Thursday, March 18, 2010

March 18, 2010

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." I John 2:15
Take this verse at its face value and you may ask, "Why should I not love the world? The world is a beautiful place! Haven't you seen the Blue Ridge Mountains in Fall? Have you not seen the cherry blossoms in the Spring?"
The Apostle John is not telling us we shouldn't love the planet Earth. That is not the world he is referring to, he is referring to "the cosmos" or the false world system that the Enemy has established to appeal to our sinful nature. For everything that God has created, Satan, the god of this world has established a counterfeit to rival God.
God envisioned a personal relationship with every member of His glorious creation. But the Devil has set up religions to rival the true relationship God desires. Religion is easier because it can be measured in term of rules and can be accomplished by human effort. Relationship requires a supernatural spiritual transformation of your heart and mind. That can only happen by submitting to God. For centuries religion has hindered the development of true Christian faith.
God's design was for people to live in faith and obedience to Him. The ultimate aim of man is to know, love and glorify God. But Satan set up a system based on the pride of man aimed at glorifying man and opposing God. It traces back to the original sin of Adam and Eve when they partook from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Theology is opposed by science. Training in faith is replaced by humanistic education. The incredibly amazing Creation account is countered by the "theory" of evolution.
God deals in the world of faith through the spiritual nature. The enemy operates against the spirit in the physical realm. God deals in surrender and obedience, the enemy appeals to the pride and independence of human nature.
Therefore, when we talk about living in love for a spouse to whom we have committed ourselves for life, we are talking about two people entering into a convenant relationship between a man and a woman and their God. God defines that as love. But the "cosmos" promotes a "love" that seeks to use and exploit another person in order to please yourself. What the world calls "love" God would call "lust". Lust is driven by selfish desires seeking to satisfy its physical needs.
Lust is an unhealthy substitute for real love. It harms others and makes intimacy impossible. It separates and isolates people from one another, from their God, and even from their own best selves. Since lust is insatiable it fosters a dissatisfaction that drives discontent and makes you miserable. The harder you lust the emptier you become. It is how millions of people live in our world today.
Why would you live in lust when God offers His love? Why would you degenerate into frustration and alienation when you can live in the freedom and blessing of a relationship with your Creator?
Don't take my word for it. Try out God's love for yourself. Renounce your lustful desires and receive His love. If you find it doesn't bring you peace, freedom and satisfaction you can return to your lustful ways. What do you have to lose?
Aferall, the Bible says, "God so lusted the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Right?
Of course, not! God loves and He desires and deserves your love. What's lust got to do with it?