WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT WE ARE NOT TO LOVE THE WORLD?

First, 1 John 2:15-16 says: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father but from the world."

Second, John 3:16 begins, "God loved the world this way: He gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have age upon age lasting life."

We are not to love the world that Satan is the god of. Satan influences all that takes place in this sin-sick world as the prince of the power of the air. We are to love all the people in this world as ourselves but to not love what they do contrary to the will of our God and Father Yehovah.

In the scripture, the term world can refer to the earth and physical universe (Hebrews 1:2; John 13:1), but it most often refers to the humanistic system that is at odds and in rebellion against God's will (Matthew 18:7; John 15:19; 1 John 4:5). When the Bible says that God loves the world, it is referring to the human beings who live here (1 John 4:9). And as His children, we are to love all people as ouirselves (Romans 13:8; 1 John 4:7; 1 Peter 1:22). The parable of the Good Samaritan makes it clear we cannot pick and choose whom to love (Luke 10:30-37).

When we are told not to love the world, the Bible is referring to the world's corrupt value system. Satan is the god of this world, and he wants to destroy anyone who is totally committed to doing God's will. (2 Corinthians 4:4). First John 2:16 details exactly what Satan's system promotes: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. Every sin imaginable can be summed up in those three evils; envy, adultery, pride, lying, selfishness, and more spring from those three roots.

The world is what we leave when we come to the Messiah. Isaiah 55:7 says that coming to God involves a forsaking of our own ways and thoughts. John Bunyan, in his book The Pilgrim's Progress, pictures the believer's position as having "his eyes lift up to heaven," holding "the best of books" in his hand, and standing with "the world as cast behind him" (p. 34).

The world often applauds sin. Hollywood encourages us to envy sinners and to foolishly compare ourselves with the "beautiful people" (see Proverbs 23:17). Often the popularity of "stars" is due to their ability to stir in us dissatisfaction with our own lives. Advertisers prey on our natural tendency to love this world, and most marketing campaigns appeal in some way to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life.

Loving the world means being devoted to the world's treasures, philosophies, and priorities, systems. God tells His sons and daughters to set their priorities according to His expressed will. We are to "seek first" God's kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). No one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), and we cannot be devoted to both God and the world at the same time.

When we enter God's family through faith in the Messiah, God gives us the ability to exit the world's rat race (2 Corinthians 5:17). We become citizens of another kingdom (Philippians 1:27; 3:20). Our desires turn heavenward, and we begin to store up eternal treasures (Luke 12:33; Matthew 19:21; 1 Timothy 6:18-19). We realize that what is truly important is eternal, not temporal, and we stop loving the world.

To continue to love the world the way unbelievers do will cripple our spiritual growth and render us fruitless for God's kingdom (Matthew 3:8; Luke 6:43-45; John 15:1-8). In John 12:25, Jesus took this thought a step further when He said: "Anyone who loves their life [is committed to self] will lose it, while anyone who hates their life [is dead to self] in this world will keep it for eternal life." Not loving the world extends to our own lives. Jesus said if we love anything more than him, we are not worthy of him (Matthew 10:37-38).

In general, the term world in the Bible refers to the evil system controlled by Satan that leads us away from the worship of God. John Calvin said, "The human heart is an idol factory." We can make idols out of anything. Any passionate desire of our hearts that is not put there by God for His glory can become an idol (1 Corinthians 10:31). Loving the world is idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:7, 14). So, while we are commanded to love the people of the world, we are to be wary of anything that competes with God for our highest affections.

NEXT:

Satan is the god of this world - 2 Corinthians 4:4: In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious good news of the Messiah, who is the image of God [the outshining of God], should shine unto them.

He is the prince of the power of the air - Ephesians 2:2: Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:

Notice that the spirit of the prince of the power of the air - Satan works in the children of disobedience - those who are not now members of the body of the Lord Jesus.

That is why Jesus says:

John 15:19: If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

John 17:14: I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 17:16: They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

So we who are followers of the Messiah Jesus are in the world, but not to be of the world. What drives the attitudes and goals of this world? Vanity, Jealousy, Lust, and Greed... the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the desire of possessions. This is what we are not to participate in as we are admonished to depart from evil -

Psalm 34:14: Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Psalm 37:27: Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
Proverbs 3:7: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Proverbs 13:19: The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:6: By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of Yehovah men depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:17: The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
2 Timothy 2:19: Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are His. And, Let every one that names the name of the Anointed One depart from iniquity.
If we are truly loving our neighbor as ourselves we will not be walking according to the spirit that influences all mankind, but walking according to the spirit of Jesus in us!
1 John 1:6-7: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus the Anointed One His son cleanses us from all sin.
Colossians 4:5: Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Ephesians 5:8: For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Ephesians 4:17: ¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Galatians 5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Ephesians 2:2-5: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with the Anointed One, (by grace you are saved;)
2 Corinthians 6:15: nd what fellowship to light with darkness? And what concord to Christ with Belial? Or what part to a believer with an unbeliever?
Indeed, we are in the world, but not to be a part of it. We are to walk as separated out ones - sanctified ones, saints - holy ones, and follow in the footsteps of the lord Jesus.