1 John 2:5 - 17
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
The “world” is an organized system of thought under satan’s authority that is against God and anyone who believes in Him. It does all it can to destroy faith, promote sinning, and destroy believers.
It has three foundational components that are the basis for all its activities:
The lust of the flesh – the desire to indulge.
The lust of the eyes – the desire to acquire.
The boastful pride of life -- The desire to impress.
Pay attention the next time you’re watching TV to how products are promoted in commercials. Indulging, acquiring, and bragging certainly make the world go around. God says His people are to reject these values and have nothing to do with the system behind them. The world will soon be passing away along with its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Do you ever feel pressured to conform to certain ideas that are definitely not bringing you closer to God? Does dual citizenship ever seem like the way to go – close to God and at the same time close to the world?
What does God say about that? He says, “I love you, do you love Me? Don’t let anything come between us.”