“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.” 1 John 2:15. “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4
The word “love” appears 36 times in 1 John. We are told that God is love. We are told to love God and to love the brethren. We are also told there is a love that God does not approve of.
To Love is to be fully committed to someone or something. You cannot truly love your wife and live with another woman. How can a man say he loves his wife with all his heart and yet give himself to another woman? True love in the scriptures is giving 100 percent allegiance. A person cannot have one foot in the world and the other foot in the church. The apostle Paul uses the example of an athlete—he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules (2 Timothy 2:5).
Paul’s victory in his spiritual life was dependent on his denial of the lusts and impulses of his body. He made a conscious decision to controls his lusts and not allow them to control him (1 Corinthians 9:26–27). Loving the world is completely opposite to loving God—one cannot be fully committed to the world and to Christ at the same time.
John tells us that if we love the world we do not really love God. You may think you love the Lord. You may even feel like you love the Lord, but you are deceived.
In Greek, the word for world is kosmos. It sometimes refers to the material universe and other times to mankind that is not worshipping the Lord. When John bids us “Love not the world” he is not talking about the material earth, but of mankind that is opposed to the ways of God; people that Satan has convinced to live in rebellion against God. John knows how strong the lusts of the flesh are, and bids Christians to beware of them and to resist their seductive power.
The “world” that John tells us not to love has three characteristics: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. He uses them to describe this godless world in which we live. “Bewitching temptations to follow the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are to be met on every side. The exercise of firm principle, and strict control of the appetites and passions, in the name of Jesus the Conqueror, will alone carry us safely through life.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 166
1.The Lust of the Flesh: “It was no easier for Enoch to live a righteous life than it is for us at the present time. The world in his time was no more favorable to growth in grace and holiness than it is now. It was by prayer and communion with God that Enoch was enabled to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. We are living in the perils of the last days, and we must receive our strength from the same source. We must walk with God. A separation from the world is required of us; for we cannot remain free from its pollution unless we follow the example of faithful Enoch. But how many are slaves to the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” –The Southern Watchman, March 10, 1908
Our flesh refers to our physical appetites and needs. The word “lust” is used to describe a strong attempt to gratify these needs contrary to the will of God. “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16
- The Lust of the Eyes: “If lust of flesh applies particular to sins arising from the body, lust of eyes may be understood to refer to mental pleasure stimulated through sight. Much of sinful pleasure of the world is experienced through the eyes.’’ –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 642. The eyes of a worldly person love to behold treasure and riches like gold, silver, houses, lands, and possessions. They never seems to be satisfied. All a covetous man has is little more satisfaction than just beholding with his eyes, yet he takes great sinful pleasure in this.
We need to guard our eyes. Feeding our eyes on sensual images will only fuel improper desires. Confirming the link between seeing and desiring, Jesus warned: “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew 5:28–29. To resist temptation, we must act decisively and not feast our eyes on provocative images.
About Eve we read: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” Genesis 3:6
Concerning Achan: “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they [are] hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.” Joshua 7:21
Eve, Achan, King David, and many others in the Scriptures show how “the lust of the eyes” is one of the ways to be tempted and to even fall. Consider the faithful man, Job, who said: “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” Job 31:1. Why not make a similar resolve?
May this be our daily prayer “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken Thou me in Thy way.” Psalm 119:37
- 3. The Pride of Life: This includes vanity, boasting and display; it is presumptuous confidence in one’s wisdom, skills, and strengths. It exalts self-sufficiency. “Selfishness cannot exist in a heart where Christ dwells; if cherished, it will crowd out everything besides. It will lead you to follow inclination rather than duty, to make self the subject of thought, and to gratify and indulge yourself, instead of seeking to be a blessing to others. Your wants, your pleasures, will come before everything else…. True happiness is to be found, not in self-indulgence and self-pleasing, but in learning of Christ…. Those who trust to their own wisdom, and follow their own ways, go complaining at every step, because the burden which selfishness binds upon them is so heavy.” –Sons and Daughters of God, p. 82
“Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4. Thinking, looking, acting, dressing, talking, and responding like the world are not seen in the followers of Christ. “God will accept nothing less than unreserved surrender. Half-hearted, sinful Christians can never enter heaven.” –Our Father Cares, p. 235
Dangerous relationships
The way to build a relationship with someone is to spend time with them. Talk to them, and listen to them. We then will discover what they love, hate, enjoy, etc. It is unwise to think that a true union with two people is possible while one remains in darkness and the other walks in the light. These two people are walking in opposite directions. They are subjects of two different kingdoms.
“Good and evil never harmonize. Between light and darkness there can be no compromise. Truth is light revealed; error is darkness. Light has no fellowship with darkness, righteousness no fellowship with unrighteousness.” –Manuscript Releases, vol. 20, p. 30
Believers and unbelievers act quite different when principle is concerned; they have different goals in life. Frequently, if not always, they will walk in different paths. And when the relationship is not well controlled with much care, it will not be unexpected to see that it leads us into outward sin. Perhaps it may not be seen presently because it first begins with a simple neglect of a duty. This first step saps the foundations of our religion. It will then, little by little, suppress our zeal for God and gently cool that fervency of spirit which was present in our first love. If they do not openly oppose anything we say or do, their very spirit will affect our spirit. Subtly, it can lead to the same lukewarmness and indifference toward God. It will weaken our soul, destroy the vigour of our spirit, and cause us to slow down our running pace in the race that is set before us.
The world begins to tempt the follower of Christ by first offering peace and friendship. “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4. The world is corrupt and perverted, opposed to God. It is a system designed to separate us from God and rob us of the blessings He has for us.
The appeal of the world is the same today as it was at creation. Eve was exposed to the same three temptations; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Eve saw that the tree was “good for food” (the lust of the flesh); that the tree “was pleasant to the eyes” (the lust of the eyes); and that it was “a tree to be desired to make one wise” (the pride of life).
Jesus was confronted with the same series of temptations in the wilderness: When He was hungry, Satan came to Him, saying, “command that these stones be made bread.” Matthew 4:3. (lust of the flesh). Then the devil, “taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, . . . If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down.” Matthew 4:5-6. (pride of life). “Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.” Matthew 4:8. (Lust of the eyes).
Why Should We Not Love the World?
Since we brought nothing into the world, we can take nothing out. People who lust after riches fall into temptation. They fall into a snare with many senseless and harmful desires which plunge them into ruin. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. Christ says, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” Luke 12:15
In the world, often, people focus on what another person has, rather than who that person is. They are often more
aware of an individual’s possessions and less concerned about the individual’s spiritual condition.
Love for the world is opposite to loving God. “ If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15. “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24. The reason that love for the world pushes out love for God is that all that is in the world, (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) is not of the Father but is of the world. Loving the world excludes loving God. One cannot love the world and at the same time love God.
The World with its lust will pass away. “We must dwell as pilgrims and strangers here if we would gain ‘a better country, that is, an heavenly.’ The heritage that God has promised to His people is not in this world.” –Conflict and Courage, p 55. Why would a believer be so blinded by the enemy’s sophistries as to continue investing his life in it, when, “this world and all its lusts is passing away”? Are you willing to exchange the eternal reward for some foolish temporal gain? (Matthew 16:24–26). “Those who secure for their children worldly wealth and honor at the expense of their eternal interests, will find in the end that these advantages are a terrible loss.” –Ibid., p. 55. If you love the world you will perish with the world; but if you love God, you will do His will and live with Him forever (1 John 2:17). To what are you truly, fully committed; to Christ or to this world?
“The Desire of all Nations”
The Bible is clear that the world is controlled by Satan, according to God’s permissive will. Paul calls Satan “the god of this world.” 2 Corinthians 4:4. In Luke 4:6, the devil said to the Saviour, “All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.” This was a lie because everything, in reality, belongs to God. “The whole world lieth in wickedness.” 1 John 5:19. Satan’s influence is seen all throughout society. His influence is seen in the business world, in entertainment, in industry, and government. If you follow the practices of the world, you will find yourself following the devil! Jesus should be the true desire of the Nations!
“Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. . . . Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. . . . He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of blessing,—‘a well of water springing up into everlasting life. . . .’ The need of the world, ‘The Desire of all nations,’ is Christ.” –The Desire of Ages. p. 187
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36
If you are content to live in this world, then embrace it with joy while you can. One day it will be consumed and you will be consumed with it. Paul says, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” Philippians 3:7–8. Worldliness is anything that separates you from the love of the Lord. We are told to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength. Worldliness keeps you from loving and doing the will of God; from living the Christian life to the fullest.
The choice you make today will decide your eternal destiny. If you choose the world, you will be separated from Christ. You cannot love both.
Connect with Christ and flee spiritual adultery. Have no friendship with the world, no matter how strong the temptation is. Jesus can deliver you. And if you have already partaken of the world, break the bond without delay. Your life is at stake—your eternal life or eternal death. Keep yourself pure in the love of Christ at all cost. There can be no profitable fellowship between the righteous and the unrighteous, as there can be no communion between light and darkness. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17
“Never should God’s people venture upon forbidden ground.” –The Adventist Home, p. 63
Let all those who want to live in favour with God and receive His blessing, beware how friendships and acquaintances are formed with ungodly men. Let no pleasure or gain come from such acquaintances. When faced with strong temptations, the clear command from God is to, pluck out the right eye (Matthew 5:29)—tear yourself away from the most pleasing acquaintance. Why? “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20.
Victor Sumbusho,
DR Congo