Let’s turn to 1 John 2:15, 16 and 17. It says: 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. 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 is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has saved us – redeemed us from sin and given us life. But He has not taken us away from this world {yet!}; nor has He given us to live isolated lives… as in a cocoon or in a glasshouse; a sterile and conditioned ‘atmosphere’. We understand that we are in this world but we are not of this world. In this world-we live, and as human beings-are tempted. Yes, we are affected by our situations, circumstances and things that cause us, happiness and excitement, as well as grief, sorrow and pain. Yes, we ARE born-again, baptized and have the Holy Spirit within us; yet we are not immune to external influences and are tempted by what we see and hear. John has this to say about this world and its influences – “the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
What I understand from these verses is that we are confronted with a choice – a choice to follow the world-that is passing away OR to do the will of God and abide forever. Yes, a choice, within us, between the temporary pull of lust and the love of the Father: a temporary wealth or riches that abide for ever. Yes, we have a choice to boast about the things that perish or walk in humility to eternal life.
All the temptations in this world are classified into 3 categories – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.
Lust of the flesh
The first category of temptation is the lust of the flesh. This is the way of IMPURITY, seeking sensual pleasures in immorality. Last Sunday, we heard the word of God that calls us to be pure in heart. We, as the chosen generation, conduct ourselves in the fear of God and in the blessed hope of seeing Jesus one day. Therefore we walk in integrity of heart. Though tempted by what we see and what we hear, we make choices to walk in purity. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matt. 5)
Lust of the eyes
The second category is the lust of the eyes. This is the way of GREED – always wanting more and more and more…and never satisfied with what one has. If you have nothing in your pocket, you want to be a lakhpati someday; but when you work and earn and reach assets worth a lakh of rupees, you suddenly realize you want to be a crorepati…and the world pulls you on and on into the way of greed. Proverbs 27:20 warns us “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.”
But we can counter greed with a heart of contentment…a spiritual fruit. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 reads “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” As we gaze on a new-born baby with excitement, we also notice, within his closed fists, that he has brought nothing into this world. And when we attend a burial, we see the man going into the coffin, again, empty-handed; regardless of how rich or influential he was during his time on earth. That’s a sobering thought of contentment…whatever we have, it is enough and more! Understand the way of contentment; do not let the world deceive you into believing a lie of the lust of the eyes! Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Is it possible-to have the character, conduct and attitude of contentment? Imagine me speaking here in the financial capital of India these words of contentment…people of this world would exclaim that I’ve gone nuts! But we have His promise…The Lord shall supply all our needs…for He will never leave us nor forsake us. Hebrews 13:6 continues, So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Therefore, I will not be afraid, I will not worry about my financial future…He WILL help me; He WILL deliver me; He WILL rescue me.
Therefore, I will learn to be content. Paul has this confession to make in Philippians 4:11, 12, 13: …for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Yes, this is the secret Paul shares with us – the secret of contentment. Jesus said “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15).
Ecclesiastes 2:26 says, “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Have you ever tried to grab or grasp the wind? Can you do it? This is the way of greed – grasping for the wind. Solomon, blessed with wisdom from above, though he strayed, concludes that true riches are wisdom, knowledge and joy that God gives to them that are good in His sight.
Know therefore, the way of greed is the grasping for the wind. Are you going to live a fool’s life, knowing that you cannot take anything from here, and yet pursuing riches and possessions that perish? Or are you turning to the way of contentment and joy that abides forever? What is your goal – to have more and more …till all your barns are filled…and then not satisfied tear down and build larger barns? What will SATISFY you? David writes in Psalm 17: 14, 15 “With Your hand from men, O Lord, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, and leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”
So we again come back to our choices. All of us have a choice to make…either to pursue wealth or to pursue after God; to take after temporary treasures or to find riches that last all eternity. There is only ONE life…Solomon pursued after pleasures and riches and then found nothing…David pursued after God and found something that will satisfy him – God’s likeness.
Boastful pride of life
The third and the final category of temptation is the pride of life-a boastful spirit. There are people in this world who would only talk of themselves – they have this trait of bloated self-worth...that makes them convey how great they are, how many things they have and how much they do…But you know what? The spiritual man has no boasting. As it says, But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (2 Cor. 10:17). Humility is remedy for pride…the passion to say, “Father, Hallowed be Your name”. Not my name, not my will but Yours, O God. As mere humans, before God we acknowledge we are nothing. We will not boast in what we have…but we will boast in the God who gave us; We will not boast in our works and way but we commit our works in His hands and in all our ways acknowledge Him. We attribute all our successes to Him who prospered us in our way. We thank Him with a sincere heart for all things so richly given to us, a gift to us, from above.
So we will learn the humility of heart as Jesus said (Luke 18:14); the humility of mind as Paul said (Acts 20:19); the humility of spirit as Peter said (1 Peter 5:5). Jesus talked about the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18; both of whom went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee compared himself to the Publican and thanked God for his own greatness…while the Publican would not even look up to God, but cried “Have mercy on me, a sinner”. At the end of the parable, Jesus concludes “I tell you, this man {Publican} went down to his house justified rather than the other {Pharisee}; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
We can all learn a little bit of humility everyday…Philippians 2 says about Jesus, that He humbled Himself and became obedient {to God} to the point of death…therefore God also has highly exalted Him… Obedience to God is a result of humility. God’s word encourages us to consider others better than ourselves. I have seen in marriages, many a times the cause of rift between spouses is because pride has come into their hearts and no one is willing to step down…Pride controls them with the “Better than you” attitude…and mocking of the other. Beloved, this is in contrast to what the Bible teaches us.
Peter entreats us to clothe ourselves with humility (1 Peter 5:5). We can start in our own home, considering how we treat our spouse-the words we speak, the comparisons we make and do we, then, look to God with thankfulness that we are better than them? How about the church gathering-Do we compare and put down one another who are brothers and sisters in Christ? Or do we look for harmony and unity in our homes and churches? Do we seek and pursue peace with all men?
One thing is made clear all throughout the Bible: God is OPPOSED to the proud. (James 4, 1 Peter 5:5). Isaiah 2:11, 12 says, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of Hosts, shall come upon every one proud and lofty, upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low” (KJV). Who can save us, if God is opposed to us? On the other hand, if God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8). God gives grace to the humble. God exalts the humble.
- Let us not walk the way of sinful pleasures, but walk the way of purity of heart.
- Let us go after the lust of the eyes, and the way of greediness, to buy all that we see and covetousness to have what others have, but know contentment-with God who is with us.
- Let us not walk the way of the proud and find God Himself in opposition, but learn humility and meekness, the yoke of Jesus, given to us.
Purity, contentment and humility are the ways of abundant life and eternal life. Nothing can be compared to the spiritual riches of wisdom, knowledge of God and joy. These are the riches that will last forever. Only one life; and only one choice to make…Grasp the wind and pass away OR do His will and abide forever...
May God grant that your spiritual eyes be opened to help you make the right choice that will last forever.
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