The Love OF The Father

1 John 2:15

Do Not Love the World

"15 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."

At first glance, this verse seems to condemn you for being worldly because you don't love God enough.  How many of you have heard in your life about not being "worldly?  Probably more than a few.  It's a popular topic of preachers everywhere, as if admonishing people NOT to be worldly produces godliness.  Read carefully:  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Why is it that some Christians seem more "worldly" than others?  Is it really because they don't love Jesus as much as they should?  Or is it because they don't read the Bible or pray enough?  I know!  It's because they don't attend church regularly.  While all those things are important, they are not the real reason. 

How does God define "worldliness?" According to this verse.  "If anyone loves THE WORLD, the love OF The Father is not in him."  Jesus, writing thorough Paul, doesn't say, "the love FOR" the Father.  No.  He says "the love OF the Father..."

THIS PERSON DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH HE IS LOVED BY THE FATHER.   

The love "OF" the Father is the consciousness on our part of how much WE ARE LOVED by Him.  The focus is not on how much we love Him.  The so-called "worldly Christian" does not have a consciousness of just how MUCH GOD LOVES HIM.  He may even believe God is, if not outright angry at him, He is at least mildly disappointed.

The more you hear preaching that reminds you of your righteousness in Christ, that ALL your sins--past, present, future--are put away, meaning NOT imputed to you, THE LESS WORLDLY YOU BECOME.

Church, it is sin conscious that makes someone "worldly," not a lack of love FOR God.  They are the ones who struggle to overcome bad habits and are caught in the viscious cycle of destructive behavior patterns.  It's impossible to get out from under when you think your right standing is dependent on your performance.  

Thank God, IT ISN'T. 

The Scriptures plainly tell us that "The strength of sin is THE LAW."  1 Corinthians 15:56.  So why is it that preachers keep dishing out a laundry list of do's and don'ts in an effort to control outward behavior?  Simple: THEY DON'T TRUST GOD.  They don't trust grace.  I submit to you that preacher doesn't understand how much he is loved by God.

That's a shame because THE ONLY ANTIDOTE FOR SIN IS GRACE.  They don't understand that they are hamstringing their congregations, rendering them unable to live holy lives, they'd probably stop.  

"Oh, you grace people!  When you tell someone that all their sins for their entire life are forgiven, you give people a license to sin," say the law-centric.

News flash:  PEOPLE DON'T NEED A "LICENSE" TO SIN.  They do just fine without one.

According to the Bible, IT IS THE LAW THAT PRODUCES LICENTIOUSNESS, not Grace.  Grace produces right living.  Grace is the ONLY cure for "worldliness."  Now do you understand why the devil fights so hard against the real gospel?      

Think about it; when you tell a small child to stay out of the cookie jar, what's the first thing they do as soon as your back is turned?  They get into THE COOKIE JAR!  When you and I are told what to do or what not to do, we invariably end up doing what we ought not.  That was Paul's dilemma.

We need to hear MORE PREACHING about how much we are loved by God, not that we have to love God more.  How can we love if we've not first received His love?  It is absolutely critical that we understand that our Heavenly Father LOVES us far more than we can ever comprehend.  Then, and only then, when we are FILLED with His love, can we love Him back.

He paid an incalculable price to redeem us that we will never fully grasp, even in eternity.  The bigger, clearer picture we have of the Father's love FOR US, the more and more the world dims and looses it's attraction WITHOUT OUR EFFORT.

So the next time you see a brother or sister in Christ who seems worldly or is struggling with bad habits or a habitual sin, understand what's really going on:  He or she needs to be told or reminded of the Love OF the Father.