Loving the World

I John 2

15 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.

16 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.

Loving the world is an easy trap to fall into, for both believers and unbelievers. After all, we live in this world. We are constantly bombarded with all the temptations of this world. I, like many others, struggled with sin and worldliness. Even after I got saved, I wanted to be like the happy people pictured above. God however is not into that lifestyle. He made sure I was extremely miserable trying to live that life. I say trying, because it never actually worked out. I was the one that no one wanted around. The rejection was intense. It was literally all I cared about. I was desperate to fit in with my peers and be accepted. My life during this time could be described as a living hell. People laughed me to scorn. I was being chastened by the Lord. God does not allow his children to partake in the sins of this world, without correction. This is one of the dangers of loving the world as a Christian. God will have to Chasten you.

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

God will get his children where he wants them. God has a plan for all saved peoples lives. If they want to live in sin and disobey God, then he will step in and correct them. He often will use other people or circumstances to punish his people. The Christians of today are no different then the Jews of the Old Testament. God punished them for going after the world and following the worlds customs. God would have the nations around them would go to war with them. Gods judgement always seemed to be on Israel. Christians can be the same way. They want to tempt God and make a mockery of him, by living in sin. This is a bad idea. It didn't work out for Israel and it won't work out for anyone today. The only way to peace and joy as a Christian is by living for the will of God. This equates to a righteous Godly life. We are saved by Grace that is free, but the life we have after salvation is another story. Work is required to live a Godly life. Reading the bible daily, taking in Christian content, and prayer, are great ways to live for God.

People might think it is unfair for everyone else to have fun, and they can't. Well let me talk about loving the world as a lost person. I got save at 14, so a lot of this is just observation. Most lost people can and do love the world with next to no consequences. They can do pretty much whatever they want. They can party all the time, drink, do drugs, have sex, love money, be materialistic, etc.. This is pretty much what all people want, to be their own God. The world is their oyster so to speak. Sadly, there too is a price to pay for this. While these people are busy living for the world they are growing hardened to God and his word. The best time to reach a person with the gospel is when they are young. Young people are impressionable and moldable. By the time they are 18 a lot of people become more set in their ways and more distant from God. After years of partying and the cares of this world, most lost people will flatly reject the gospel if preached to them. At that point, God and Christianity are non-sense, a fairy tale. These people will pave their own road to hell.

Matthew 7

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The narrow way is Jesus Christ, he is the gate to heaven. That gate is open today. The broadway is the world and the lusts there of. Many people go a whoring after this world and never even bother with God. This is very sad. There is nothing in this world worth going to hell over.

Mark 8

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

I hope this was a blessing to you. I will leave you with the only way to heaven, the gospel. All you have to do is believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead, as payment for you sins. No amount of good works can get someone to heaven. It is Jesus Christ's shed blood that washes away all sins. Just believe on Christ and you will be saved.

John 3

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Ephesians 2

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.