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.”

This verse is saying that if we love the world, then we do not love God.

… pretty blunt and dogmatic of God to say so!

But it is because it is impossible to love both God and this world simultaneously.

If your wife or husband understandably and most reasonably expects your full and undivided love… should God get anything less from us?

But to understand what this verse is teaching, it is important firstly to define “the world” so we know what God’s word is talking about.

What is “the world?”

Well, the world can be defined as “Present state of existence” and “Course of life” and “The customs and manners of men; the practice of life.”

Basically put, this world is the system and spirit of living here on earth, and it is a kingdom which has a prince which rules over it, the god of this world – Satan.

And so this world is defined by him, bearing his resemblance and traits, and that is why this current world (BTW it’s not going to be forever!) in which we live is called “this present evil world” and which “lieth in wickedness”.

Just have a look at this world, and is it really so great? Most people would agree that this world is pretty messed up, even if you have got a nice little niche for now in it.

And yeah, there’s some nice and amazing things about life, but remember, everything truly good is a function of the goodness, mercy and grace of God which he still extends as light in our darkness.

But one thing is for sure about this world, and that is that this world is totally set against the Lord Jesus Christ… and that’s why no Christian should be in love with it.

How could you love a system of life and a spirit of living which hates your Saviour? And if you need evidence of how much this world hates Christ, just go and open the Bible with someone tomorrow.

And yet with this all in mind, yet we Christians seem to struggle to let go of this affinity that we can all have with this world… and we get so tangled up in worldliness when we should be pursuing godliness!

And it ought not so to be, because spiritually we should be in a totally different place as we begin to walk in the new reality of the new creature that was born inside us when we first believed.

And another thing is also clear, which is that a primary reason that the church at large has lost its power is that it is in love with this world…

… and in its love for the world, it still wants to have religion too, and thus creates a confusing blend of the two… worldly Christianity.

And worldly Christianity does not truly love God, a fact barely concealed below its surface, a surface which when scratched begins unmistakably to reveal its rebellion to the God it professes.

And by the way, this does not mean go down some legalistic path in a false counterbalance of this truth, like that would make you less worldly, because anything less than true “godliness” (which is only possible through the Holy Spirit) will not do.

Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is within each believer, as Jesus Christ dwells in our hearts by faith…

… That’s how we are meant to live and navigate this world, and while we are in this world as strangers and pilgrims for now, hopefully in the meantime we can shine our little light here, and that we could possibly help some others get off the same sinking prison ship that we were once on!

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