In the book of John 2:15-17, the Word of God says “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. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. Is not of the Father but of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust of it, but he that doeth the will of the father abideth forever”. This passage is one of those that many people hate most in the Bible because many want the advantages derived from being Christians and forgetting the part they have to play. What exactly is God saying here? How can we be in the world without loving the world? What are the dangers in loving the world? These and many other questions we will try to answer in this study in Jesus Name.

1. The main goal of human beings that love the world is to please men only.

(a) Those who seek to please men cannot please God. This is because you cannot perfectly please God in a way that is acceptable if you are still being controlled by paying attention to the world. You cannot eat your cake and have it. You either love God or hate the world or not at all. God will not compromise this issue at all. God is a jealous God. Nothing can be called a spiritual worldly person. He is either worldly or spiritual – Galatians 1:10, Romans 12:1-2, Matt.6:19-24, Jam.4:4-6, Luke 16:13, Galatians 5:16-17.

(b) Children of God are strangers on earth but citizens of heaven. Children of God cannot love the world because the world is an enemy of God. If the world does not hate you, then you must have failed spiritually. Once we were of the world, doing things that made God angry, but all that has passed away now. What concern us now should be those things of our new citizenship and not of the old one. Also, Naira is not spent where we are going and the houses are not built with hands. Our passport into His kingdom will be holiness, love, patience, meekness, etc. John 15:18-19, Ephesians 2:1-3, Colossians 3:1-2, Titus 2:11-14, I Tim 6:6-12.

2. IT IS EASY TO RECOGNISE THOSE WHO LOVE THE WORLD

(a) One way to know those who are worldly is through the word that proceeds out of their mouth. Other traits of the world include: disobedience, pleasure, malice, murmuring, accusation, talkativeness, ostentation and contempt. Jealousy is also a trait of worldliness, especially when it proceeds from (i) an ambition to outshine others (ii) dissatisfaction (ii) lack of foresight; 1 John 4:5-6, Titus 3:3, Judges 16:19, Romans 13;12-14.

Loving the world is not limited to just amassing wealth alone, but also wrong use of our money and eyes as well as those who refuse to bless the needy with their substance care worldly, Matt. 5:27-30, Num. 11:4-6, 33-34. Ps. 78:18-31, Prov.6:25, I John 3:17.

b. THE CHRISTIANS HAVE THEIR OWN MARK TOO.

Spiritual Christians are easy to recognize in that they are full of praises, self-control, faithfulness, obedience, patience, humility, good works, honour God and his commands, regularly reading the Bible, broaden in learning, prayerful, fellowshipping with the saints, hates former sins of the past. 1 Peter 1:14, 4:1-4, II Peter 2:10-18, I Peter 2:2, Joshua 1:8, Psalms 1:1-2, II Peter 3:18.

3. LUST IS A DESTROYER; RUN FROM IT.

(a) Sin starts with lust of the flesh as one who is smart. Instant destruction came upon man through lusts of the eyes and flesh. The sin of Achan and the destruction that followed started when he looked – Genesis 3:6, Genesis 6:1-7, Joshua 7:20-26.

(b) Wise Christians love not the world, but foolish Christians love the world: 

The wisest and richest king Solomon amongst those who ever lived in the world knew that it is vanity to heap wealth to oneself. Satan’s proclamation today is how to draw people with the glittering things of the world. Job knew the danger in the lust of the eyes. David knew that he paid for loving the things of the world especially in the area of agonizing prayer.

Eccl. 5:10-12, Matt. 4:8-10, Luke 4:5-8, Job 31:1-3, Ps. 119:36-38. Loving the world is very dangerous.