The world as a created entity is not evil; it is the prevailing attitudes and value systems that are not of God. 1 John 2:15-17 describes it like this:
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. 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.Before I became a Christian, my desires were mostly about avoiding pain and discomfort, having lots of possessions, and making myself look good to others. Salvation changed those desires. I understand the purpose of pain, the temporal nature of stuff, and am more concerned how I look to God than what people see. The world continues to tempt me from time to time, but I know what to avoid and know when I am being tempted.
My commentary says that the difference between the world and God is so vast that anytime I move toward the world I alienate myself from God. For one thing, the world considers sin as acceptable and its pleasures are worth any possible consequences. Someone told me of some crazy stunt another person pulled and asked, “Why would anyone do anything so stupid?” My answer was one word, “Sin.”
The Bible warns me about the sin of loving the world because this not only has terrible consequences but sin dulls the spirit. The more it sucks me in, the less I am aware of its danger or even that I am doing it. When sin becomes a habit, I am not even thinking of God, much less able to rely on Him for what I need.
That is another danger of loving the world. Instead of going to God, I’m depending on resources that will not satisfy my longings or my needs. When James warns about the lure of the world, he also offers the way to break free from its temptation.
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:4-8)James is not talking about occasional sins but the attitude of heart that draws me away from God to walk in the manner of an unbelieving person. I don’t need to do that — I have new life. Also, I don’t need to experience worldly desires to know their danger. God gives the ability to discern good from evil so I can avoid it, not taste it.
These verses seem to say that God is jealous for His people, a good kind of jealousy that desires the best for us — which is total fidelity to Him. If I begin to be envious of those who are worldly, God will pour out grace to draw me back to Himself. If my response to His grace is humility, I will “overcome the world” but If I respond in stubborn pride, I am in danger of the world overcoming me.
There is more to it than this, however. When I am drawn away from God, the devil jumps right in with his destructive lies and deception. Apart from God, there is no way to fight him or his techniques to trap me. I am on a slippery slope. I cannot resist sin or sin’s greatest promoter.
The only out is being determined not to be a friend of the world and by instead being humbly yielded to God. Although that means that the world will not understand me, and may even mock and persecute me, the tremendous result is that devil must flee and I will find myself standing close to God. Without new life, His life, this could never happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment