"Love Not the World, Neither the Things That Are in the World..."

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Apostle John went on to say in 1st John 2:15-17, "...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, and 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 for ever." In the good old U. S. of A., we are living in a time where there is seemingly plenty of stuff to distract us from God. The general theme of people's lives has been, "I'm OK, your OK," or a "live and let live" mentality. As a preacher of righteousness this gives me great concern for the church. Jesus was asked by an unnamed person in Luke 13:23  "...Lord, are there few that be saved?" The Lord's response to the questions was unequivocal, He said, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." (See Luke 13:24 and Matthew 7:13-14) Will you and I be one of the "many" the Lord spoke of? I believe we will if we love this world and the things therein.

It seems apparent in scripture that the vast majority of humanity will be among the "many" in the day of Christ's return. Apostle John, the disciple who leaned on Jesus' breast at the last supper (John 21:20), was the one who warned us to "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." I have often wondered at the Christians who think themselves saved and yet seem to love the things that are available to them in the world. I have often wondered, asking myself the question why do Christians do the things they do or go the places they go?  Why do some people, ladies in particular, want to cut their hair when the plain teaching of the Bible in 1st Corinthians 11:6 says "...but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered..." and in verse 15, "... her hair is given her for a covering." Oh I understand what the apostle was speaking of in these scriptures, e.g., submission to one's authority. Or why the ostentatious display in the wearing of jewelry, or wearing of expensive looking clothes, etc. (See 1st Thessalonians 5:22,  1st Timothy 2:9-10 and 1st Peter 3:3-50) I just wonder why that's all.

Someone may ask in this day of woman's liberation and equal rights, that's just too old fashioned for me. So I have to ask myself the question again, why does the Bible seem to take aim at the women and not so much at the men. Well the Bible does say in 1st Timothy 2:13-14 that "...Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." I suppose it could have been the other way around but that is what the Bible says. It was by Adam's transgression that sin and death entered into the world, not by Eve's. (See Romans 5:12) 

Just so you ladies don't feel that I am picking on you the Apostle Paul, apparently in great distress, said in 2nd Timothy 4:10-11, "...Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry." Demas was one of Paul's fellow-laborers in the ministry (as were Crescens and Titus) yet he forsook the apostle, "...having loved this present world."  I wonder where Demas is today? And I wonder where you and I will be if we love this world. 

It is not my purpose to frighten anyone but rather to warn those who call themselves Christian and love the world and the things it has to offer. The Bible does say in 1st Corinthians 4:14,  "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you." BTW, those were the Apostle Paul's words. If you have found yourself loving the internet, Facebook, email, sports, politics, and a myriad of other things in the world, whatever they might be more than the Lord Jesus let me encourage you to read what the Lord said to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:5,  "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." And His final message to the seven churches of Asia found in Revelation 3:19-22,  "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." The Lord Jesus still loves you but He still requires repentance.