by David J. Stewart
"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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." -1st John 2:15-17
There are a few Scriptures in the
Word of God that come to mind for me more than others. 1st John 2:15-17
is one such passage of Scripture. When I see what the sinful world has
to offer, I am often reminded of the Words... "Love not the world..." Tragically, most people love the world. They love the sin. They
love the nightclubs. They love the pornography. They love the
booze.
They love those who mock and curse God. They love gambling. They love worldly movies the entertainment. They love worldly music. They love worldly TV shows. They love worldly singers and actors. They love anything that is unholy and against God. They may claim to
love God, but John 14:15 teaches they do not.
What is the World?
What does the Bible mean by the term "world?" The world is that mass of humanity which has alienated itself from God and is therefore hostile to the cause of Christ. The world lives for frivolous and meaningless things. So many people's minds are consumed with their automobile, or their new barbeque. Others live for fishing, or the latest fashion from France (usually some cheap looking garbage).
It is tragic that the Word of God means so little to so many people. Do you not understand that the same God Who spoke the universe into existence also Authored the Bible? Yet people spit on the Word of God by completely ignoring It. The world lives for it's belly..."Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things" (Philippians 3:19). This describes the average person today, living for number one (self).
The world is Elton John and his music. The world is Rod Stewart. The world is Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears. The world is TobyMac and Amy Grant. The world is Budweiser and Miller. The world is Walt Disney and it's sexually perverted and Satanic movies. The world is George Straight and his adulterous country songs. The world is rock n' roll and rap. The world is MTV. The world is Broadway. The world is Oprah Winfrey and her damnable New Age teachings. The world is Hollywood. The world is gambling casinos. The world is the race track.
The world is nightclubs. The world is materialism. The world is living for money, for a career. The world is everything that this temporal life has to offer which draws us away from God: away from holy living, away from obeying the Word of God, away from praying, away from living for Jesus, away from soulwinning, away from giving to the Lord's work, away from going to church, away from righteousness, and even away from getting saved. The world is our enemy! It is God's enemy (James 4:4). If we are friends of the world, then we are enemies of God!
All That is in the World
The "world" to which the Bible refers to is BOTH the sinful world and the materialistic world. Something doesn't have to necessarily be sinful to be worldly. For example: There is nothing wrong with owning a car or a motorcycle, but you can easily turn that object into a god that consumes your heart and mind, and that is sinful. God warns us about ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD: the Lust of the eyes, and the LUST of the flesh, and the PRIDE of life. So many people today are filled with wicked pride, they don't care about Truth, or about the Lord Jesus Christ.
They are as dumb animals about to be slaughtered in the meat house, yet they don't care. The pride of man is perhaps the strongest known element in the universe. Pride sends people to Hell. Pride keeps people from coming to Christ for salvation. Pride causes people to hate and kill. Pride is what causes the feminist to mock God in rebellion. Pride is what causes the world to hate Jesus Christ and those called by His name, Christians. So many people are living without God. And then there's those who profess to know God, but God is last place in their life. They do NOT obey the Word of God.
God wants to be all-in-all in our life. God doesn't just want to be first in your life, because then He won't be a part of all the other priorities you have. We must include God (and the Teachings of the Bible) in everything we do. Many people think they are putting God "first" by going to church on Sunday, but then they forget about God and His Word for the rest of the week. They are really putting God last in their life.
To place God first means that we look to the Scriptures for answers and guidance in every facet of our daily lives, and then obey the Bible. Of course, you cannot even begin to please God or put Him first until you've been BORN AGAIN by the Spirit of Christ.
Satan Only Shows Us the Neon Lights of
Sin City
The Devil never shows us what's hidden behind the neon lights of Sin City. God hates the casinos, the prostitution, the booze, the heathen music, the illegal drugs, etc... but He loves the sinner's soul. The world hates God. The world is like a man shooting a gun in one hand while playing a saxophone in the other, he drowns out the cries of his victims with the saxophone. Is this not the world? While millions upon millions of children are murdered through godless abortion, the music and movies of Hollywood captivate our every thought.
While millions of children are starving to death around the world, people are enamored with their hobbies and toys. Please read Enemies of God. The Devil always shows us the well-watered plains toward Sodom, but he doesn't show us Sodom. Lot "pitched his tent toward Sodom (Genesis 13:12)," and before you know it... he lived in Sodom. The Devil always looks for the weakest link, a way in. The world is controlled by Satan (2nd Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2).
The World Passeth Away, and the Lusts
Thereof
That physically beautiful young woman, that causes so many men to lust after her, will one day return to the dust from which she came. Oh how wicked are the hearts of men and women (Jeremiah 17:9). Do you not realize that nothing will matter 100 years from now except what you did with Jesus Christ and the Word of God?
That new car will one day be returned to the earth in the form of scrap. In fact, EVERYTHING you own will one day be returned to the dust of the earth from which it came. So many people want to fight, go to court, and get even with others over money and materialistic THINGS. My friend, the best things in life aren't things. Life itself is a miracle of God.
The ability to go to work is a gift from God. Our health is a gift from God. Children are a gift from God. Yet, so many people take it all for granted and spit on God by rejecting the inspired Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
You cannot live forever. Elton John, Just like George Harrison of the Beatles, will die and meet his Maker. He will give account for his wicked life and for rejecting the Saviour, just as Harrison. As I type, George Harrison is burning in the fires of Hell according the the Word of God (" In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2nd Thessalonians 1:8).
Likewise, John Lennon is burning in Hell this moment. Perhaps you don't believe the Bible either, well, I must warn you that Revelation 21:8 says that "unbelievers" will be cast into the lake of fire, the second death. Are you so foolish that you'd be willing to spend all eternity in suffering and misery, just for a season of sinful pleasure in this wicked world.
The Beatles boasted of their wild sex-orgies behind stage after their concerts, just as Van Halen and many other godless groups of sinners. Do you think you can mock God and get away with it? Do you think you can violate God's Word and not be judged in eternity? No, you cannot (Galatians 6:7). Paul McCartney will die one day, and so will Ringo. Hell will be hot for those who die in their sins, especially those who have wasted a lifetime of wild living and debauchery.
100 Years from Now
The millions of women who have murdered their child with an abortion, will all be dead in 100 years. The doctors who murdered the children will all be dead in 100 years. The godless puppet Supreme Court who does as they are told will all be dead in 100 years. The wicked people who make, distribute, and sell beer will all be dead in 100 years. The wicked people who own and operate the vile gambling casinos will all be dead in 100 years. The evil bankers, lawyers, and politicians who are destroying America will all be dead 100 years from now.
The wicked producers of rock-n-roll music, rap, and adulterous country will all be dead in 100 years from now. The godless music video producers and all the sleazy idols like Britney Spears will all be dead 100 years from now. Their beauty will fade in the decades to come and they will be replaced by more fools for Satan. Your world WILL pass away. You were born with nothing and you can take nothing with you... "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out" (1st Timothy 6:7).
He That Doeth the Will of God Abideth
Forever
"And this is THE WILL of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." -John 6:40
The Bible is not asking us to give up the world to be saved, as some foolishly believe. Certainly, the world is wicked and NO believer should be of the world. However, all that God requires for a person to be saved is simple faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. The Word of God is warning that a person's love for the world will prevent them from coming to Christ for salvation. Jesus tells us the reason why the unsaved world will not come to Him in John 3:20... "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."
The world offers sinful pleasures, materialism, and self-gratification; ALL of which are directly opposed to Jesus Christ and the Word of God. God is simply telling us is 1st John 2:15-17 that we need to get saved, and if it's the pleasures of sin that are keeping us from coming to Christ, then we need to forsake the world and come to Christ. This is what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:29-30 when He said it's better to pluck out your eye or cut off your hand, than to go to Hell.
Jesus said a man would be much better off if he were disabled (or crippled), than to be cast into Hell whole. It is one's love for sin that keeps him or her from coming to Jesus. The reason is because you can't be a Christian and truly enjoy sin, not the same way unsaved people can... and unsaved people KNOW IT, which is exactly why they refuse to come to Christ for forgiveness.
99% of the earth's population will ALL be dead 100 years from now. What will anything matter then? What will all of the money, fame, and pleasure in this world matter when we are dead and gone? Are you willing to risk your eternal soul upon the foolish assumption that the Bible is not God's Word? For eternity's sake, you had better be right. Have you ever studied the Bible? It is frightening. The Bible has NEVER been disproved. Don't you think you should at least do a thorough investigation into the matter? Are you afraid you might find the Truth?
Where will you be 100 years from now? You can KNOW for certain (1st John 5:13). You need to get saved friend, i.e., you need to be BORN AGAIN by the Incorruptible Word of God. Please click on "God's Simple Plan" below to learn how simple and free it is to saved.
This world is temporal, but God offers to us "eternal LIFE" through Christ Jesus. What a Wonderful Saviour!
