Soulfood

1 John 2:15-17

[15] “Do not love the world or 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 desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. [17] And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

Originally appended to a printed sermon published in London in 1670, William Greenhill’s “Being against the Love of the World” has been re-published by Reformation Heritage Books (with updated English) as Stop Loving the World. Beginning with 1 John 2, Greenhill first defines what the World is, then gives us reasons for not loving the world, spends some time setting out our relationship with God’s creation, provides several applications of the teaching “do not love the world,” along with further exhortations as to why we should not love the world, and finishes with “Directions for Getting Our Hearts Off the World.” Greenhill draws from all of Scripture in this helpful and practical little book.

The example of Jesus (drawing on John 8:23ff): “Christ was not of the world, and He was ever speaking of heaven and heavenly things – things that concern the eternal good of men’s souls. They, however, were of the earth and spoke of the earth. Jesus referred to the scribes and Pharisees as ones who loved the applause of men and sought places of honor. They were of the earth; therefore, they savored the things of earth and spoke of them much. Yet Christ was of heaven and spoke of heavenly things. They were minding their cumin, anise, mint, and tithes, while neglecting the weighty things of the Law. Their hearts were on those things.” (p. 12)

One of the reasons for not loving the world: “Suppose we do get the world with our endeavors, we cannot keep it without fear of losing it…Tomorrow might bring a great storm, which may blow down the house; a great tempest, and the ship may be overturned or driven on anchor and lose all the goods. Tomorrow there may be a fire in your house. Why, then, will you set your eyes on that which is not? But if we get grace, that will continue with us. If we get peace and joy, none can take that from us. If we get an interest in Christ, none can pluck us out of his hand.” (p. 16)

Further: “Another evil is that we grow acquainted with the world’s ways and the ways of worldlings. We grow acquainted with their tricks and schemes, and many times with their oaths and wicked behavior. This over acquaintance defiles us and leaves us hardened to the things of God.” (p. 21)

How easy it is to become worldly and think nothing of doing that which is evil in the sight of God! Greenhill does well in pointing us to all the Scriptures that warn us against such acquaintance that leads to death.

“Whoever loves the world is an enemy of God. James 4:4 says, ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?’ Do you desire to be God’s enemy? Love the world. If you do not want to be an enemy of God, do not love the world. It is better to have the entire world as our enemy than for God to be against us.” (p. 23)

On our relationship to God’s creation: “We must use our gifts, our resources, and our relations so that we can give a good account to God. It will be said before long to every man and woman, ‘You have had a spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters, health, strength, and the like. Come, give an account of your stewardship.’ When we so use the things we have in this world that we can give a good and cheerful account to God, we have not abused the world, but used it in the right way.” (p. 36)

In making application, Greenhill observes from Luke 14:18-20 (the wedding feast): “[Those who made excuses] could not come to hear Christ, to partake of the great things that Christ offered to them in the gospel. Even so the things of the world jostle our prayer, reading of the Word, instructing our family in meditation, and the examination of our hearts. And if the things of the world do not jostle spiritual matters out altogether, they curtail and diminish them.” (p. 47). Ouch! Driving it home:

“Are you content with a little grace, a little knowledge of God, a little communion with God, with a little heavenly mindedness? But are you not eager for the things of the world, and never content and satisfied with what you have of them? Would you not have more and more and more, and more still of the things of the world – more this week, more next year, and daily more and more of the world? Is your soul like the horse leech in Proverbs 30:15 that cries ‘Give, give’? Soul, if it is so, you love the world.” (p. 48)

A further motive for not loving the world: “We should not love the world because we can neither have nor enjoy its pleasures long. It may be that they will leave us, but if not, we must leave them. And the stronger affections we have toward anything, the more bitter the affliction when we leave it. Strong affections bring great afflictions to men and women.” (p. 61)

So then, where do my affections lie? Where are they strongest? Do I grieve strongly over worldly losses, or is my heart set on that which is heavenly?

“Your lusts will beg to have the world – to have honor, power, and riches – yet your soul will not be satisfied. But if our lusts were mortified, all these things would presently be at an end. Sadly, we seek to gratify our lusts, and they undo us.” (p. 68)

“If we are to stop loving the world, let us look much at the other world. There is another world. ‘For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come’ (Heb. 2:5). There is a world to come, and that world is a better world than this world. We read in Hebrews 11:16: ‘But now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly.’ Abraham, Isaac, and the prophets looked at a better country. There is a better world above, with better things than are here in this world. And if we would look at that world — the glory of it, the riches of it, the pleasures of it, the company of it, the latitude of it — we would soon bid this world farewell. That world makes this one look like a dream, a shadow, a picture, as nothing. We are encouraged in 2 Corinthians 4:18 to ‘look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.’ There are things not seen in this world. These things are eternal things. They are eternal riches, the eternal God, the Lord Jesus, glorious angels, the saints, and rivers of pleasure at the right hand of God. Look at these things and your heart will be taken off of this world.” (p. 68-69)

Finally: “If we would keep our hearts from loving the world, we must love God Himself more. The more our love for God grows, the more our hearts will be estranged from the world.” (p. 72)

I found this little book immensely encouraging as well as convicting and helpful in discerning my own love of the world. It is useful for setting my mind on things above, not on things that are on the earth – and above is where Christ is, guarding my life for heaven. (Col. 3:2-3) Brothers and sisters, let us help each other stop loving the world!