Love Not The World

1Jo 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.
1Jo 2:16 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.
1Jo 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Part Three of "Love Not The World"

In the first two parts we covered the "lust of the flesh" and "lust of the eyes". Today in this final portion of this three part sermon we are going to cover "The Pride Of Life".

We have seen that fellowship with God requires that there is no room
for hatred in our heart toward our brother:

1Jo 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

But there is one sense in which we are not to have love at all!

1Jo 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.

A very simple imperative is therefore given to us: "Love not the
world..." But do we understand the meaning of this command? Do we appreciate the importance of this command? I hope to... shed some LIGHT on what John is saying and to provide some MOTIVATION to seriously heed what he is saying in this passage.

What is meant by "the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of this world"?

This would include pride based upon such things as: Age, Experience, Ancestry, Past accomplishments, and Money, position, and power. The folly of trusting in such things is seen in:

1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Each of these three things often strike harder at different times in our life. In part one and two of this sermon we saw that the young were primarily affected with the "lust of the flesh" and that the middle aged are usually those afflicted by the "lust of the eyes". Those most afflicted by the "pride of Life" are the aged, those with more experience.

There seems to be a tendency to consider one more serious than the others. We seem more concerned about sins involving the "lust of the flesh" than sins in the other categories E.g., which is worse, fornication or covetousness? E.g., which do most people consider more serious, adultery or jealousy? If we are not careful while fighting strong against immorality or materialism, pride may "sneak in" the back door! Whether it be immorality, materialism or pride, it is still part of the "world" we are not to love!

But why? We have noticed other passages which say why we shouldn't:

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

In our text John gives another reason...

because of what loving the "world" does. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
It makes it impossible to love the Father.

John is not the only person to say that if we love the world, we cannot love God. James taught that "friendship with the world is enmity with God" -

Jam 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

and Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters -

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Our sinful pride may rebel against this thought, but we simply are not able to love the world and God at the same time!

If we love the world, we can't keep Jesus' comandments.

Luk 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

If you are filled with "the pride of life" so that you consider yourself more important than others you will not be able to keep the command to imitate Christ

Phi 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Phi 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Phi 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

So it is impossible to faithfully serve Jesus, thereby showing
our love for Him, if we allow ourselves to "love the world"! But John
gives us another reason why we should not "love the world"...

because of where the "world" is going. "The world is passing away". This is true in regards to our individual lives

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

Jam 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Isn't this what we all want? To one day hear these wonderful words...

"Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over
a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter
into the joy of your lord." (Mt 25:21)

Even if we could gain the whole world in this lifetime... Is it worth it?

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Yet most people are selling their soul to the devil and this world for a whole lot less!

Pro 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Pro 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.