By Evang. Joachim P. Erameh
In James 4: 4, the Bible makes understand that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever loves the world cannot be a friend of God. 1 John 2: 15 says, “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.”
What does it mean to love the world? It simply means to conform to the systems of this world. The ways of the world are contrary to the ways of God. 1 John 2: 16 says, “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.” The Apostle Paul refers to this world as this present evil world (Galatians 1: 4). If you do not know, Satan is the ruler of this world (1 John 5: 19).
According to the Bible, we should not love the world,. This does not mean we should have nothing to do with the world. As long as we live in the world, we will have dealings with the people of the world daily, unless we leave the world. 1 Corinthians 5:10 says, “Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.”
It is not possible to love the world and still love God. You cannot love Satan and claim to love God. It is either the world or God. Do not be like Demas, who loved the world and walked away from God (2 Timothy 4:10). The world is temporary. 1 John 2: 17 says, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” Anymore who loves the world will pass away with it. The sinners who lived during Noah’s time passed away with the destruction that came because of their wickedness.
As believers, we have overcome the world.1John 5:5 says, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” The battle is not over yet until it is over. As long as we live in this world, we must resist sin and anything that stands to oppose God if we want to overcome to the end. Dear reader, are you an overcomer? If you are living in sin, the world has overcome you nstead of the other way around. Repent and give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ before it is too late.