"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." (1 John 2:15-16)
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." (1 John 2:15-16)
Many times, I see this verse and others like it being used to mean we can't enjoy anything in the world. Some I know are truly wanting to please the Lord in how they're living, while others simply use it to condemn those they deem as not denying themselves enough, as a form of haughty spiritual one-upmanship.
However, these verses are referring to the SIN in this world and the sin SYSTEMS -- the LUST of the flesh, and the LUST of the eyes, and the PRIDE of life. It's these things we are to reject and avoid, not simply all things in the world... WE are in the world, we're just not OF the world. We don't enjoy or participate in the sinfulness of this world, nor anything which promotes it.
But okay, say holy sainthood is the requirement. Where does it end? Am I not allowed to buy furniture for my house from a furniture maker who isn't holy? I'd love to give a fellow saint my business for his exemplary carpentry, but unfortunately I have yet to meet one. May I not buy groceries unless the grocer is holy? Or my clothes from an non-Christian merchant? See, we're delving into the ridiculous with this line of thinking here.
God created the world AND things in the world, and he uses those things to bless us with. We regard everything we have or whatever we enjoy with a light touch, and we don't set our heart on things, which makes sense, because nothing lasts and it'll all wither away, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy them. I see so many so-called Christians who are so pious and holier-than-thou, that they can't even enjoy any blessing that God might want to bless them with for fear they'll look like they love the world. Typically though, this attitude stems from mere textbook Pharisaical self-righteousness. Their holiness is based on their efforts and willpower, as opposed to CHRIST living and working through them. As a consequence, they love turning things into sin which aren't, so they can have the self-righteous glory in "denying" and "overcoming" it, and smugly condemn all who don't conform to their self-made extra-Biblical "purity." It's because they glory in THEIR righteousness instead of HIS righteousness IN them. But as it says in Colossians 2:23 "These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires."
I've had my accusers condemn me as a sinful worldly hypocrite, simply because I OWN a TV. Of course, they discovered this information and made this accusation THROUGH THEIR COMPUTER. Who are you to assume someone uses their television for sin? We could make a BETTER assumption about you and your computer, or laptop, or smart phone. The last I heard, those devices are much more efficient conduits for sin than a television could ever be. Let's not be sin-hunting hypocrites.
The Lord bestows blessing on his children in countless ways, whether it be a beautiful piece of music that delights us, or a pretty dress, a day trip to a scenic landscape or historical landmark, fun games to play with the family, interesting stories to experience through literature, screen, or stage, delicious food and drink to savour, subjects to learn and explore, and talents and crafts to practice and refine. Things in the world that gives us pleasure, but not SINFUL pleasure. In our walk with the Lord, we know how to enjoy things in this world in holiness. I can watch a movie and not sin or rejoice in the sin of others. Jesus told stories depicting sin, the Bible itself is full of stories depicting sin. It's the human experience! Good guys, bad guys, right and wrong. And if I'm reading or watching something that I realise is promoting sin or contains gratuitous violence or sin, my heart is just not interested, and it's easy to put down something that doesn't have a hold on you. I walk with the Lord! But it's not like we can't enjoy the arts. For example, I enjoyed reading Shakespeare from an early age, probably because I grew up with the King James Bible, and so it was easy for me to understand. And although I was able to enjoy many of those works because of their interesting plotlines and thought-provoking dilemmas, it's even more interesting when we have the Holy Spirit. For example, after I read Romeo and Juliet, I didn't come away from it thinking, "Be still my beating heart, this is the love above all love," I came away thinking how truly tragic it was that they looked to suicide rather than trusting the Lord and being victorious.
Just because we're not of the world, doesn't mean we live in a cloister, with stringy hair and dowdy clothing, as if purposing ourselves to look bad or remain ignorant to the world is spiritual. We're LIGHTS in the world... not OF the world, but we're certainly in it. Our light can't shine under a rock.
So let's allow the Holy Spirit lead us, rather than the rules and regulations of men.
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