Is It Wrong To Love The World?
If anyone loves the world, love for the Father…
It is a huge mistake to assume we can love both God and the world at the same time because they are diametrically opposed. The apostle John tells us in 1 John 2:15:
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
The Greek word for world is kosmos and it has many meanings. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology states:
The biblical concept of world falls into five categories: the physical world, the human world, the moral world, the temporal world, and the coming world.
When John says, “Do not love the world” he qualifies his meaning by giving examples of morally corrupt behavior, e.g., lustful flesh and eyes; a haughty prideful heart. Therefore, it becomes evident that the “world” of which he speaks and that we are not to love is the corrupt moral system known as ungodliness. It is the valueless system of Satan that is completely corrupt and contrary to godliness, righteousness, and truth. Satan is the god of this morally corrupt world (2 Cor. 4:4) and all who love this world don’t really love God and are not abiding in His love.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father 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: 15-17)
Thinking back to my conversion to Christ, I can remember how my mind and heart reversed from loving the world to loving God and hating the world of which I had been a willing captive. From the perspective of my moral mind and heart, the spiritual new birth extended beyond opening my blind eyes to God’s truth to an aversion for the corruption of the world that I once loved. “Love for the Father” replaced my love for the world. My feelings and affections for the world ceased to exist as the presence of Christ’s Spirit illuminated my heart.
There is an interesting parallel between Stockholm’s Syndrome and being held captive by the god of this world, Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). Psychologists have attempted to explain the emotional and mental process that transpires when people are taken as a hostage or held captive. Sometimes the captives develop a mysterious bond with their captors and begin to identify and support their agenda. Although the captives are abused victims and their lives in serious danger they become strangely sympathetic and will defend and support their evil captor while opposing those trying to rescue them. In the case of newspaper heiress Patty Hearst, after being taken hostage she joined her captors in their criminal activity and was photographed robbing a bank. Here’s an excerpt from her deceived mind:
I have been given the choice of one: being released in a safe area, or two: joining the forces of the Symbionese Liberation Army and fighting for my freedom and the freedom of all oppressed people. I have chosen to stay and fight. I have been given the name Tania after a comrade who fought alongside Che in Bolivia. It is in the spirit of Tania that I say: ‘Patria o Muerte, Venceremos.’ (source)
In a similar way, Satan takes captive the minds and hearts of this world (humans, people) through physiological manipulation and spiritual deception. Satan is the master of deception and stirs up divisions, strife, envy, hatred, pride, selfishness, unhappiness, quarrels, immorality, murder, and the list goes on and on. At an early age, Satan begins the seductive process of indoctrinating our minds and hearts to support his world (corrupt moral system) as he undermines all that is righteous, holy, godly, and decent. Because we are born with a sinful nature we are highly susceptible to Satan’s schemes. We are easily lured into loving Satan’s world (system of corruption) while viewing God’s kingdom of salvation and righteousness as the path for simple-minded fools and the intellectually deficient. This is why it is never too early to start teaching your children about God and the Scriptures so when they come to an age of reason they will be more likely to choose the kingdom of Christ and not Satan’s world of corruption.
Unfortunately, like so many others, I was Satan’s willing captive following his agenda and doing his bidding while thinking all is well. I was living under the influence and direction of the god of this world (system of corruption). It wasn’t until I was born again that the words of Jesus “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36) made sense. God loved the world of humans and sent Jesus to rescue us from Satan’s world of moral corruption.
Love for the world means love for Satan and his earthly system of corruption. It is a toxic system of corruption that masquerades among unenlightened human reason, intellect, and logic as an acceptable way of life—it’s a lie. It is void of spiritual truth and opposed to God. Those who love the world are guided by 3 major areas of weakness:
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. (1 John 2:16)
When we mention the word lust in a social setting it almost always turns a head or raises a brow because it is mostly associated with desiring what is forbidden. In fact, the Greek word for lust (epithymia) means just that, a craving, longing, or desire for what is forbidden.
The “lust of the flesh” has led to a complete breakdown of our current understanding of sexuality. Are there any sexual sins that are not practiced and condoned by our liberal society? To say that something is a sexual sin could be considered a hate crime.
The “lust of the eyes” or the forbidden desire to covet money, possessions, or other physical things that we see is a driving force in today’s world and can be linked to the destruction of many families, relationships, and marriages. It is still wrong to covet your neighbor’s goods, wife, possessions, etc (Ex. 20:17).
The “pride of life,” a haughty, boastful, and overconfident spirit of self-worth is known to esteem and exalt self above all others including God. It knows no humility except that which is feigned as a social pretense. It shamefully violates both divine law and human rights at will.
What we love and value will ultimately rule our lives even if we are unwilling to admit it. Rejecting truth will not lessen or delegitimize truth itself. If we disagree with God’s truth and lean on our own understanding we will delude ourselves into a false justification or rationalization, but it will not change the truth of His word. We cannot love the world (Satan’s system of corruption) and God. They are opposed in every way. One brings death and the other life.
In Joshua 24:14-15, Joshua asked the Israelites to choose whom they would serve. Throw away your gods and turn to the Lord or keep them and serve the gods of this world, Satan’s system of corruption. We must do the same. Choose for yourself whom you will serve.
How to Turn to God
Perhaps at this very moment, you have realized that you need the Lord in your life. Maybe you drifted away or need to be been born again? If so, you can stop right now and begin talking to God. Ask Him to forgive you for being a sinner and the life you have been living outside of His love. Surrender your life to Him, unconditionally. Call Him Lord and make Him Lord of every thought, attitude, and action. You can say, Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins and come into my heart and take full control of my life. I am your child from this day forward. Change my heart and mind to be Christ-like in every way. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior forever.
If you prayed that prayer we would love to hear back from you.
You may be interested in this blog also: Are You Really Born Again?
