"Love not the world, neither the things that are
in the world. 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 the Father
abideth forever.
I John 2: 15-17 kjv
_____________________________________
As we consider this short passage of Scripture
from the first epistle penned by the disciple or
(Apostle) "whom Jesus loved," we will start
with the close and work our way to the begin-
ning of the passage. (As this passage speaks
of the "world," it refers to the world system;
the way people of the "world," live life apart
from our Lord and his Word. It is not a refe-
rence to the earth.)
_____________________________________
10. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in
which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the
works that are in it will be burned up."
(see Isaiah 51: 6, Revelation 20: 11)
11." Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what man-
ner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,"
12. "looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire,
and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"
13. "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new
heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells."
2 Peter 3: 10-13 nkjv
Our Lord does not overly concern himself with things that
are passing away. In all of Scripture He has encouraged man-
kind to occupy, meet challenges and serve in his present con-
dition and situation, but to look past the way things appear
(in the flesh) to those things to come. (In the Spirit.) Even
as we live in this body of flesh, (death) we know the pathway
to pleasing the Lord God (which is our hope) is in the Spirit.
The Spirit lasts forever; the flesh is passing away even now.
"Ye worship ye know not what, we know what we worship: for
salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when
the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in
truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."
John 4: 22-23 kjv
Things of the flesh, inordinate affection for that which appeals
to the eyes, pride of that which is, now, and is gone tomorrow
are of this present world. They are the stumbling blocks to a life
of contentment, serving our Father in the Spirit.
"God is a Spirit and they that worship him must
worship him in Spirit and in truth." John 4: 24 kjv
Our Lord enables one who is filled with his Spirit to live above
the mundane, and identify with his Son, Jesus Christ as a Child
of the Most High God.
From the beginning of these verses, 15, 16, 17, we are given
the secret to such a life. We must reject instant gratification
available though our lust for things that are very temporary.
Even people "of the world" know the pleasure in the present
things is fading, but are powerless to pass them up. The fleshly
lusts, the thing that appeal to the eyes, and their penchant to
over value status, keeps them from dealing with the facts. All of
this is passing and there will, one day, be an accounting of the
things done in the flesh. Each must be informed of his future or
(or lack of it) and directed to Scripture where we find answers to
life's questions and find life in the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus.
Within ourselves, you and I have no answers to life's questions
and must always defer to the Holy Scripture. (Hebrews 4:12)
Those of us who know the Lord God in Jesus Christ, God the
Son, must confront those whom we know to be on a dead end
street, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from Scripture, or ...
"When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man thou shalt surely
die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way,
that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I
require at thine hand." Ezekiel 33: 8 (read verses 8, 9, 10)
Do we even know what the "I will require at thine hand," entails?
It sounds ominous...
http://biblicalclarity-don.blogspot.com/2015/01/god-is-sovereign.html
http://biblicalclarity-don.blogspot.com/2013/02/love-lordlove-your-neighbor.html
Thanks for looking and may the Lord God bless you and thrust
you and me into the battle for men's souls.
donporter,sr 2.18.15, ed. 6.23.16
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