, but while we continue in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord, then we are liars. And if we say that we know God, but we do not walk (in conduct) according to his commands, then we are liars who do not live by the truth.

Now this isn’t saying that all who believe in Jesus will lead absolutely perfect lives at all times. And God doesn’t demand absolute sinless perfection of us, but his grace is sufficient for our failures (1 John 2:1-2). But he does demand that our practice is to deny self, die to sin daily, and walk in obedience to his commands. For if sin is our habit, our practice, and not godliness and moral purity and honesty and faithfulness and obedience to our Lord, then we do not have the hope of eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

So, don’t get caught up in the trappings of the world and let the world be your passion and your desire rather than Jesus Christ and his word and obedience to him and to his commands. And this doesn’t mean we must be praying and reading our Bibles at the exclusion of anything that is just part of normal life and relationships, but that Jesus must be Lord (Master) and our lives must be surrendered to him to do his will. And we should be inquiring of him as to what he wants us to do, and then we must do his will.

I Sing of His Mercy  

An Original Work / April 10, 2014

Based off Psalm 32 

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven

By the blood of Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does

Not count against them; freedom found.

When, in silence, I did not confess 

My sin to You; had no strength.

Then I owned up to my sin and

You forgave and cleansed me within.

Therefore let the godly pray to You;

Draw near to You; grace they’ll find.

They will not be o’ertaken by afflictions,

But in Christ peace abounds.

Lord, You are my hiding place.

I find my refuge in You secure.

You protect me from all evil.

You give songs of vict’ry in You.

Lord, You teach me to walk in Your ways;

Counsel me in love, I know.

Help me to not be stubborn and

Unwilling to follow in Your truth.

Thank You for Your love and mercy.

I put my trust in You always.

I rejoice in my Lord and 

I sing of Him throughout all my days.

https://vimeo.com/91747192