Temporal Affiliations

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15‭-‬17 NIV

In the face of the attraction that the world holds these days, it is difficult to preach this kind of message. The world appeals to the fallen man. Its standards are always changing to suit what man wants, and the principles are never cast in stone. They can be amended as the need arises. The world offers man several 'good' things: power, position, privilege, possessions and many others. The world would also take care of its own and look after the interests of its own. When the world's standards are my pursuits, naturally, the world will pay me dividends according to my investments. Unfortunately, the only end to the pursuit of the world's standards is death.

That is what today's extract establishes. There is a stern warning not to love the world or anything in it. We must be careful in our use of the things of this world. We are in the world, but we must be careful to avoid pollution with the world. How do we guard against this pollution: by filling our hearts with the love of God. Whatever occupies your heart determines your pursuits. If there is space in your heart for the world's priorities, you will always find time to feed that affection. Unfortunately, you cannot do both: love God and the world at the same time. One would always be the focus.

Take a quick audit: what are your priorities and pursuits? Are you all about what you can see, what you can touch or what you can control? Can God interrupt your busy schedule to give you assignments out of your comfort zone? Have you believed the lie that God needs to make you comfortable before you can serve him or that His job is to give you all you need, whether you even know if it is good for you or not? Are you proud of whatever you have accomplished, even if all were made outside of God?

The end of both are also established by God: the world's standards and gifts never seem to last. Check out the great discoveries and fashions of the world; they have all been overtaken by newer and better things. Sometimes, what had become extinct long ago becomes the fad again. This tells me that whatever the world offers you is too fickle and shallow to be the foundation of my life. Everything I see now will one day become extinct. God alone lasts forever and he is the only one who can take me to the place of eternal rest. No device on earth and no world discovery can guarantee me that.

The world is passing away. Great discoveries have been made, and great men have been born. All these great discoveries have been overtaken by newer and better things, and other great men have also been born. Nothing in the world ever remains the same. Meet the God of all wonders, the same yesterday, today and forever. The One who has set his standards long before creation began and whose standards have not changed at all through all generations. He is the only One who gives life, and gives it full, free and permanently. His time of favour is here.