Perspective: Us Against the World

Part of a Sunday School lesson delivered at Bethel United Methodist Church on April 11, 2010.¹
I share these thoughts, hoping they are of help to someone else.

Us Against the World

Scripture:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world - the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches - comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.

1 John 2:15-17

But this shallow world is no longer what I'm made of
I've been saved by grace
I've been changed by love
So what more do I need?

From "All That Matters" by Addison Road

Often, when one hears Christians talking about "the world," it is not in a positive light, and when some Christians call something or someone "worldly," they do not mean it as a compliment. In fact, many Christians come across as if they are at war with the whole world. St. John, in his first letter, instructs his readers not to love the world or what is in the world. He even goes so far as to say that "the love of the Father [God] is not in those who love the world."

I imagine that non-Christians could easily find themselves put off by such language. After all, who would want to be a part of a movement that is against everything and everyone? What exactly does John mean when he says not to love the world? Perhaps some clarification would be nice.

First of all, when John says "the world" he is not referring to the planet Earth. When God had created the world and everything that inhabits the world, He looked at everything and noted that it was all good.² Because evil has come into the world, the Earth has become a fallen creation, and the world has lost a lot of its goodness. Humanity and nature are at odds with each other, and the world has become a polluted, dangerous place to live. Even so, God intends to one day restore the Earth to its original goodness.³ In the meantime, though, God has put the care of the Earth into the hands of humanity.⁴ Followers of Christ are not to be hostile toward the Earth but to take care of the environment.

Second, when John says not to love the world, he is not saying that we should not love the people of the world. The Gospel says that God loved the world so much that He sent His Son Jesus, not for the condemnation of the people of the world, but for their salvation.⁵ Christ's ministry was all about loving others, and followers of Christ are called to continue His ministry of love. That said, Christians are to love all the people of the world.

After instructing the early Christians not to love the world, John goes on to explain what he means. He says, "All that is in the world - the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches - comes not from the Father but from the world." John is not instructing his readers to be at odds with the planet or with humanity but to put aside the vain ambitions of the world. He is instructing his readers to realign their priorities. While God calls us to serve Him and to serve our neighbors, conventional wisdom calls us to serve ourselves. While the world strives for things such as fame, wealth, and power, God wants us to strive for justice, mercy, and love.⁶

St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, gives his readers a similar instruction:
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.⁷

A lot of Christians seeking to follow Paul's instruction will dress a certain way, abstain from things like rock music, or abstain from certain activities such as dancing. In my opinion, these measures are generally unnecessary. Don't get me wrong - people should stay away from things that hurt them spiritually. If certain styles of clothing, types of music, or activities get in the way of a person's relationship with God or a person's relationships with others, he or she should stay away from these things, but I digress. What Paul wants for his readers is not an outward change but an inward change. He is instructing them to be transformed so that they will strive for God's will and not for the world's vain ambitions.

I want to remind all my fellow Christians that we are not at war with the world. We are not called to hostility toward any of the people in the world. Instead we are called to realign our ambitions and priorities. Fame, wealth, and power do not last forever, but things done out of love for God and love for others are eternal. By putting aside worldly ambitions, we are freed up to follow our true calling to show God's love to the world.


Notes:
1 - The basis of my Sunday School lesson was:
J. Ellsworth Kalas. "Love Within the Community", Adult Bible Studies Spring 2010. Cokesbury.
I actually did not use very much from this source in this segment of my lesson but instead went off on a tangent.
2 - Genesis 1:31
3 - Revelation 21:1-5
4 - Genesis 1:28
5 - John 3:16-17
6 - Micah 6:8 and John 13:34
7 - Romans 12:2


If you have any feedback, thoughts, stories, or even arguments to contribute, please leave comments.