Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. I John 2:15 - 17 NIV
In this passage John, the love disciple, gives us a stern warning on what we are not to love. Many people find it valuable to be instructed on what they should do, but it is equally important for us to know what we should not do. In this case, we are cautioned not to love the world or anything it. What is represented by "the world" ...sinful cravings, lust and boasting - all these things are of the world. If you find yourself consistently walking in these things...then you are walking in carnality.
John clearly instructs us that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. Understand that what the world loves and the Father loves are enmity - hostile opponents. With God, there isn't room for compromise. Either you love Him with all your heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37) or you don't. Your lack of total surrender will not keep you out of heaven, but it will severely compromise you fulfilling the destiny He has for you on earth.
In my humble opinion, this fact - total allegiance to God - keeps many of us from following through on our initial encounter with God. Once we have accepted His sacrifice for our sins, the next step is to consistently walk in His truths and commandments.
We all fall short at time, but we must continue to develop our love for God by denying the cravings of this world. God says if you love me, you will obey my commands. His greatest commandment is that we love Him with all our heart, soul and straight. This is a truth that cannot or will not be negotiated.
I encourage each of you to embrace (totally) the life that God has ordained for you by embracing Him. I sincerely pray that this word has convicted, not condemned you, and as a result your life becomes a sweet aroma to those who are seeking salvation!
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society |
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