Scripture: 1 John 2: 15
The word “Mammon” also refers to the world and the things of the world. The love of God and the love of the world are incompatible. They are hostile to each other. If you give place to the love of the world, then the love of God cannot dwell in you. If you do not have God’s love, you cannot have peace, joy, blessings and long for heaven. (“I the Lord your God am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god.” Ex. 20: 5)
The Apostle John warns to stop loving this evil world for it offers (1) The Lust of the flesh for sensual desires that seek pleasure in strong drink, drugs, delicious food, gaming, lasciviousness.
(2) The Lust of the eyes to desire gaudy clothing, mansions, castles, expensive jewellery, decorations of all sorts, super everything and an excessive craving for whatsoever the eye see.
(3) The Pride of life in possessions; seeking after honours, titles, genealogy, pursuing office of power and authority, high society and popularity. None of these inordinate attachments and excessive things come from God or lead to God. They are at variance with the love of God. They are of the world. They are temporary and they will perish with the world.
(4) Friendship with the world. The Apostle James tells us that that friendship of the world is enmity with God. To the unbeliever the world is their god. If we become friends of the world, our lives would be governed by the world. We would look like the world. We would act like the world. We would live like the world. The friend of the world is the enemy of God. Believers cultivate friendships with the world in order to curry favour and for gain in the world.
The world and its lusts are passing away. To set your heart on them would lead to heartache and misery in the end, but who does the will of God abides forever.
We can then say with the Psalmist and the Apostle John: “Whom have I in heaven but You and on earth there is nothing that I desire besides you.”
