The world is not enough

Look beyond the obvious, and you'll find something really worth living for.

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17 (NIV)

What did John mean by the word “world” in this scripture? Was he referring to people who don’t have faith in Jesus, as in the ‘secular’? Did he mean the actual physical world?

The world is good, but...

When I read the bible, I find that God created this world and that all He created praises Him. There’s a sense that the elements understand the glory of God – this is particularly illustrated through the Psalms. Then we read in the New Testament that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.

So if God loves the world so much, why are we warned not to cling to 'the world and its desires'?

Did God change His mind? Did He suddenly decide that the world wasn’t worth His time?

The world can be distracting

It’s got nothing to do with opposites – love and hate, things that matter and things that don’t. But rather, what we hold onto. This world is temporary, it’s fading away, passing through time.

Other translations use the word “lust’ instead of ‘desires,’ and it’s not just talking about sexual lust. Lust is when you’re consumed with getting something for yourself at any cost, disregarding the wants and needs of others. The epitome of selfishness.

Even though God created this world and its inhabitants, humanity has done a great job of tainting it with its lusts… leaving everyone unsatisfied. Those whose lusts are fulfilled, can never get enough, and those who have been used to fulfil another’s lusts are left hollow and broken. All are empty and wanting. Trying to build a meaningful life that gratifies self only is like trying to hold onto a rope that’s being pulled by time. It will burn your hands and rip your flesh. The great legacy of a world left to its own devices is selfishness.

So, what's better than the world?

1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” And Matthew 22:37-40 says, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

What lasts beyond the selfish grip of this world?

Love. Faith, hope and love.

God has plans for you that involve where you live, and what you will do, etc. but at the forefront of His will for you is WHO you will be.

Live an inclusive life, not a selfish one. Don’t just look out for yourself, but build into others – share your life openly, spread faith, hope and love around generously.

Selfish gain dies with you. But the love of God stands through this life and into the next.

Originally published on pktfuel.com.