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Author: Martin Steinbereithner, from the Servants of the Word, an international, ecumenical brotherhood of men living single for the Lord.

In his first letter, John writes, “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. 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.” (1 John 2:15-16)

Yesterday we spoke of the world. Most of the time when the Bible uses that word it does not refer to the earth which God created and loves, but to the fallen world, the society in rebellion to God. John characterizes it by three features: lust of the flesh, meaning inordinate sexual desires; lust of the eyes, meaning the desire to keep up appearances, however false they are; and the pride of life, which is the desire to run my own life and to tell the Lord to stay away. While this sounds extreme, we all know what he is talking about.

And it is easy to love the world , because the packaging is attractive: think of glamorous artists, successful athletes, showy business people- who would not want to be like them? But the sad truth is that we cannot love God and pursue those things.

Ask yourself this question today: Where am I attracted to things which draw me away from God?

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.