“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn. 2:14).
John made a strong statement regarding loving the world and the things in it… We want our Father’s love to abide in us, and if we should believe we do not have His love in us we would be deeply discouraged. His love is the highest love there is, and to become aware that we do not have it would be one of the most debilitating afflictions we could imagine.
Within John’s statement is a graphic parallel. We call it “The Conflict of the Loves.” He said, “If one is full of the love of this world, he cannot be full of the love of God.” Therefore, let us ask, “Why is this the case?”
First of all, there is—the space factor. One simply cannot have the love of the world and the love of God in the same heart. These two loves are contradictory loves. God will not take a back seat to any affection, much less the love of this world. The world was given to us to be our servant, not our master. When it becomes our lord, it takes up too much space, and with its evil designs, it pushes out the love of God. Paul hinted at this clash, when he wrote, “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5). Jesus also made this conflict clear: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Mt. 7:13).
Second, we see—the purity factor. God cannot be in fellowship with evil. This truth is one of the main messages of 1 John. John said, “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 Jn. 1:5, 6). The goal of the Christian’s life is to walk in righteousness. John said, “Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 Jn. 3:7). This world is our place to serve; we do not own anything in it. We are just renters who are waiting for our eternal summons. We are citizens of heaven trying to get through this world. Anything that interferes with this allout commitment must be faithfully eliminated.
Third, we observe—the pilgrim factor. The Christian is all about obeying God. He loves Jesus, and through Him, he obeys the Father. He seeks to be in the world the same way Jesus was. John said, “By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 Jn. 2:5, 6). Jesus did not make His home here. He lived here, but He never became a part of this world. He did not allow the things of this world to entice or enslave Him. He served and died for the people. When He came into contact with someone who was trying to live by both loves, He told him, “No one can serve two masters” (Mt. 6:24a).
-Eddie Cloer
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