Daily Devotions for Difficult Days [213] What not to love

 

Todays devotion is written by Mike Loveridge

Todays passage:

¹² I am writing to you, dear children,
    because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
¹³ I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome the evil one.

¹⁴ I write to you, dear children,
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,
    and the word of God lives in you,
    and you have overcome the evil one.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[d] is not in them.¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:12-17

 

John begins this section by reminding his original readers, and us, of his purpose for writing this letter. His purpose is to remind believers who their faith is in and the certainty they can have of their future. Notice how John uses the present tense to show a current relationship between a believer and God but he also uses the past tense when he talks about us having overcome the evil one. With faith in Jesus the victory is won, and we are saved.

 

As we looked at last time, one of John’s big themes in this letter is love. In the verses leading up to this section John has talked us through how we are called to display Christian love to our brothers and sisters. After reminding the readers of why they are receiving his letter, John continues his focus on love, but this time it’s a message of what not to love. John’s overall message is simple: if you love God, do not love the world or anything in it. A love for the world, John says, is an indication that you are not fully or properly loving God. This fits in with what John has already been saying - that darkness and light cannot co-exist. It’s one or the other. And the same is true with the love of God and the love of the world. You either love God or you love the world, it cannot be both. So, what is the problem of loving the world?

 

Firstly, it is because of what the world is. The word ‘world’ is used in the Bible to mean several different things. At times, it means the physical world that God created. In other places, it is used to mean mankind. For example, the end of John 1:10 says, ‘…and the world knew Him not’. However, there is also a third meaning of the word ‘world’ and that is the one John is using here. This meaning is used to describe an invisible, spiritual realm that is opposed to God. It’s not just the Bible that uses the word ‘world’ in this sense, to mean an organised system. For example, we talk about the ‘world of sport’. By that we don’t mean a separate planet but the organisation of sport as a whole. So, John is telling believers not to love Satan’s system that opposes the work of Jesus here on earth. It is a system that is fighting against all that Jesus calls us to do and be, as Satan’s system is the very opposite of what is godly, holy, and spiritual. So, to love the world is to turn our back on Jesus, the one who saved us. Satan is called the ‘prince of this world’. Will you love a prince or the King?

 

Secondly, it is wrong to love the world because of what the world does to us. Worldliness is not so much a matter of activity as attitude. It is possible for a Christian to stay away from questionable amusements and doubtful places and still love the world because worldliness is a matter of the heart. To love the way of the world and not God begins in your heart. Its desiring the things of this world, having envy over what others have. The result of worldliness is that is not only changes the way we see God’s love - doubting that He has given us all we need to be happy - but it also makes us question God’s will as we believe there is something better out there for us. When you love God following His will for your life is a joy but when you are loving this world all of a sudden living out God’s will for your life becomes a hardship since you want to fulfil the desires of this world not the desires God has for your life. As we love the world, we are surrounding ourselves with wrong desires and evil attitudes. The Bible calls this sin! The result of loving the world is that it draws us away from God and the way He wants us to live. 

 

So, the problem with loving the world is that is draws us away from God and away from loving Him and His people. Worldliness is not something that happens to us overnight but something that slowly slips in over time. As worldly thinking creeps in we can justify more and more wrong thinking and become more and more like the world and less and less like God. John finishes this section by reminding us that this world passes away, but God’s kingdom lasts forever. I know which I’d rather live for! Next time, we will see how we can avoid worldliness in our lives.

 

 

Prayer for today

 

Spend a few moments in quiet with God asking Him to show you where if your life you are loving this world and not loving God. 

 

Our Father in Heaven,

 

We thank you that through Jesus the battle is won and the victory if yours. Thank you that Satan is defeated and we can be certain of our future.

 

We thank you that in you we can find eternal joy, hope and satisfaction. Father, we are sorry for all the ways in which we love the world instead of you. By your Spirit, will you open our eyes to see where we are doing this.  And then, in the strength you give us, may we put to death the love of this world and instead fall more and more in love with you. 

 

We ask all this so that through our lives we may bring glory and honour to your name alone.

 

In Jesus’ name,

 

Amen

 

Song for today

You can listen and sing along here.

 

Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be

 

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into your hands

 

For its only in your will that I am free
For its only in your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be

Photo by Juliana Kozoski on Unsplash