What does it mean to 'love this World' rather than God? [VLOG]

As a pastor, we often get burdened for people as they go through life's tests, especially when they are failing the tests. Often times they don't even know they are going through a test, let alone failing it!

There is no doubt that the current crisis is testing and shaking people, the question is - what are we being tested on and how can I pass?! As I engage with people I could summarize one of the biggest tests that people are facing with this verse -

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you…" (1 John 2:15,16)

What does it mean to be ‘in love with the World’? If we keep reading in the same text, it goes on to say - “the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions."

1. Too attached to the pleasures and comforts of this life

To be in love with the World means to be too attached to the pleasures and comforts of this life. 

What does this mean? Well, when you chose to follow Christ, the price that he asked from us in order to be his disciple is that we would no longer live for comfort and convenience in this life. Instead he has called us to live to serve him, and in this way we would store up treasures to enjoy in heaven.

Jesus promised to give us what we need as we advance his kingdom, he did not promise us comfort and luxury.

Our culture tells us the complete opposite, it tells me ‘you deserve the best':

You deserve to have a job that you love

You deserve to live out your full potential

You deserve to be married to the girl of your dreams

Deserve to have a beautiful child

How do I know if I am ‘in love with the World’?

So how do we know if we are in love with the World? Well the testings and trials will reveal what is in our hearts. In this crisis we are being stripped of our creature comforts and denied the things that we feel we ‘deserve’.

The current crisis will reveal what you truly value most? These are the kind of reactions which reveal what is in our hearts:

•  I get angry/frustrated with God when I don’t get what I 'deserve’
•  I turn to entertainment and neglect those times when God's family ‘gathers’
•  I waste time with silly things and neglect my time with God
•  I am self-absorbed instead of showing concern for others who are struggling

2. Controlled by physical cravings 

The text we read earlier described worldliness as having “a craving for physical pleasure”. But as Christian's we are not to be controlled by our physical impulses. Instead we exercise self-control which means:

Sexual purity - we keep ourselves for our marriage partner

We don’t abuse our bodies through gluttony, getting drunk or smoking

We don’t fill our minds with what is evil; we are careful with what we watch.

What should we do?

If you are feeling like you are failing this test and you are in love with the World rather than God, here is what I would leave with you - Don’t forget what it truly means to be a Christian. Paul sums up the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Christ with these beautiful words, 

“everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.”(Phil 3:8,9)