The danger of loving the world

“Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister. She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men. I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.” Ezekiel 23,11-13 (NIV)

After the reign of King Solomon, son of David, the nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom called Israel and the southern kingdom called Judah.

In Ezekiel 23, God gave an illustration, likening of the two kingdoms with two sisters.

In those days, it would happen that one kingdom be attacked by another nation, and the king at the time would seek support and help from a seemingly stronger nation. All the “unfaithful” kings would compromise with other nations, some to the extent of giving them gold and silver from the house of God to buy their favors: to save them from their enemies. In God’s language, that was prostitution.

When the Israelites would look at other nations and see them as better off, God called it lust.

When they imitated their wicked practices and idol worship, God called it lewdness and promiscuity.

Every time they adopted things from these other nations; things which were replacing what God had commanded, in God’s language, they were defiling themselves.

God used such strong language because the Israelites were in covenant with Him. God had promised to be their God and they, His people. At any challenge, the Israelites’ first response should have been to look to God and seek deliverance from Him.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” 1 John 2,15 (NKJV)

As Romans 15,4 says, the stories of the Israelites were written for our learning.

Just as it was in the old covenant that Israel was set apart among nations, today, as believers in Jesus Christ we are set apart. We’ve been set apart from the world. Our allegiance is not to the world.

Jesus said it Himself: “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17,16).

But what is meant by “the world” exactly?

I would describe “the world” as the realm of fallen men and its system.

By fallen men, I mean mankind as subject to their sinful nature and dead to God (disconnected from God).

^"For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world." ( 1John 2,16 NKJV)

I find that the New Living Translation gives a self-explanatory rendering of this same verse:

“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”

Self-pleasure, self-gratification, self-importance, etc. all these are being advertised and promoted everywhere.

However, there is a warning for the believer in Jesus Christ:

“Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.” (1 John 2,15-17 MSG)

The love of the world squeezes out the love for the Father!

Child of God, may the Lord your God be your single focus.

What is not of the Father is of the world. And what is not of the Father has no life.

“The king is not saved by the great size of his army; a warrior is not rescued by his great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], on those who hope [confidently] in His compassion and lovingkindness, to rescue their lives from death and keep them alive in famine.” Psalm 33,16-19 (AMP)