Worldliness
By George Stroh
September 20, 2021
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. (1 John 2:15)
It is easy for us to fall in love with the world and the things in the world. The world's godless lifestyle, philosophies, and humanistic pursuits are attractive to the flesh. When the serpent tempted Eve, she saw that the fruit of the forbidden tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), it was a delight to the eyes (lust of the eyes), and it was desirable to make one wise (the boastful pride of life); 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. (1 John 1:16)
Now you might be thinking, "What could be so wrong with eating good fruit, that looks good, and can even make one wise?" The answer is nothing, unless of course, God said don't eat the fruit from that tree; The Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:16, 17)
We are to be in the world, but not of the world. So how can we know when we are of the world and loving the things in the world? By sifting all of our thoughts, words and deeds through the Word of God. Our lifestyle in this world is to be consistent with God's will. The late Warren Wiersbe once wrote; "If your lifestyle contradicts the Word of God, you need to either change your lifestyle or the Word of God." The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)
Maranatha!
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