"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
The world is presented in the New Testament as a
kingdom that is opposed to God. Satan is its ruler, and all
nonbelievers are subjects. This kingdom makes its appeal to man through
the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. It
is a society in which man tries to make himself happy without God, and
in which the name of Christ is unwelcome. Dr. Gleason L. Archer Jr.
says that the world is "the organized system of rebellion, self-seeking
and enmity toward God which characterizes the human race in opposition
to God."
The world has its own amusements, politics, art,
music, religion, thought-patterns and life-style. It seeks to force
everyone to conform and hates those who refuse. This explains its
hatred of the Lord Jesus.
Christ died to deliver us from the world. Now the
world is crucified to us and we to it. It is positive treason for
believers to love the world in any of its forms. In fact, the Apostle
John says that those who love the world are the enemies of God.
Believers are not of the world, but they are sent
into it to testify against it, to denounce its works as evil, and to
preach salvation from it through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christians are called to walk in separation from
the world. In the past, this may have been too narrowly limited to
dancing, theaters, smoking, drinking, card playing and gambling. But it
includes much more. Much of what comes over the TV is worldly,
appealing to the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh. Pride is
worldly, whether it be pride of titles, degrees, salary, heritage or a
big name. Luxurious living is worldly, whether palatial homes, gourmet
foods, attention-getting clothing and jewelry or prestige cars. So is a
life of ease and pleasure, spent largely on travel cruises, shopping
sprees, sports and recreation. Our ambitions for ourselves and for our
children may be worldly, even while we appear to be spiritual and
pious. Finally, sex outside of marriage is a form of worldliness.
The more devoted we are to the Savior and the
more sold-out we are to Him, the less time we will have for worldly
pleasures and amusements. C. Stacey Woods said, "The measure of our
devotion to Christ is the measure of our separation from the world."
We are but strangers here, we do not crave
A home on earth, which gave Thee but a grave;
Thy cross has severed ties which bound us here,
Thyself our treasure in a brighter sphere.
J.G. Deck