Navigating the Tension: Love of God vs. World

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the complex relationship between Christians and the world, as illustrated by the duality of two hymns: "This World is Not My Home" and "This Is My Father's World." These songs reflect the biblical tension between viewing the world as a temporary dwelling and recognizing it as God's creation. The key to understanding this tension lies in the different meanings of the word "world" in the New Testament, particularly in the writings of John. The term "cosmos" can refer to the universe, the Earth, or the fallen creation under the influence of sin and the evil one.

We delved into 1 John 2:15-17, where we are admonished not to love the world or the things in it. This passage highlights the dangers of the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. These temptations are not from the Father but from the world, which is passing away. The challenge for Christians is to navigate these temptations while holding onto the love of the Father, which is eternal and fulfilling.

The message emphasized that Christian discipleship involves a conscious rejection of worldliness and an embrace of God's love. This is not about suppressing desires but redirecting them towards God, who offers true satisfaction and eternal life. The love of the Father is self-sacrificing and expansive, in stark contrast to the self-serving and constricting love of the world. Ultimately, the call is to live in a way that reflects our identity in Christ and our eternal hope, resisting the fleeting allure of worldly temptations.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding "World" in Scripture: The term "world" in the New Testament has multiple meanings, including the universe, Earth, and the fallen creation. Recognizing these distinctions helps us navigate the tension between engaging with the world as God's creation and rejecting its sinful systems. [02:38]

2. The Threefold Temptation: The desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life are the core temptations that draw us away from God. These temptations mirror the ones faced by Christ in the wilderness, reminding us of the need for vigilance and reliance on God's strength to overcome them. [13:51]

3. The Love of the Father vs. the Love of the World: The love of the Father is eternal, pure, and self-giving, while the love of the world is temporary, impure, and self-serving. Our spiritual growth depends on choosing the love of the Father, which leads to true fulfillment and eternal life. [46:53]

4. Christian Identity and Maturity: Our identity in Christ is foundational to resisting worldliness. Whether we are new believers or mature Christians, we are called to live out our faith by striving to conform our lives to God's will, recognizing that we are strong in Him. [11:50]

5. Desire and Satisfaction: True satisfaction is found not in suppressing desires but in redirecting them towards God. The world's promises are fleeting, but the love of the Father offers lasting joy and fulfillment. By seeking God first, we align our desires with His eternal purposes. [47:57]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:23] - Introduction and Greetings
- [01:19] - The Duality of Hymns
- [02:38] - Understanding "World" in Scripture
- [04:13] - Three Meanings of "Cosmos"
- [05:57] - The World as Fallen Creation
- [09:02] - Do Not Love the World
- [11:21] - Identity in Christ
- [13:51] - The Threefold Temptation
- [16:14] - Desires of the Flesh
- [23:14] - Desires of the Eyes
- [30:35] - Pride of Life
- [36:00] - Love of the Father vs. Love of the World
- [45:36] - A Tale of Two Loves
- [49:46] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 John 2:15-17
2. John 3:19
3. John 12:31

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the three meanings of the word "cosmos" as discussed in the sermon, and how do they help us understand the biblical use of "world"? [04:13]

2. According to 1 John 2:15-17, what are the three core temptations that draw us away from God? How are these temptations described in the sermon? [13:51]

3. How does the sermon describe the difference between the love of the Father and the love of the world? [46:53]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between Christian identity and resisting worldliness? [11:50]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does understanding the different meanings of "world" in the New Testament help Christians navigate their relationship with the world today? [02:38]

2. In what ways do the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life manifest in contemporary culture, and how can Christians remain vigilant against them? [13:51]

3. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of redirecting desires towards God rather than suppressing them? What does this mean for spiritual growth? [47:28]

4. How does the sermon connect the idea of Christian identity with the strength to resist worldly temptations? [12:39]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you find yourself loving the world more than the Father? How can you begin to shift your focus? [36:00]

2. The sermon discusses the importance of redirecting desires towards God. Identify a specific desire in your life that you can redirect towards God this week. What steps will you take to do this? [47:28]

3. Consider the threefold temptation of the flesh, eyes, and pride. Which of these do you find most challenging, and what practical steps can you take to overcome it? [13:51]

4. How can you actively cultivate a love for the Father that is self-giving and expansive, as opposed to the self-serving love of the world? [46:53]

5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of Christian identity in resisting worldliness. How can you remind yourself of your identity in Christ daily? [11:50]

6. Think of a specific situation where you were tempted to conform to worldly standards. How might you handle it differently in the future, based on the sermon’s teachings? [07:50]

7. The sermon suggests that true satisfaction comes from aligning our desires with God's eternal purposes. What is one way you can seek God first in your daily routine this week? [47:57]

Devotional

Day 1: Navigating the Duality of the World
The New Testament presents a complex view of the "world," which can mean the universe, the Earth, or the fallen creation under sin's influence. Understanding these distinctions helps Christians engage with the world as God's creation while rejecting its sinful systems. This duality is reflected in the hymns "This World is Not My Home" and "This Is My Father's World," which illustrate the tension between seeing the world as a temporary dwelling and recognizing it as God's creation. Christians are called to navigate this tension by discerning which aspects of the world align with God's purposes and which do not. [02:38]

"For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself struggling to balance the view of the world as both God's creation and a place of sin? How can you better discern which aspects of the world to embrace and which to reject?


Day 2: Recognizing and Resisting Temptation
The desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life are core temptations that draw us away from God. These temptations mirror those faced by Christ in the wilderness, reminding us of the need for vigilance and reliance on God's strength to overcome them. Christians are called to be aware of these temptations and to actively resist them by seeking God's guidance and strength. By doing so, they can remain faithful to their identity in Christ and avoid being led astray by the fleeting allure of worldly desires. [13:51]

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific temptation you face regularly. How can you rely on God's strength to resist it today?


Day 3: Embracing the Love of the Father
The love of the Father is eternal, pure, and self-giving, while the love of the world is temporary, impure, and self-serving. Spiritual growth depends on choosing the love of the Father, which leads to true fulfillment and eternal life. Christians are encouraged to embrace God's love by redirecting their desires towards Him, finding satisfaction in His eternal purposes rather than the fleeting promises of the world. This involves a conscious decision to prioritize God's love over worldly temptations, leading to a deeper relationship with Him. [46:53]

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively choose the love of the Father over the love of the world in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to prioritize God's love today?


Day 4: Living Out Our Identity in Christ
Our identity in Christ is foundational to resisting worldliness. Whether new believers or mature Christians, we are called to live out our faith by striving to conform our lives to God's will, recognizing that we are strong in Him. This involves a commitment to spiritual growth and maturity, as well as a willingness to reject worldly influences that conflict with our identity in Christ. By doing so, Christians can live in a way that reflects their eternal hope and aligns with God's purposes. [11:50]

"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you better align your daily actions with your identity in Christ? What changes can you make to live more fully in accordance with God's will?


Day 5: Redirecting Desires Towards God
True satisfaction is found not in suppressing desires but in redirecting them towards God. The world's promises are fleeting, but the love of the Father offers lasting joy and fulfillment. By seeking God first, Christians can align their desires with His eternal purposes, leading to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. This involves a conscious effort to prioritize God's will over personal desires, trusting that His plans are ultimately for our good and His glory. [47:57]

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4, ESV)

Reflection: What desires in your life need to be redirected towards God? How can you seek His guidance in aligning your desires with His eternal purposes today?

Quotes


The main idea here is very easy to spot, you don't need an advanced degree to see it. What is the big idea in this paragraph? Do not love the world. And the fact that John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit needed to write this to these congregations, and that we now centuries later God designed for us to read it, suggests that we all have running in us an inclination to do this very thing. [00:10:27]

Listen, no matter where you are in your walk with Jesus, you're in one of these three places because these are not age markers so much as they're maturity markers. You're a child, a newborn Christian just starting out, you're a father, a mother, you've been doing this a long time, you're a young man, a young woman, you're in the thick of the battle. [00:11:50]

The lusts of the flesh. That is the desires, the cravings of our fallen nature. Sexual immortality, impurity, sensuality, revenge, fits of anger, dissension, division. If Christ-likeness is to love your neighbor as yourself then fleshliness is to love yourself so much more than you love your neighbor. You're waking up in the morning thinking what will gratify me, what will make me feel good right now? [00:14:18]

We gratify these desires of the flesh, these lusts from within. John goes onto a second category of things in the world, desires of the flesh, and then he talks about the desires of the eye. So, if the flesh is speaking roughly of the lust from within, these are the lusts from without. The temptations that comes through the eyes: greed, envy, jealously, sexual stimulation. [00:23:14]

Worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange. That's what I learned from David Wells, one of my favorite professors at seminary. Worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Look, I'm not at all an anti-intellectual, I've never been accused of that, I believe in education, I'm working on a degree, I believe in all that, I believe in the importance of understanding the worldviews around us. [00:23:58]

The world says, "If it feels good, do it. If it seems good, take it. If it will make you look good, go after it." Have you ever considered how uncanny it is that these three things in the world John describes match up almost perfectly with the three temptations Christ faced in the wilderness. For 40 days He didn't eat, and the Devil says, "You hungry? Why don't you turn these stones to bread? [00:34:17]

Love for the world and love for the Father are mutually exclusive. You can't say well, I can maybe go halfsies, or I'm a Christian, there's a lot of people who think being a Christian means you give God like 55 percent, world 45 percent, but I still give God 55 percent. No, sort of math exists here. "If you love the world the love of the Father is not in you." [00:36:00]

The answer to worldliness is ultimately not less love, but more love in the right direction. You see, God is not a Buddhist god. In Buddhism, the idea is to sublimate your desires. Desires are bad, cravings are bad, the way to reach some state of bliss is to get rid of your cravings, you shouldn't be having these desires. And some of us, let's be honest, we've sort of adopted this kind of Buddhist mentality, that's not what's in the Bible. [00:47:13]

The Bible is a tale of two loves, and we see it here so clearly in these verses. You have in one corner the love of the world. And it looks good, but it does not deliver, it does not satisfy, it does not last. And then you have in this corner the love of the Father who keeps His Word, keeps you fulfilled, and keeps you going. This is my Father's world. [00:45:36]

The love of the Father is pure, is self-sacrificing, it gives and it expands. It is in every way the opposite of the love of the world. The love of the world is self-serving, it is impure, it takes and it constricts. The more of the world you get, the less of a human you become. The more of God and the Father you get, the more expansive your own soul grows. [00:46:53]

The answer to worldliness is ultimately not less love, but more love in the right direction. You see, God is not a Buddhist god. In Buddhism, the idea is to sublimate your desires. Desires are bad, cravings are bad, the way to reach some state of bliss is to get rid of your cravings, you shouldn't be having these desires. And some of us, let's be honest, we've sort of adopted this kind of Buddhist mentality, that's not what's in the Bible. [00:47:13]

And so you fight desire with desire. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. How do you overcome sexual temptation? How do you not watch those things that you're used to watching? It's not enough to just leave here and say, "Man, I feel really bad about myself, I won't do that again." It won't last. But if you believe “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God,” and you believe in your heart that to see God is better than to see all of those other things, then you just have a fighting chance. [00:48:13]

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Transcript
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