“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of the Father abideth forever,” (I John 2:15-17).
The world has a lot to offer. For many, life is a time to party or have fun. Men often throw away their eternity for that which is transient, rather than choose the things of God. Moses refused to do so, (Hebrews 11:24, 25). Paul looked beyond this life and chose to suffer with Christ that his eternity might be secure, (Philippians 3:13, 14). Paul also stated “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” (Philippians 1:20, 212).
In his letter to the brethren, James pointed out that life, in the physical sense, is short and that we should always act in the way that the Lord tells us to. When making plans for the future James stated, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that,” (James 4:14, 15).
John points out that everything of this life will pass away. When the world passes away, the obedient will live on, (I John 2:17). Paul, in his letter to Timothy, wrote, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good faith, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord; the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing,” (II Timothy 4:6-8).
When the world seems enticing, remember Paul’s words, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens,” (II Corinthians 5:1). We must remember that nothing in this world has any value when it is compared to eternity in the presence of God. In Mark 8:36 Jesus asked, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.”
We must allow God to lead us through this life, rely upon Him, and accept His will if we would make heaven our home, (Matthew 7:21-23; Proverbs 3:5, 6)!
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