What Not to Love in the World to Gain the Love of God

11/14/2020 30 Comments

What should we not love in this world

1 John 2:15 (KJV) gives a specific admonition to Christians, one that is often misconstrued by those who take the verse literally. It 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.

They ask, “How could they possibly not love the world when they are in the world and all the people dear to them are also in the world?”

Apparently, that is not what the verse is referring to. Indeed, we have to love our parents and the other members of our families, our friends, our fellowmen, and even our enemies. But there are specific things in the world that we are prohibited from loving, and loving them would mean that the love of the Father is not in us. What are those?

1 John 2:16 (KJV) says,

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 is of the world.

John pointed out three things in the world that we should not love because they are not from the Father. They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

In other words, we should not succumb to the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, like watching pornographic videos, reading pornographic materials, peeping in holes and crevices of someone else’s bedroom and bathroom, indulging in sensuality and lasciviousness, and making sexual advances on someone who isn’t our spouse. These are among the things in the world that we should not love as they are not of the Father.

Like the lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes, the pride of life also did not come from the Father, and therefore, we should not love it either. However, today, we see lots of people who take pride of their lives, of their status in society, of their riches and power, and of their connections with influential people.

They talk of nothing but self-conceit and vainglory. They regard themselves as the best and the most superior of all, that is why, they do not accept suggestions and instructions from others anymore — no matter how good the suggestions are, especially so if they come from their rivals.

This is very common among politicians and government officials. Instead of being supportive of and cooperative with one another, we often see them bickering, if not objecting and questioning certain projects and decisions, not for their demerits, but simply because they come from somebody who belongs to a rival political party. No wonder why there is unrest and divisiveness in many nations nowadays.

If they did not come from the Father, from whom did these things in the world come?

James 3:16, 15 (KJV) says,

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

They came from the devil. Actually, we can make a sweeping generalization that all the foolish things on earth — like the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, drugs, pornography, prostitution, greed of power — all of them come from the devil. That is why Christians are prohibited from loving them.

But never are we prohibited from loving our parents, siblings, children, friends, and fellowmen, even our enemies. In fact, Christians are commanded to love them. But of course, above all else, we should love God.

30 comments:

  1. Happy reading here, from apalit pampanga

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  2. As expected this blog full of knowledge and wisdom :)

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  3. Definitely a good read! Thanks be to God for allowing bro. Eli to clear this out.❤️

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  4. Agree! These are foolish things of the world that so many people so so loved. And that's very alarming and sad.

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  5. Very Inspiring to read. Thanks be to God forever and ever.

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  6. Very informative. Happy reading everyone!

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  7. Another worth reading article. It only take a moment of your time to read and understand.

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  8. this is my first time to visit the site thanks be to God.

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  9. Very enlightening and happening in reality.

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  10. What a wonderful learning again based on God's teaching. Please keep them comming. This has became a reminder and guidelines how we should live our lives on earth.

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  11. Amen! Thanks be to God for I have learned this wisdom through our preacher Brother Eli.

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  12. We are allowed to love, even we Christians are commanded to love our enemy. And above all love God.

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  13. I learned from Bro. Eli that we should avoid the following because they come from devil and not from God:

    1. Lust of the flesh
    2. Lust of the eyes
    3. Pride of life
    4. Love of riches and money
    5. Love of power
    6. Felling of superiority
    7. Political unrest, divisiveness, hatred, and rivalry

    To God Be the Gory!

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  14. Thanking our GOD of the guidelines that we should love and not to love.To GOD be the Glory Forever.

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  15. God is love, the precious gift one may have is the love of God 💕

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  16. Crystal clear! Thanks be to God! :-)

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  17. Very nice article! Hope this will clear out confusions in the mind of the readers of the bible so as not to be misled by false preachers

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  18. Thanks be to God! Another crystal clear explanation of the word of God.

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  19. As it is written in ECCLESIASTES 12:13 (KJV),

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

    Man’s whole duty is to serve God, the Creator of life. We owe Him our lives and our beings.

    Thanks be to God!

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  20. Wittingly discussed!
    To God be the Glory!

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  21. "They regard themselves as the best and the most superior of all, that is why, they do not accept suggestions and instructions from others anymore — no matter how good the suggestions are. . ."
    And the truth is no one is too important or superior enough to refuse the good pronouncements of God in the Bible.

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  22. Such an amazing article clearly discussing self awareness and what nots with the accordance of the Bible. Thanks be to God!

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  23. that is so glaring..thanks GOD for the understanding..

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