1 John 2: 15 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.16 For all that is in the world, 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.17 The world is passing away and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.
What are "things of the world?" They are varied and very different, but many of them look like really good things, but the end result is bad. If I haven't confused you enough, I will continue. If satan is going to get those who love Jesus to stray and live a compromised life, he will come in the door with a very good-looking approach. Keep in mind that satan comes across many times like an angel of light, but is evil at the core. Paul warned the church at Corinth about those who come disguised as good, but are very bad. 1 Corinthians 11:12 But what I am doing I will also continue to do, so that I may eliminate the opportunity from those who want an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
We are to keep our eyes open and look deeper at those who profess Christ. They may look good and even holy, but their hearts are black and evil and we need to flee from them and not allow them to influence us at all. One such example of evil disguising itself as good is those who would try to do away with the gospel even being brought up as a "thing." Some are so trendy that they feel like saying things, like follow Jesus, born again, or even get saved, are archaic terms that are embarrassing. Believe it or not, they should be considered antichrists. Why? Because they are denying the truth. Paul wrote the following words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1 But realize this, that in the last days, difficult times will come.2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,5 holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.
To deny the power of the gospel is to deny scripture and Paul was very clear in Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ because you may be aligning yourself with those antichrists and our world is full of them. Be wise and be in the Word of God!! It is no accident that Paul also addresses the corruption that comes in our world at the same place where he states that God's power is found in the gospel. He also writes that the wrath of God will come down on those who have fallen to that godlessness and unrighteousness. The people who have strayed are supposed "Christians." In other words, those who have fallen should know better as it says in verse 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
Sadly enough, some immature believers think they can dabble with the trendy things of this world, but the end result is evil. C'mon, you are living a lie if you think you can compromise any of God's Word to please a lost and dying world that is in darkness. When I was a youth pastor I had to come to a place of maturity and confidence in God's Word to hold to the truth, because to compromise that truth with any of the world would allow evil to have control and thus lead a whole generation away from God. NEVER!!
God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever has eternal truth that can never be changed because it is pure in every way, so don't compromise for your own wishes or you are going down a wide path to destruction. Time to lace up our Bible boots and walk on in the truth of God's Word because there are many antichrists who are trying to draw us away from that truth and we must be strong. Back to the opening scripture in this blog 1 John 2: 15 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.
The Pilgrimage Continues
David Warren
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