What you love matters! Too often, people don’t examine their loves, living life without consideration for what they invest themselves in. As Christians, we cannot follow suit. We must soberly examine our values. 

In 1 John 2:15-17 the apostle John gives an exhortation – do not love the world or the things in the world. In our passage “the world” means the system of evil that Satan organizes. It dominates earth and is anti-God. But take heart; God has overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5).

Instead of loving the world, the great commandment tells us to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).     

Scripture gets even more specific: 

• Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church.
• Love one another. 
• Love what God loves – what is good, true, beautiful. Only love what is worthy of our love.

But, “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” 

Adam and Eve were placed in a Garden paradise where they had everything, but because they disobeyed God’s word, the world was cursed. Now the world is filled with sin, plagued by death and controlled by Satan. But take heart, God is making all things new. And when you believe His words and rest in the finished work of the gospel, you will be saved. 

Often we ignore the sinfulness of this world. We cozy up too close to the world, striving for the rewards that the world offers. This is where we need to heed the warnings of Scripture.  

Here are 3 reasons not to love the world:

Loving the world is incompatible with God’s love.

“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)

The world and God don’t jive. You must align yourself with the world for it to accept you. But then you cannot love God. Such a lifestyle demonstrates that the love of the Father is not in you. The love of the world is always incompatible with our Father’s love. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) 

Some Christians say they love God, yet they also love the world. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

God will not tolerate us flirting with the world. In the same way husbands are jealous for their wives (and you wives are jealous for their husbands), our great God is jealous for his people. God is holy and will not tolerate spiritual adultery. The love of the world and the love of God are incompatible.     

The love of the world is not of God.

“For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16)

According to our passage, the world contains 3 things: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. Is it not true that we are often not content with what we have and simultaneously take pride in what we do possess? This is antithetical to Scripture. 

The bible is clear – everything you possess is a gift from God (1 Corinthians 4:7). How could you be prideful when everything you have was given you?  

The desires of the flesh is an internal thing, describing the desires of our fallen sinful nature. It speaks to what is of Adam, not of Christ. We must kill (mortify) these earthly desires. 

The desires of the eyes are slightly different from the desires (lusts) of the flesh. These temptations assault us from without, through the eyes. When we see it (whatever “it” may be) we want it and we do anything to get it. This is called “coveting”. Both the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes need redemption.

The desire of the eyes is how everything went wrong in the beginning. “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes…..she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6) The fruit was a “delight to the eyes.” Eve had to have it; unfortunately, Adam didn’t protect his wife. Everyone in Adam and Eve’s family tree follows their example. We see something and want it, acting without reference to God law.  

The pride of life is the opposite of desiring something you don’t have; you take pride in what you do have. You fancy yourself superior to those around you. Whatever the case, there is pride in your heart. 

Run from pride. But understand its sneaky nature. It can be hard to recognize. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18). 

The gospel negates pride. It is the message of a God who loved the world so much, that He gave us His only Son that we might be forgiven of our sin, and reconciled to Him. 

Understanding the gospel of Christ negates pride. We look to Jesus always and forever in faith, knowing it’s not of works lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). That is the beauty and wonder of the gospel. 

The love of the world is not of God. Pray that God would help you recognize the love of the world in your heart. 

The love of the world is a bad investment.

“And the world is passing away along with its desires.” (1 John 2:17) 

There are examples galore when it comes to bad investments. A friend of mine invested $20,000, but didn’t see a dime in return. Maybe you could tell your own story of losing money in some ponzi scheme.   

Well, loving the world is the worst investment possible. If you were to lose $20,000, you would recover. But if you put your stock in the world, it will cost you for eternity. Jesus said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

Many have milked this world for its worth and the world rewarded them for a time. But you can’t take your treasure to heaven.  This world is passing away. It’s like investing your money in a company that is on life support and about to die. 

The world is cursed of God and is doomed to pass away. But those who are “in Christ,” whose citizenship is in heaven, have eternal life. They are promised and inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and kept in heaven for them (1 Peter 1:4). Don’t live your life only for the here and now. The world is fading quickly. Only Jesus truly satisfies our hearts and gives eternal hope and peace. 

The passage ends with this promise: “but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” Remember that God cannot lie. He is faithful to His word! 

So there you have it—three reasons not to love the world. 

• The love of the world is incompatible with God’s love. 
• The love of the world is not of God 
• The love of the world is a bad investment 

Where is your hope? What are you looking to? 

“And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” (1 John 5:4) 

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