Your Friendly Enemy

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 John 2:15-17When we become Christians, the Lord fills our hearts with love; however, there are some things the Bible says we cannot afford to love.1 John 2:15 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.”This passage is not referring to the planet or the people who inhabit it. The “world” in this context means, “a system or an order of things.” There is an ungodly system set against our Lord; although it may cozy up to us, the world is a friendly enemy. We must see its true character; this world has a prince, the devil, who is the mastermind behind this world system.This world shares his philosophy, which consists of skillfully woven ideals and values that seem beautiful but are dangerous.The purpose of the world system is to draw us away from God. Jesus is the ultimate exposure of sin and evil, so the world and its people will try to sway us out of our fellowship with Him.But rather than conforming to the world, we must recognize its corruption.“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” (1 John 2:16). The lust of the flesh deals with our passions; it is Satan’s appeal to our old nature. The lust of the eyes deals with our possessions. This temptation is a desire to want more than we need and to be dissatisfied with what we have.The pride of life deals with position; the world tricks us into seeking recognition and making a name for ourselves.The above temptations lose their appeal when we see the condemnation of the world. “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). Those who live for Jesus in this world know what life is truly about.Adrian Rogers says, “I’d be a Christian if there were no Heaven or Hell, just to know the Lord Jesus Christ in this life.”Apply it to your lifeAre you friends with this world, or are you loyal to Jesus Christ? See your friendly enemy for what it is; recognize its corruption and remember its condemnation.