1 John 2:15-17
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 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. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
John 3:16
God LOVES this World
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Matthew 6:19-24
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 24:35
Jesus' Words Will Never Pass Away
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 22:37-40
Two Greatest Commandments
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
St. John tells us "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."...This world is broken, and St. John bluntly says do not love the world or anything in it...
There is One who is able to LOVE the world and not become entangled with the temporary desires and insignificant temporary things of this world...St. John also writes that God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son to our world...So in a way there is a conflict, man is to not love the world, while God LOVES the world...
We are in this world, and often the things around us tempt us and entice us...I believe there are many things in this world that we desire and want to possess...We seem to like wealth, pleasures, and fame or being noticed...And trying not to love the world or anything in this world is very tough...This is a hard teaching...Jesus knew this teaching is hard, when He told us not to store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal...But store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Jesus was always teaching us about the eternal things in life, the important things...Love is so important in His teachings, that He says the whole Old Testament hang on loving God and loving neighbor...
Jesus knows that our hearts can lead us to heaven, or our heart can also lead us astray...The desires of wanting material possessions is around us everyday...Material possessions are only temporary and believers understand this, but the desires for things is still there...Because we are in this world, we become a part of this world...Man's nature seems to be almost drawn to these temporary things...Even though we see that Jesus' word continues and will not pass, and we believe that the will of God lives forever -it seems most of the time we overlook these eternal things and want this temporary thing to fulfill a desire...
As you read the gospels, one feels that Jesus was able to live in this world and not somehow become a part of this world...Jesus completely understood that the eternal things will last forever, while material things, fame, and our earthly desires come to an end with our passing...Jesus was not one tied up on possessions and material things...I am not sure what He owned, but I don't think He owned very much of any material possessions...We can learn much from this...Number one, He completely depended on God for His daily bread and His daily needs...His desires were limited because He was so focused and so satisfied and contented living for His Father in each and every moment of His life...
But He is divine, so maybe we can take a lesson from His disciples and apostles...After Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension -the apostles were without Him physically...After Jesus left, His disciples went around teaching others about His teachings and Him...They were still in this world and affected by this world, with the temptations and desires around them...They traveled around teaching about Jesus and what He taught and the necessity to love others to make this world right...They wanted others to know about the love of Jesus, because they were filled with His glory and the Holy Spirit...They taught the Truth about Him so others would understand Him, and learn to love Him and His teachings...As we think about His early apostles, as they taught, they were filled with the love of Jesus and God and wanted everyone to know about it...The early apostles were unselfish in their ways and their teachings, because they wanted others to know about Him...And God LOVES the world in this very unselfish way...He unselfishly gave us His Son for our sins...
We are to be unselfish as the Father and Son are unselfish...Faith in Jesus and His Father helps us overcome this world...Faith is much about unselfishness...Faith, unselfishness, and the love of God and others allows us to live and love in this world to make it a better place...