Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him..1
The world and its things are passing by, but whoever does the will of the Father will abide forever. Many Christians associate doing the will of the Father with following the law, or the commandments as in the Ten Commandments. But Jesus sums up the law in two commandments, loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And the second one like the first, loving your neighbor as yourself. He knows where the battle will be, in our hearts and minds so he gives a new commandment, as he came and loved we are to love as he does. We overcome the world through changing the things we love. The Bible not only tells us what these things of the world are but it also gives us the solution, of how to overcome the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.
Following God's law is an outward flow of the heart, it is an internal change of the heart that is being worked out into His righteousness. As Paul put it, working out our salvation with fear and trembling. When we reverse this process it is legalism. It is our attempt to be externally righteous and to put trust in the wisdom of men. As with the gospel of Grace some people are against teaching such principles, people might "sin" they say. But it is the opposite, love motivates one to change. Only God can truly change a person, and he measures the heart, as only he knows the heart, this is why we are to be careful how we measure others. The Bible says we are to judge by the fruit, but what is this fruit that we judge by, is it the works of the law? Surely not, the fruit is the outward flow of His Spirit, of our roots being deep in Christ, abiding in Him. We are under the Law of Liberty, the Law of the Spirit, and if we walk in the flesh, the Law of Sin. To do battle we must set our mind on Christ, to logically think, reason, dwell, on the things of Christ, to walk in the Spirit. If we set our minds on the flesh we walk in the flesh.
The boastful pride of life is a love of self creation. Often pride is the number one disqualification from God using us. Lucifer fell because of boastful pride, Ezekiel mentions it was his riches and position, this caused him to become prideful and sin was conceived in his heart. This pride of life is like the man the Bible speaks of who cuts down a tree he planted, carving a statue, setting it on the mantle, he then begins to worship his creation, saying, look what I have created. He proposes to others, look, worship my creation. He forgets who formed the earth and brought forth the very tree he cut down and made his god from. The pride of life exalts itself over God and his creation, including his people. I am better than you; because of my position of authority, my spiritual maturity, or because of my earthly belongings. This is the opposite of the kingdom of God, it says; blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God. Because of the boastful pride of life God has chosen to exalt the poor.
The Pharisees loved themselves very much, they dressed themselves in fine clothing, look at me, look what I have created, and worship me. The people thought they were from God, this is God's anger with them. They loved the control and power they had over the people. They had created and followed so many traditions of men, doctrines of demons, that Jesus said their father was Satan. How do you know them, judge them? Not all who say to me Lord, Lord will enter heaven, but those who do my will. What is the will of God? Well, Jesus goes on to say, you didn't help the least of these. Jesus was sent to do the will of the Father, that none would be lost. What man had corrupted, authority and shepherding of the people, God used for good. Jesus provided the way for God's people to come to Him, Jesus became the High Priest. No longer is this authority required, no longer do we need others to hear from God for us, We are sealed with His Spirit, as a guarantee of our inheritance. His Spirit teaches us all things, brings to our remembrance, gives us instructions, commandments from God. He is the head of His Church in which we are living stones, where we are to build each other up into a holy priesthood making sacrifices of praises to God, some are to plant, others water, but it is God whom makes it grow.9
Blessed are the poor. This is a principle of God, that destroys the prideful and exalts the humble, choosing to give to the poor the riches of faith. This is interesting, that God gives his riches to the poor, it is the poor we tend to exalt ourselves over. This boastful pride of life is at the pinnacle of the worlds teachings, find enlightenment within, build up yourself, but it is not so with God, he tears down and builds up, to be first you must be last. Jesus deals with this pride in giving a new commandment, to love one another as he loves. Such agape love can only come through the spirit of God. This walking in the Spirit of agape love changed the world, people would die for such, not out of fear but love, as it is eternal. Love is not lording over people, pushing beliefs on others, attacking, and hatred of our neighbor. God's way is not through the ways of this world and its prince but through the way of Jesus.
Love your neighbor. My neighbor keeps coming through my land, he takes from it, the very thing I have toiled so hard for, he freely takes the fruit of my labor. I have tried to stop my neighbors from doing this, I send back one and another comes. Finally, I say to myself, I must build a wall. And then I am reminded of what Jesus daid, if I love Him I will follow this commandment; Love your neighbor. Now I begin to think, why is my neighbor coming and taking from my land? so I go to see my neighbor. I am shocked, as so close to my riches lives my neighbor in such poverty; hundreds of shacks, the size of their home less than my cars' home, rags for windows and doors, pigs in the yard... And I am reminded that love your neighbor is not to be done as it is convinient, but it is a commandment of God, it is not a calling or gift. If you love me you will follow my commandments, Jesus said. Loving my neighbor is like the greatest commandment of loving God. I will help my neighbor to provide for his family, then he will no longer need to take from my land, this is loving my neighbor.
God looks at the heart, therefore it is the heart he judges. Jesus gave a woe to the pharisees, hypocrites he called them, they were like whitewashed tombs, pretty white marble on the outside, but on the inside full of dead bones, all uncleanliness, they committed murder and adultery in their hearts. They put on a false mask, adding to the laws of God, they condemned Jesus under the name of God's laws but it was the religious traditions of men, doctrines of demons, that they used to falsely accused the Son of God. Jesus said, they were of their father, the devil, but they pretended to be of God but they were of the synagogue of Satan, infiltrating God's people. Jesus loved sinners, the least of these, he came to save these poor. We are to do the same, our purpose is of faith and love, to build people up in Christ.
It is the love of things that draw our hearts from God. And it is the love of God that draws our heart to Him. It is his goodness that leads men to repentance, it is usually this goodness that fills the void of those who thought otherwise. Some have a love of drinking, the Bible warns of the love of such, as it does of eating and sexual pleasures. Drunkenness is a sin but despite our personal convictions and the negative impact it has had or may have, drinking alcohol is not a sin. We do not label sex and eating as sin as long as they are within the confines of God's boundaries, nor would we alcohol. When we add to the word of God based on personal conviction we discredit our leadership, those who read the Bible will say, that's not in the Bible. At one time alcohol was the number one preventable cause of death, so justly it can be an issue. but look at abortion, heart disease, cancer, obesity... the consequences of other things we love.6
The love of eating is a sin, it is called gluttony. It is another sign of a society that seeks pleasure, the love of things above God. The Romans would have food orgies, they would eat until full only to vomit it up so they could pleasure in eating more. There were times in early society when plump women were considered attractive. Bring on the modern era, in this country obesity is an epidemic; 2 in 3 adults are overweight, 1 in 3 are obese, which is 30 plus pounds.7 Being overweight and obese significantly increases your risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems. Most people have no medical excuse for being overweight. It is a matter of self-control, God gives us a Spirit of self-control, if I have not mastered the control of eating, what else have I not mastered?
Sex outside the confines of marriage is a sin. This sexual sin is different than any other sin.9 In the Bible there is an emphasis on the protection of the family. We relate to God as a trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is called the helper, like a mother, nurturer, comforter. This father and mother exists because it reflects the trinity of God, who God is, a family. The Bible puts emphasis on sexual sins as these assaults the family. There is also something very intimate about the marriage union, it is a covenant to be sealed in blood. When we give ourselves to others, a union happens. Paul compares this union with Christ as a marriage, it happens when we believe, a union with the Holy Spirit. In the marriage union we are joined with another and as a believer if you join with a prostitute it is like joining Christ with a prostitute, if a man joins with another man it is like joining Christ with a man, such is not good, the Bible calls it an abomination.
The will of the Father is to glorify Him through a union with Him, this relationship produces obedience to him. Jesus said he glorified God through obedience but he longed for the glory he had with the Father as before, when they were one. To love God, to have deep roots in his love produces obedience. To follow His commandments, is to love him, it is to love your neighbor as yourself, when I was hungry you did not feed me, when I was thirsty, you did not give me drink... Paul writes, The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.10 These same people who claimed to be Jews, but were not of the circumcision of the heart, Jesus said were following doctrines of Satan, and of the synagogue of Satan.11 They were trying to require that new believers in the church follow the Law, and be circumcised. Today, Satan infiltrates the Church in the same manner, through these things taught by demons, doctrines. It is the love of things that turn hearts from God, look at what we have created.
Following God's law is an outward flow of the heart, it is an internal change of the heart that is being worked out into His righteousness. As Paul put it, working out our salvation with fear and trembling. When we reverse this process it is legalism. It is our attempt to be externally righteous and to put trust in the wisdom of men. As with the gospel of Grace some people are against teaching such principles, people might "sin" they say. But it is the opposite, love motivates one to change. Only God can truly change a person, and he measures the heart, as only he knows the heart, this is why we are to be careful how we measure others. The Bible says we are to judge by the fruit, but what is this fruit that we judge by, is it the works of the law? Surely not, the fruit is the outward flow of His Spirit, of our roots being deep in Christ, abiding in Him. We are under the Law of Liberty, the Law of the Spirit, and if we walk in the flesh, the Law of Sin. To do battle we must set our mind on Christ, to logically think, reason, dwell, on the things of Christ, to walk in the Spirit. If we set our minds on the flesh we walk in the flesh.
The boastful pride of life is a love of self creation. Often pride is the number one disqualification from God using us. Lucifer fell because of boastful pride, Ezekiel mentions it was his riches and position, this caused him to become prideful and sin was conceived in his heart. This pride of life is like the man the Bible speaks of who cuts down a tree he planted, carving a statue, setting it on the mantle, he then begins to worship his creation, saying, look what I have created. He proposes to others, look, worship my creation. He forgets who formed the earth and brought forth the very tree he cut down and made his god from. The pride of life exalts itself over God and his creation, including his people. I am better than you; because of my position of authority, my spiritual maturity, or because of my earthly belongings. This is the opposite of the kingdom of God, it says; blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God. Because of the boastful pride of life God has chosen to exalt the poor.
The Pharisees loved themselves very much, they dressed themselves in fine clothing, look at me, look what I have created, and worship me. The people thought they were from God, this is God's anger with them. They loved the control and power they had over the people. They had created and followed so many traditions of men, doctrines of demons, that Jesus said their father was Satan. How do you know them, judge them? Not all who say to me Lord, Lord will enter heaven, but those who do my will. What is the will of God? Well, Jesus goes on to say, you didn't help the least of these. Jesus was sent to do the will of the Father, that none would be lost. What man had corrupted, authority and shepherding of the people, God used for good. Jesus provided the way for God's people to come to Him, Jesus became the High Priest. No longer is this authority required, no longer do we need others to hear from God for us, We are sealed with His Spirit, as a guarantee of our inheritance. His Spirit teaches us all things, brings to our remembrance, gives us instructions, commandments from God. He is the head of His Church in which we are living stones, where we are to build each other up into a holy priesthood making sacrifices of praises to God, some are to plant, others water, but it is God whom makes it grow.9
Love your neighbor. My neighbor keeps coming through my land, he takes from it, the very thing I have toiled so hard for, he freely takes the fruit of my labor. I have tried to stop my neighbors from doing this, I send back one and another comes. Finally, I say to myself, I must build a wall. And then I am reminded of what Jesus daid, if I love Him I will follow this commandment; Love your neighbor. Now I begin to think, why is my neighbor coming and taking from my land? so I go to see my neighbor. I am shocked, as so close to my riches lives my neighbor in such poverty; hundreds of shacks, the size of their home less than my cars' home, rags for windows and doors, pigs in the yard... And I am reminded that love your neighbor is not to be done as it is convinient, but it is a commandment of God, it is not a calling or gift. If you love me you will follow my commandments, Jesus said. Loving my neighbor is like the greatest commandment of loving God. I will help my neighbor to provide for his family, then he will no longer need to take from my land, this is loving my neighbor.
God looks at the heart, therefore it is the heart he judges. Jesus gave a woe to the pharisees, hypocrites he called them, they were like whitewashed tombs, pretty white marble on the outside, but on the inside full of dead bones, all uncleanliness, they committed murder and adultery in their hearts. They put on a false mask, adding to the laws of God, they condemned Jesus under the name of God's laws but it was the religious traditions of men, doctrines of demons, that they used to falsely accused the Son of God. Jesus said, they were of their father, the devil, but they pretended to be of God but they were of the synagogue of Satan, infiltrating God's people. Jesus loved sinners, the least of these, he came to save these poor. We are to do the same, our purpose is of faith and love, to build people up in Christ.
It is the love of things that draw our hearts from God. And it is the love of God that draws our heart to Him. It is his goodness that leads men to repentance, it is usually this goodness that fills the void of those who thought otherwise. Some have a love of drinking, the Bible warns of the love of such, as it does of eating and sexual pleasures. Drunkenness is a sin but despite our personal convictions and the negative impact it has had or may have, drinking alcohol is not a sin. We do not label sex and eating as sin as long as they are within the confines of God's boundaries, nor would we alcohol. When we add to the word of God based on personal conviction we discredit our leadership, those who read the Bible will say, that's not in the Bible. At one time alcohol was the number one preventable cause of death, so justly it can be an issue. but look at abortion, heart disease, cancer, obesity... the consequences of other things we love.6
The love of eating is a sin, it is called gluttony. It is another sign of a society that seeks pleasure, the love of things above God. The Romans would have food orgies, they would eat until full only to vomit it up so they could pleasure in eating more. There were times in early society when plump women were considered attractive. Bring on the modern era, in this country obesity is an epidemic; 2 in 3 adults are overweight, 1 in 3 are obese, which is 30 plus pounds.7 Being overweight and obese significantly increases your risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems. Most people have no medical excuse for being overweight. It is a matter of self-control, God gives us a Spirit of self-control, if I have not mastered the control of eating, what else have I not mastered?
Sex outside the confines of marriage is a sin. This sexual sin is different than any other sin.9 In the Bible there is an emphasis on the protection of the family. We relate to God as a trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is called the helper, like a mother, nurturer, comforter. This father and mother exists because it reflects the trinity of God, who God is, a family. The Bible puts emphasis on sexual sins as these assaults the family. There is also something very intimate about the marriage union, it is a covenant to be sealed in blood. When we give ourselves to others, a union happens. Paul compares this union with Christ as a marriage, it happens when we believe, a union with the Holy Spirit. In the marriage union we are joined with another and as a believer if you join with a prostitute it is like joining Christ with a prostitute, if a man joins with another man it is like joining Christ with a man, such is not good, the Bible calls it an abomination.
The will of the Father is to glorify Him through a union with Him, this relationship produces obedience to him. Jesus said he glorified God through obedience but he longed for the glory he had with the Father as before, when they were one. To love God, to have deep roots in his love produces obedience. To follow His commandments, is to love him, it is to love your neighbor as yourself, when I was hungry you did not feed me, when I was thirsty, you did not give me drink... Paul writes, The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.10 These same people who claimed to be Jews, but were not of the circumcision of the heart, Jesus said were following doctrines of Satan, and of the synagogue of Satan.11 They were trying to require that new believers in the church follow the Law, and be circumcised. Today, Satan infiltrates the Church in the same manner, through these things taught by demons, doctrines. It is the love of things that turn hearts from God, look at what we have created.
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power, and love, and self-control.2 Timothy 1:7