1 John 2 :15 -17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
One could comfortably say that this scripture contradicts John 3:16 - For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish,but have everlasting life. The revelatory truth is that they refer to different things. The love the Father has for the World is a love for His creation. God cares for man and longs for man to be reconciled to Him. God, out of love waters trees with rain, He cares for animals and ensures that man gets sunshine, et cetera.
God created man for one purpose - to obey Him and keep His commandments - Ecclesiastes 12:13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.
The scripture in 1 John 2 : 15-17 is about putting worldly possessions and pleasures before God. When your love for possessions, for worldly affirmations and for lustful desires is stronger than your love and desire for God, then you are in the wrong, and an enemy of God. James 4: 4 clarifies this - You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
The world in the above scriptures refer to earthly systems, practices that breach the laws of God, as well as one living like you own yourself - caring only about making a great name for yourself, obsessed with owning the nicest means of transport, and the best of houses. When the priority of man is all about sinful cravings, about the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, that is, when a man's major concern is boastings about what he has, and does, that man is very far from the Lord. The Lord will have us place Him first in our hearts and lives. Our priority must be to obey Him only.
Lot's wife considered the Earthly possessions of Sodom, disobeyed God's command by looking back, and turned into a pillar of salt. Genesis 19:26
But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
Jesus took this lesson of not loving the world further. In the parable of the Rich fool in Luke 12, we learn of a man who prided himself with his great harvest and possession, and planned on how to take life easy and simply enjoy. But God came on the scene, called him a fool, and demanded his life.
In concluding this parable, Jesus made some remarkable statements. He said in Luke 12: 21 that This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” In the same chapter, from verse 22 to 33, Jesus teaches us not to worry, but to trust in God to provide our every need. Jesus bluntly tells us in Verse 31 - But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you as well.. He reminds us in Verse 34 that For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In sum, we learn from Jesus not to put worldly needs and possessions before God. God is not happy when we store up things for ourselves whilst we are poor in our knowledge of Him. God cannot stand it when we only seek to make ourselves great. However, if we put Him first and seek Him, and learn to obey Him, He shall bless us with all good things, according to His Will. God is not against wealth and riches. The love of money is the root of all evil. When we love money more than God, we are set for destruction. Anything we love more than God will destroy us because it becomes an idol in our life.
Luke 17: 32-33 Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
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