From the Pen of Paul: Love Not the World (2) (I John 2:15-17)
As we closed our first article under this subject, we were looking at reasons why we are forbidden to love the world. We first noted that we are forbidden to love the world because loving the world makes it impossible to love the Father. (See last week’s bulletin for scriptures relating to this point.)
As we look at this first point a little more, it will help us to understand why this is true if we define what we mean by the “love of the Father.” We have already pointed out that in this context it means our love for the Father. But what does it mean for me to love the Father? John defines it in I John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” Jesus' teaching certainly agrees with this definition. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love” (John 15:10).
If we love the world, we cannot keep His commandments! For example, if you are driven by “the lust of the flesh” to commit adultery, then you cannot keep His commandment to “defraud not your brother” (I Thess. 4:3-6). If you are driven by the “lust of the eyes” to constantly want more and more, and you are willing to gain it in any way you can, then you cannot be obedient to His instruction to “be content” with having “food and raiment” (I Tim. 6:8). And if this desire leads you to be determined to keep everything for yourselves, then you cannot be obedient to His command to help others (I John 3:16-17; James 1:27; Gal. 6:10).
And, if we are driven by “the pride of life,” then we cannot keep His commandment to imitate Him in Philippians 2:3-5. If all of us would study carefully II Corinthians 4:7 and I Corinthians 3:7, we might get an idea of just how important we are. (Preachers especially need to look at this!) There is no room in the life or the heart of a Christian for pride and the vainglory of life. Nothing good is ever said about pride in the Scriptures. And along with “the lust of the flesh” and “the lust of the eyes” it will keep us out of heaven!
So it is impossible for us to serve God faithfully, showing our love for Him, if we become involved with the world of sin described in these verses by John. John gives us a third reason why we must not love the world. That reason is because of what the ultimate destination of the world and its sinful spheres will be: “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof...” (v. 17a). Literally John is saying that the world “is passing away.” That is true in regard to our lives (I Pet. 1:24; James 4:13-14). It is true of everything in this material world that we cannot take with us (II Pet. 3:10). In contrast with this, “he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (v. 17b). This is due to the fact that those who live faithful Christian lives and “finish the course” successfully, have “a crown of righteousness laid up” for them (II Tim. 4:6-8). He has a “right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city,” where he will be blessed with “life eternal” (Rev. 22:14; Matt. 25:46).
Guy N. Woods, in his masterful way of expressing things, wrote: “The world will pass, and with it every lustful pleasure; but he who does the will of God abides through the ages. The transitoriness of the one...the world...is contrasted with the permanence of the other....the one doing the will of God” (G. A. Commentary on I John, 1956).
As we meditate upon these words, isn't that what all of us desire? To hear the Lord say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” will make everything we have had to sacrifice in this life worthwhile! Even if we had the ability to “gain the whole world” during our sojourn on earth, it would not be worth the loss of our soul in eternity (Matt. 16:26). Yet many folks are selling their souls to the devil today for a whole lot less!
Let all of us give serious consideration to what John is teaching in this passage of Scripture. Let all of us put forth that extra effort it takes to be sure that our affections and our desires are set in the right place and on the right things—that of loving the Father and keeping His word! (Col. 3:1-3).
—Paul M. Wilmoth
From the Preacher’s Viewpoint. . .
“Does God have a hand in tornadoes and things of this nature? Please comment.”
There are varying views of God and his work in the present world. Some seem to think that God created the world and then wound it up like a clock and it is ticking down. This view holds that God has nothing to do with His creation.
We need to realize that God is not dead but alive. The Bible talks about Him as the “living God.” “My soul thirsteth...for the living God” (Psa. 42:2). Daniel was alluded to as the “servant of the living God” (Dan. 6:20). When the apostle Peter replied to the question of our Lord as to whom He was he said, “thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:18). Let it ever be remembered that Jehovah is very much alive today.
Since we see that God is alive today, then we ask the question, is He busy or idle? Does He work or do nothing? The Bible speaks of Him as being active. Daniel told the ancient king Nebuchadnezzar “that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men” (Dan. 5:21). If God ruled in the time of Daniel, what would cause us to think that He does not have anything to do today? It is my conviction that God ruled then and that He still rules today.
It is well to remember that all things have gone according to God’s plan. When they took the Son of God and crucified him, this was according to God’s eternal plan. Notice what the Scriptures say, “He being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23).
Those who killed Christ might have thought they overthrew God’s plan and purposes when they crucified His son Jesus. But such was not the case at all. God had decreed that such should happen or take place. Today we may rest assured that God is busy and has something to do with what is taking place.
Now the question arises, “Does God have a hand in tornadoes and things of this nature? Does God send earthquakes, storms, etc.?” I believe the Bible teaches He does. John, when he wrote the book of Revelation, vividly pointed out that God uses the natural laws to punish the wicked. Read Revelation chapters eight and nine and notice what is said about vegetation, the water, the sun, the moon, the stars, etc.
For one to say just when God steps into matters is not possible. In other words, I cannot say God is in everything which takes place. He is in what He needs to be and stays out of that which pleases Him. Maybe we should say God does not become involved if He sees fit to so act.
Sometimes people will ask the question, “If God punished the wicked with storms and the like, then why does He punish the good with the wicked?” We need to remember that sometimes the righteous are in the line of punishment. Not that they deserve it, but that they dwell in the same community with the wicked and therefore when God’s destructive force comes they are also caught. Not because they are sinners but because they are living in the same general location.
Sometimes men think they are getting by with their wrongdoing, but they are not. They do not understand the longsuffering of God. God sometimes will let man go a long way before stepping in. But, let everyone know for sure that when God steps in and says this is enough it is enough. We may know without doubt it is all over.
We would encourage men to read and obey the gospel of Christ. In doing this he will save his soul along with his loved ones. The people of America should serve God in order to save their soul and the nation. If our nation stands, it will be because God is with it. All the modern weapons of war will not save us if God is against us.
We call upon every citizen of this country to do his or her share of saving the nation. This is done by serving God. Are you doing your part? If not, start today.
—Malcolm L. Hill