Choose God, Not the World
2008 October 19
Part-timers, TV lovers, radio talk junkies, Internet die-hards, those who put Christ on the backburners, hear this: The Biblical standard tells us that the world is not our friend:
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. (I John 2:15)
Let’s break this down, word by word and get some marrow of intention from it: Love [Greek agapao – esteem, hold in high regard, be contented with a thing]not (negates the former word – don’t love) the world [Gk kosmos, the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ; that which is external to the Christian body], neither the things that are in the world. If (indicates conditionality – in other words, a man may choose the positive and choose not to love the world too!) any man (any person) love (subjunctive, indicates possibility, meaning, even saved Christians can choose to love the world), the love (agape – love, good will, benevolence) of the Father (Father God) is not in (inside) him (the lover of the world).
The next verse tells us why we need to stay away from the things of the world:
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 of the world. (I John 2:16)
For (because) all (everything) that is in the world (the carnal world), the lust (Greek epiyumia: strong desire, selfish love) of the flesh (carnal, animal nature; mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God), and the lust of the eyes (desires for things, the eyes of the mind, the faculty of knowing), and the pride [alazoneia: ostentation, presumptuous speech] of life [biou (from bios): that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth, goods], is not of (pertaining to) the Father, (God) but of the world.
Let’s now combine those sentences using these dissection/definitions:
Don’t hold this world of unspiritual suffering and carnal cravings nor the things/ concepts/ philosophies of that world in high regard. If anyone so esteems this “world,” the agape-love of God is not residing within him. The reason is, everything in this worldly milieu – including the intense desires and cravings of our animal natures, and those intense desires for things outside of us, and the arrogant ostentation that comes along with vapid materialism, is not part of the kingdom of God, but is of the dominion of this world.
(Friends, many a Spirit-driven Christian has fallen into the trap of worldliness, whether it be because of money, power, women, or other things. I have fallen prey to it. I am not holier than you. I am probably one of the worst at this game. But remember, it can’t be done in the flesh. I can’t strive not to be worldly. I have to pray for God to accomplish it, using me to display his greatness by this act.)
John gives us a great reason to choose the things of God as opposed to the things of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
A few more definitions:
passeth away = Greek parago “is passing (itself) away” (this is the Greek middle voice, which kind of works like a reflexive)
doeth = Greek poieo — to do, fulfill, execute (gives a legal sense, like “he did his due diligence”)
will = Greek thelema, will, what one determined shall be done
Inserting our definitions, we get this reading of this verse:
The world is passing away, and the cravings with it, but he that executes that which God has determined already what should be done remains forever.
The will of God was embodied in Jesus Christ. John 6:38,40, states just how Christ and the will of God are connected: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me….And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The will of God, then, begins with faith in Jesus Christ!
Faith is not just about believing, but acting on that belief. “…Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22) So, we are acting on faith in the Word. Just as Abraham took Isaac up Mount Moriah for apparent sacrifice, at God’s bidding, so must obey the bidding of the Lord. By faith, so Moses took Israel on a long and dangerous trip. So much faith, but we have an advantage: Christ. The same Christ who strengthened our forbears through the ages of Christian persecution, who suffered hideous deaths at the hands of the unbelievers so they may obtain the incorruptible crown in heaven. This is the antithesis of worldliness, and it gives us our roadmap home.
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. (I John 2:15)
Let’s break this down, word by word and get some marrow of intention from it: Love [Greek agapao – esteem, hold in high regard, be contented with a thing]not (negates the former word – don’t love) the world [Gk kosmos, the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ; that which is external to the Christian body], neither the things that are in the world. If (indicates conditionality – in other words, a man may choose the positive and choose not to love the world too!) any man (any person) love (subjunctive, indicates possibility, meaning, even saved Christians can choose to love the world), the love (agape – love, good will, benevolence) of the Father (Father God) is not in (inside) him (the lover of the world).
The next verse tells us why we need to stay away from the things of the world:
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 of the world. (I John 2:16)
For (because) all (everything) that is in the world (the carnal world), the lust (Greek epiyumia: strong desire, selfish love) of the flesh (carnal, animal nature; mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God), and the lust of the eyes (desires for things, the eyes of the mind, the faculty of knowing), and the pride [alazoneia: ostentation, presumptuous speech] of life [biou (from bios): that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth, goods], is not of (pertaining to) the Father, (God) but of the world.
Let’s now combine those sentences using these dissection/definitions:
Don’t hold this world of unspiritual suffering and carnal cravings nor the things/ concepts/ philosophies of that world in high regard. If anyone so esteems this “world,” the agape-love of God is not residing within him. The reason is, everything in this worldly milieu – including the intense desires and cravings of our animal natures, and those intense desires for things outside of us, and the arrogant ostentation that comes along with vapid materialism, is not part of the kingdom of God, but is of the dominion of this world.
(Friends, many a Spirit-driven Christian has fallen into the trap of worldliness, whether it be because of money, power, women, or other things. I have fallen prey to it. I am not holier than you. I am probably one of the worst at this game. But remember, it can’t be done in the flesh. I can’t strive not to be worldly. I have to pray for God to accomplish it, using me to display his greatness by this act.)
John gives us a great reason to choose the things of God as opposed to the things of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
A few more definitions:
passeth away = Greek parago “is passing (itself) away” (this is the Greek middle voice, which kind of works like a reflexive)
doeth = Greek poieo — to do, fulfill, execute (gives a legal sense, like “he did his due diligence”)
will = Greek thelema, will, what one determined shall be done
Inserting our definitions, we get this reading of this verse:
The world is passing away, and the cravings with it, but he that executes that which God has determined already what should be done remains forever.
The will of God was embodied in Jesus Christ. John 6:38,40, states just how Christ and the will of God are connected: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me….And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The will of God, then, begins with faith in Jesus Christ!
Faith is not just about believing, but acting on that belief. “…Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22) So, we are acting on faith in the Word. Just as Abraham took Isaac up Mount Moriah for apparent sacrifice, at God’s bidding, so must obey the bidding of the Lord. By faith, so Moses took Israel on a long and dangerous trip. So much faith, but we have an advantage: Christ. The same Christ who strengthened our forbears through the ages of Christian persecution, who suffered hideous deaths at the hands of the unbelievers so they may obtain the incorruptible crown in heaven. This is the antithesis of worldliness, and it gives us our roadmap home.
good must be inspiring and most power ful in surrender to god