Why Christians Don't Love the World B

True Christians don't love the world and we give you some reasons why number one because what it is because of what it is, what is it, it is the system of satanic lies and deceptions that oppose God.

That's what it is. With that in mind, do you have the right kind of worldview, one that informs your decisions with biblical truth, one that filters your thoughts on social and political issues through the grid of God's word. You have a perspective that equips you to be in the world but not of the world. John MacArthur helps you answer those questions today on grace to you in a lesson called why Christians don't love the world. It's part of John's continuing study titled the love God hates, and now here's John MacArthur, first John chapter 2 verses 15 through 17 do not love the world nor 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 lust of the flash and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the father but is from the world and the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever loving the world is impossible for true believers because the world is an anti-God system and you can't love God and love the world, you can't. As Jesus said serve God and Mammon. Salvation is a deliverance from the world, its ideologies, its viewpoints, its anti-God posture in chapter 4 verse five they are from the world. Therefore they speak as from the world and the world listens to them. We are from God.

He who knows God listens to us he was, not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth in the spirit of error.

Listen when you became a Christian, you moved from believing error to believing truth that moved you from the kingdom of the world to the kingdom of God were not talking about something superficial were not talking a boy say you know you've died to the world you been crucified to the world. You no longer love the world were not saying you're not attracted to the things of the world you don't have any temptation were simply saying that ideologically in terms of what you believe you have turned from error which defines the world and lies concerning God to the truth of the gospel down in chapter 5 and verse four. Remember, whatever is born of God overcomes the world and what is it that overcomes the world. The victory that overcomes the world is our faith.

When you stop believing the lies of the world and you believe the truth of God, you passed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear son, you passed from the world into God's realm. You now love the truth. You are known as the children of God because you believe the gospel of God, you have been taken out of the world. You are now the enemy of the world.

Jesus said in John 1519 and the world hates you.

The world is simply the system of evil. Now, in the church to which John is writing there were people who claimed to be Christians. They were confusing believers and so John gives them tests not to cause them to question their own salvation, but by taking the test, they would affirm their own salvation and unmask the others. False religion cannot produce love the truth. False religion as part of the lie. False religion is part of the system.

Now the command them very clearly. Chapter 2 verse 15. Love not the world, because if you do, you're not a believer. True Christians don't love the world, let me give you some reasons why number one because what it is because of what it is, what is it, it is the system of satanic lies and deceptions that oppose God. That's what it is. It is contrary to the truth. It is hostile to the truth. It is hostile to those who believe the truth and those who love the truth.

For example look at chapter 4 is an illustration don't don't believe everybody don't know believe every attitude, every spirit every theory at every ideology that's propounded test the spirits to see whether there from God because so many false prophets have gone out into the world by this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. So here's a very clear test. You can always tell something that's part of the world because there view of Christ is erroneous this on the other hand, verse three says is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. There is already in the world. The antichrist attitude anything that opposes Christ that opposes the gospel is the world. Then he says in verse four, your from God, little children, overcome them, because greater is he was in you than he was in the world. The world is an anti-God antichrist system of ideologies under many many names and titles framed up many different ways. Bottom-line, it is alien to the truth. It is in opposition to the truth. It hates the truth and hates the people who embrace.

In other words, we know of the world because it is Adderley in antipathy to everything we have come to believe by the mighty work of God in our hearts we have been awakened by God's grace to the truth.

To put it another way, look at the end of first John chapter 5 verse 19 we know that we are of God, we are of God, that is, we embrace the things of God.

We love God believe in God believe in his word, on the other hand, the whole world lies in the evil one. The Greek letter says lies in the evil one.

It's as if the whole world is literally in bedded in the grip of the evil one, and the evil one has one agenda and that is to assault the truth with his lies all unsaved people are in the world all unsafe people are children of the world all unsafe people are under the prince of the power the air who it is the spiritual ruler of this world. We are not.

We have rejected that and embrace the truth. We have been overcome the world of lies by believing the truth. The world is hostile to godliness because it is dominated by carnal ambition, pride, greed, self pleasure, evil desire, its opinions are wrong.

Its aims are selfish. Its pleasures are sinful.

Its influence is demoralizing, it's politics or corrupt its honors are empty its smiles are fake and it's love is fickle. The world is the system of rebellion toward God run by Satan set up on earth is the very antithesis of the gospel of salvation.

We give no supreme affection to that and at the same time say we love God and love Jesus Christ. The two are mutually exclusive. One time Paul loved the world in his world was the hypocrisy and self-righteousness of Judaism, but he saw it as manure compared to Christ and he didn't love it anymore. He counted it but done he said when he found Christ, we do not love the world because of what it is.

Secondly, we do not love the world because of who we are down in verses 12 through 14 really ties into this in writing to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake writing to you fathers, because you know him was been from the beginning, I'm writing to you young men because you've overcome the evil one. I written you children because you know the father I've written you father's because you know him was in from the beginning of written you young man because you're strong. The word of God abides in you and you will overcome. You know why we don't love the world because we know the father because the word is strong in us, and because were progressing toward a deep and intimate knowledge of the eternal God, all of that simply says we are God's children. We are in the family and that is mutually exclusive from loving the world. We are God's children at varying levels of maturity, but we love the father. We love the truth.

The father has revealed and we even become spiritual fathers as we grow and we have a deep love for the glory of our great God. No way does the family of God love the world and if someone defects and goes after the world goes hard after the world demonstrating affection for the world and all its systems both theoretical and behavioral. They give evidence that their claim to know God and to love Christ was a lie. Nothing but a lie is absolutely impossible. We cannot love it because of what it is. It is a lie and we have affirmed the truth.

We cannot love it because of who we are is the children of Satan. We are the children of God and yet I need to just add a little caveat in here.

It does not mean that the world doesn't still allure us because it can is seductive we might reject its philosophy because we embrace Christianity, we might reject and certainly do reject its religions.

It's false religions of human achievement. We reject all of the ideologies of the world, and yet we are lured and seduced by some of its behavior.

What are you talking about wanting about flirting with the world. You don't love it if you're not married to it. You've been separated from it.

You've come into the family of God. And yet it is alluring to you because of your fallenness where my talking about. What books do you love the most. If you love any worldly books more than the word if you love any worldly songs more than the hymns. If you love worldly people more than people of God you love any endeavor more than service to Christ. If you seek any reward more than well done good and faithful servant.

You are being seduced to flirt with the world and Scripture says, set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth be that spiritual young man strong in the word who overcomes the world. We don't love the world because of what it is and because of who we are. Thirdly, we don't love the world because of what it does. What does it do it insights to sin, it insights to sin.

For all that is in the world says verse 16, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the father but is from the world. He says don't love the world. Don't be seduced, don't be lured into it already is, is up bundle of incitement to sin.

That's all that's in it, that's a comprehensive statement of the universe. 16 for all that is in the world. There's nothing there but what insights to sin. Philo said it is as impossible for love of the world to coexist with love for God as it is impossible for light and darkness to coexist. The two are mutually exclusive.

You are in the light. You are in the kingdom you believe the truth you've overcome the world. Don't flirt with it because all it will do is lure you into the seduction of its temptation. It insights to sin and for the believer. That's the last thing that you long to experience your heart longs to be delivered from sin. True Christians say with Paul in Romans seven I do what I don't want to do. I don't do what I want to do. There's a wretched man within me and I want to be delivered from John Wright stop loving the world is not consistent with being a Christian don't love the things that are in the world, its treasures, its pleasures, its theories, its viewpoints, its morality, its judgments, its honors, its power, its wealth, it's wisdom it's education whatever it is, whatever element of its anti-God antichrist ideology, you want nothing to do now were not talking about material things like house and the car money you can have those things go to verse 17 of chapter 3 in here. John says whoever has the world's goods, that's fine goods. One thing alluring seductive ideologies are another you have the world's goods. That's all right but when you see your brother in need, don't close your heart against him or were going to question whether the love of God is in you. If you have the world's goods and you see somebody you need you there to share the world's goods, which assumes that we have them not wrong to enjoy the things that God is richly provided for us that this becomes a test you know possessing the world's goods becomes a test of your Christianity because if you see somebody you need. You can let him go to meet that need.

So as we look then at the third reason we don't love the world, we don't love the world because of what it does and what it does is insight to sin.

Verse 16 says all that is in the world will skip to the end is not from the father but is from the world.

It's not from God. And all it does is insight to sin.

Here's what's in the world, the lust of the flash lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life that is the sum of everything going on in the human system. Those are the three gateways to sin. That's all that the world does it just seduces people into sin and it does it on these three fronts. Lust of the flash lust of the eyes and the pride of life. It's all has to offer. I think we understand what the lust of the flesh means refers to that deep, profound part of fallenness that the Old Testament calls the imagination that is buried deep within man underneath is rationality that corrupts his thinking and then there is the lust of the eyes. What is that that is that seductive vision that you see something in because you see it, it allures you and you wanted and it leads to covetousness and leads to all kinds of other sins because when you see something you want. James says you lust because you don't have it kneel even make war until they get it.

And then there is that boastful pride of life that really underlies everything that arrogance of self-fulfillment that says I want what I want when I want it and I'm going to get it all. That's all that's there for her. To me that's all that's there.

We do not, then love the world because of what it is because of who we are and because of what it does it insights to sin.

There's a there's 1/4 and last reason we don't love the world and that is because where it is going.

Verse 17 in the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

The fourth reason that we don't love the world is because where it is going is very different than where we are going. The world is passing away and we're not two destinies here we have two different principles operating in the world is a principle of death operating in the people of God have overcome the world as a principle of life operating the world para Gay type present tense. The world is in the process of disintegrating not just talking about the second law of thermodynamics the law of entropy that all matter is breaking down, although that certainly is an element of it. The present tense indicates that the world is in the process of dissolution. It is the opposite of evolution. It is devolution. It is in the self-destructing mode the death principle is already in the universe reeking. It's process of having the world the earth the universe the system of man, all of it has within itself the forces of its own disintegration. It is in a death spiral. Secondly, 330s as evil men grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived were talking about the world and planets in the universe we know that the Lord's gonna destroy all that the coming of Jesus Christ. The elements melt with fervent heat second Peter three the whole universe as we know it at the return of Christ will be will be changed renovated.

The tribulation will start the renovation by judgment. The return of Christ will start will further the renovation of the renewed earth for the millennial kingdom at the end of the millennial kingdom. When the second coming of Christ is culminated there will be a total destruction of the entire universe as we know it and replacing it will be a new heaven and the new earth that's in the book of Revelation.

But here, though, that's true. Were talking about something else because the world were talking about is not created order. The world were talking about is the systems of man and what we are looking at here is the destruction of Satan's casting into the lake of fire.

The destruction of demons as they too are put into the place prepared for the devil and his angels where they burn forever in torment talking about all the human beings who have followed the world system all the people in false religion from all of human history. All of the antichrist anti-God people all those who lived their lives within the framework of the world under the power of Satan. They are all in a death spiral. And they are catapulting at a rapid rate into eternal hell. It's what the Bible says terms that are quite clear from drawn back to second Thessalonians chapter 1. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment want some straightforward, plain talk here it comes. God is going to repay with affliction all who afflict you, Paul says and give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, and these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power that is going to come in destruction's gonna come in vengeance. This is already in motion the wicked of the world is a setter in a death spiral.

All the religions of the world, all the people caught in those false religions all the people trapped in all the ideologies and all the kinds of thinking and all the kinds of conduct that make up the world system. All that is outside the kingdom of God. The realm of salvation is going to die is going to die an eternal death, that is to say it's not going to go out of existence, but it's going to die that unending death of punishment in everlasting hell. Satan will be there all the demons will be there and all the human beings who ever lived and rejected God will be there. We are not lovers of the world because of what it is because of who we are because of what it does and because of where it's going. It's destiny is very different than our destiny.

First Corinthians 731 Paul said the fashion of this world the form of this world is passing away. Are you surprised things as bad as they are say things have never been this bad in my life for that's right there been bad in any of this bet anybody's life because are getting worse and worse and worse. We can assume the gonna be worse in the next generation. And worse than the generation after that and the generation after that until Jesus comes.

Sin is destroying the system. It thrives on it's like cancer it's eating itself is that a threat to us. No, because verse 17 says the one who does the will of God abides how long forever. Forever. Who is the one or does the will of God, believers believers, we are defined as the ones who do the will of God. What is the will of God.

This is my beloved son here him that's the will of God.

We did that. It is the will of God that we believe the gospel redundant. It is the will of God that we embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We've done that.

That's the will of God. It is the will of God that we love the sun we obey the father. This is the will of my father, John 640 that everyone who believes, beholds the son and believes in him may have eternal life.

That's the will of the father.

Just another way to talk about believers where believers where those who do the will of God.

The will of God is that this is my son believe in him. John 640 Christians have done and we live forever were not going where the systems going systems going into death and were going into life so we can't love the world because of what it is the system of Satan, who we are the children of God.

What it does it incites to sin and we resist and long for righteous because of where it's going. Spiraling into death and were headed for eternal life of foolish, then flirt with and not to be consumed with the things of the eternal kingdom you're listening to John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is also the featured Bible teacher here on Grace to you and his lesson today is part of his series titled the love God hates John you said today that true believers don't love the world, but instead they love Christ and you have an email from a man named David in his subject line reads my hopeful conversion.

So it does sound as though David is growing in his love for Christ but also that he could use some pastoral encouragement and instruction. So read his letter and respond to him well be glad to fill the David writes I've been in the works based religion course. That's a false religions since birth and recently I discovered your teaching and something began to resonate with me. When I heard what you said about works based religion. It says, though, a light came on and I'll be the first to admit he writes it was almost punishing to come to grips with some of these truths.

The lies that I had come to believe exposed by the Bible and highlighted by your teaching are undeniable to realize just how wrong I had been and how far from God's truth. I had fallen was enough to shake me to the very core of my being. It's been almost a year now. Following your teaching and although I still have much to learn.

For the first time ever, I believe I am learning the truth. God's truth.

Quite frankly, I'm stunned to look back and think about what I used to believe in what millions and millions of people still believe HUD made the conscious decision to stick to what you teach and take the path toward repentance for the first time. I believe God will save me a wicked sinner.

However, I wonder what are the next steps I can take. I want the narrow gate, not the wide one. I just wanted to express my gratitude to Grace to you and pastor MacArthur. Thank you, David.

That's amazing honesty and we share this letter with you as we do with many letters to remind you of the power of the word of God, the power of preaching and teaching the word of God has Hebrews 412 says it is sharper than any two-edged sword, pierces, and it cuts and exposes and then of course it it heals and it saves people are desperate for truth.

Some of them know what some of them don't they all need to know, especially if they're bound up in error they need to hear biblical truth, biblical truth is the most important thing in the universe because it's the only thing that rescues souls from hell and provides for them eternal life in heaven.

So that's why Grace to you is here day after day, declaring the powerful truth from the word of God and we don't do anything to add to it. We don't add gimmicks we don't have any sort of subtle strategies. We don't try any marketing techniques let the word of God go one verse at a time is those of you who are with us often no.

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