1 John 2:15-17---Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves 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 God abideth forever.
John breaks down for us three categories that describe everything in the fallen world: cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes, and boasting of what he has and does. When the Bible speaks of the world, there are several meanings. One is mankind itself. The other is this definition that God has given. If we love the world that John has described or anything in it, the love of God is not in us. The love that comes from God will be in direct contrast to worldliness. The world is focused on selfishness and pride, but God's love is giving and humble. We must keep ourselves in check, watching to see if love for the world is slipping into our lives. This is a command to refuse to allow that to happen because it is part of what is passing away. Not only is worldliness destructive, but it is shortsightedly temporal. It is an investment in a doomed venture. By contrast, investing your life in the will of God, allowing the love of the Father to flow through your life, is an eternal investment. It is a manifestation of eternal life within you. It will reap dividends forever and ever.
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