- 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, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
- And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God, abideth forever.
Scripture teaches that the god of this world is Satan. This does not mean that he is equal to Yahweh, but that he has temporary influence over the fallen earth—especially over the unbelieving. He is the author of the pride and lust that leads to covetousness and envy. Desire becomes an appetite the more the eyes behold, because just as he tempted Jesus with the kingdoms of the world, he tempts those in the world to live like kings—often far beyond their means.
God wants His children to have abundant lives. After all, the riches of the world belong to Him, and He gives them for our enjoyment. But idol worship is just as real today as it was in the day of the golden calf—and throughout many generations of Israel’s history. John chose his words wisely when he warned us to not love the “things” of the world. Inanimate objects, strange as it may seem, can cause an effect that resembles infatuation. As believers, we love the people God created and we love Him, because God is love and His love flows through His children. But it is impossible to feel God’s love from a material object. Material items cannot return affection, offer comfort, or possess a Spirit that testifies with our spirit. Only God can do those things.
“Love not the world”, because the world is driven by three forces: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — and these three work together to pull us away from God. Paul reminds us that “the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). This is the ongoing spiritual warfare that believers face in the form of temptation. The appetite of the flesh is fed by what the eyes see. Through the eyes, our pleasure points are triggered. This is why Jesus says, “Whosoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
Jesus was not condemning attraction, but the sin of lust. Lust begins with what the eyes see, takes
root in the mind, and settles in the heart, empowering the flesh. David lived this reality when his eyes were drawn to Bathsheba while she bathed. What began as a moment of admiration became a seed of desire and possession. When the eye moves from simply admiring God’s creation to desiring to possess it, lust is at work.
God Himself tells us that He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14). The Hebrew word
translated “jealous” is qanna’ and it has a much deeper meaning than its English counterpart. It does not describe the petty envy toward a rival or the insecurity of a lover afraid of losing affection. Qanna’ expresses the fierce, protective zeal God has for His people—a holy passion that refuses to let evil separate His children from Him.
Jesus came so that humanity could learn from Him, and through learning His ways and following Him, be redeemed and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. His healing miracles and casting out of demons reveal the physical, emotional, and spiritual cost of mankind’s fall to sin. His compassion rooted in love, His righteous indignation toward injustice, His weeping when feeling the pain of Mary, His humility when washing the disciples’ feet as a servant—Jesus took on flesh to give us living examples of what it means to be righteous, holy, and godly. These are the attributes that lead to eternal life with the Father, and the reason we are called to follow Jesus and become Christlike.