Lesson 36: How to Keep Your Heart From Loving the World
The world continually asks for the heart.
It offers pleasure.
Approval.
Possessions.
Recognition.
Comfort.
Influence.
Security.
A sense of importance.
None of these things must appear openly wicked in order to become spiritually dangerous. Something lawful may gradually receive a love, dependence, and devotion that should belong to God.
John writes:
“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,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
— 1 John 2:15–17, KJV
The warning is not merely:
“Do not participate in a few obviously sinful activities.”
It reaches the affection:
“Love not the world.”
What Does “the World” Mean?
The word world is used in different ways in Scripture.
It may refer to the earth God created.
It may refer to the people God loves and calls to salvation.
But in passages warning believers not to love the world, it refers to the present system of values, desires, priorities, and rebellion organized without submission to God.
It is life arranged as though God’s authority did not matter.
It teaches people to seek:
pleasure without holiness;
success without faithfulness;
identity without the Creator;
freedom without obedience;
glory without the cross;
and satisfaction without God.
The created earth is not evil.
People should not be hated.
The lost should be loved and reached with the gospel.
But the system that rejects God must not become the pattern for the believer’s heart.
Christ Died to Deliver Us From This Present Evil World
Paul describes Jesus Christ:
“Who gave himself for our sins,
that he might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the will of God and our Father:”
— Galatians 1:4, KJV
Jesus did not give Himself merely to improve our position within a rebellious world.
He gave Himself to deliver us from it.
That does not mean believers disappear physically from society.
It means the world no longer has the right to define:
what we worship;
what we value;
what we pursue;
what we envy;
what we call successful;
or what we are willing to sacrifice to obtain.
The world may continue offering rewards.
But the believer has been called into another kingdom and placed under another Lord.
Living in the World Is Not the Same as Loving It
Jesus prayed for His disciples:
“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,
but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
— John 17:15–17, KJV
Jesus did not pray that His followers would be removed from every unbeliever, workplace, neighborhood, responsibility, or ordinary part of earthly life.
They would remain in the world.
But they were not to be of it.
A believer may:
work;
study;
buy and sell;
care for property;
participate in community life;
enjoy God’s creation;
and interact compassionately with unbelievers.
The danger is not physical existence in the world.
The danger is allowing the world’s values to become the heart’s values.
The Christian must live among people without allowing rebellion against God to become normal within him.
Love for the World Competes With Love for the Father
John says:
“If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
This is not describing a harmless second affection that exists comfortably beside love for God.
The two loves compete.
The world says:
“Live for yourself.”
The Father says:
“You belong to Me.”
The world says:
“Seek what satisfies immediate desire.”
The Father says:
“Trust My wisdom and obey My Word.”
The world says:
“Your value depends upon what you possess, accomplish, or cause others to think about you.”
The Father gives identity through relationship with Him.
The world promises glory without surrender.
Jesus calls disciples to deny themselves and follow Him.
The heart cannot give supreme allegiance to both.
The World Appeals Through Desire and Pride
John identifies three broad expressions of worldliness:
“The lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life…”
The lust of the flesh seeks satisfaction through desire apart from God’s rule.
The lust of the eyes covets, admires, and reaches toward what appears attractive.
The pride of life builds identity upon possessions, accomplishments, status, influence, appearance, knowledge, or recognition.
These three categories reach far beyond one kind of sin.
They reveal a system centered upon:
what I can enjoy;
what I can possess;
and what I can become before other people.
Later lessons will address the flesh, temptation, pride, and other specific battles more fully.
The point here is to recognize the direction of worldly love:
It places created things, personal desire, and human glory where God should be.
Worldliness Begins in the Heart
A person may avoid several worldly activities while remaining deeply worldly within.
He may be proud of his separation.
He may crave recognition for appearing holy.
He may envy the success of others.
He may depend upon money for security.
He may value comfort more than obedience.
He may shape every decision around reputation.
Outward simplicity does not automatically prove inward freedom from the world.
Neither does possessing earthly goods automatically prove worldliness.
The central issue is love.
What possesses the heart?
What seems necessary for happiness?
What loss feels unbearable?
What reward appears worth compromising to obtain?
What continually occupies desire?
Worldliness cannot be measured merely by counting possessions or creating a list of forbidden activities.
The heart must be examined.
The World Teaches Through Admiration
Before people imitate the world, they often begin admiring it.
They admire its wealth.
Its beauty.
Its confidence.
Its fame.
Its power.
Its apparent freedom.
Its ability to satisfy desire without reference to God.
Repeated admiration gradually changes what appears desirable.
A life of quiet faithfulness may begin to seem insignificant.
Hidden obedience may appear less valuable than public recognition.
Serving Christ may seem like a poor exchange when compared with immediate earthly reward.
Guard not only what you do.
Guard what you admire.
Ask:
“Who appears successful to me?”
“What kind of life do I secretly wish were mine?”
“What qualities cause me to envy another person?”
“Would I still admire this life if I saw it from eternity?”
The heart often moves toward what it repeatedly celebrates.
The World Can Enter Through Comparison
Comparison may make another person’s possessions, appearance, opportunities, recognition, or lifestyle seem necessary for contentment.
The heart says:
“If I had what they have, I would be satisfied.”
“If people noticed me as they notice them, I would feel important.”
“God has been better to them than He has been to me.”
Comparison causes the believer to stop receiving his life as a stewardship from God and begin measuring it through another person’s portion.
The issue is not whether improvement, diligence, or a legitimate goal is wrong.
The danger begins when another person’s visible life awakens discontentment with God.
The psalmist prayed:
“Incline my heart unto thy testimonies,
and not to covetousness.”
— Psalm 119:36, KJV
The heart needs God’s help.
Covetousness does not disappear merely because the believer knows it is wrong.
Pray that God would bend the affection toward His truth rather than what belongs to someone else.
The World Often Appears Through Respectability
Worldliness is not limited to openly immoral behavior.
It may appear respectable.
A person may build his entire life around advancement, comfort, reputation, possessions, and social approval while maintaining a religious appearance.
He may attend church and speak Christian language while allowing the same ambitions as the surrounding world to govern him.
He asks:
“How much can I gain?”
“How important can I become?”
“How comfortable can I make my life?”
“What will cause people to admire me?”
But he rarely asks:
“What does faithfulness require?”
“What has eternal value?”
“How can I use what God entrusted to me for His glory?”
The world does not need to make a person openly scandalous in order to capture him.
It only needs to make earthly success more precious than obedience to God.
Demas Loved the Present World
Paul wrote:
“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world…”
— 2 Timothy 4:10, KJV
Demas had been associated with Paul’s ministry.
He had been near apostolic work.
He had heard truth.
Yet love for the present world drew him away.
Proximity to ministry does not make the heart immune.
Religious activity does not guarantee that earthly affection has lost its power.
A person may serve faithfully for a season while secretly resenting what discipleship costs.
When another opportunity promises greater comfort, safety, approval, or pleasure, the hidden love becomes visible.
Ask:
“What present-world reward could tempt me to abandon a responsibility God has given?”
Do not assume departure begins only when someone physically leaves.
It may begin earlier, when the heart starts believing that the world offers something better than faithfulness.
Worldly Cares Can Choke Spiritual Fruitfulness
Jesus described seed sown among thorns:
“And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
and the lusts of other things entering in,
choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”
— Mark 4:19, KJV
The Word was heard.
But other things entered.
Cares.
Riches.
Desires.
These crowded the Word until fruitfulness was choked.
Not every care is sinful.
Responsibilities require attention.
Money has legitimate uses.
Many desires concern lawful things.
The danger is that these concerns begin consuming the heart’s best attention.
Prayer becomes hurried.
Scripture becomes secondary.
Obedience becomes inconvenient.
Service is postponed.
Eternal matters are repeatedly crowded aside by temporary ones.
The world does not always remove the Word through open rejection.
Sometimes it simply surrounds it with so many competing desires that the Word becomes unfruitful.
Riches Are Deceitful
Jesus called them:
“The deceitfulness of riches…”
Money does not speak with an audible voice, but it offers false assurances.
It says:
“If you possess enough, you will be safe.”
“If you gain more, you will be satisfied.”
“If you lose this, life will no longer be worth living.”
Money can be used responsibly, generously, and gratefully.
But it makes a terrible god.
Riches cannot forgive sin.
They cannot provide peace with God.
They cannot prevent death.
They cannot purchase eternal life.
They cannot preserve everything a person loves.
The problem is not merely possessing resources.
It is allowing them to become the heart’s trust, identity, or supreme pursuit.
The full subject of stewardship is larger than this lesson. The heart examination is immediate:
What am I expecting earthly resources to give me that only God can provide?
The World Passes Away
John gives a decisive reason not to love the world:
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof…”
Everything the world offers is temporary.
Possessions age.
Beauty changes.
Fame fades.
Influence passes to someone else.
Achievements are forgotten.
Pleasure ends.
Human applause grows silent.
Even the structures that appear permanent will not endure forever.
A wise person does not build the deepest love of his heart upon what is already passing away.
This does not make earthly responsibilities meaningless.
Ordinary duties can possess eternal value when performed faithfully unto the Lord.
The warning concerns building life upon temporary glory as though temporary glory were the final purpose.
Do not spend your brief earthly life constructing an identity that death will remove.
Use the World Without Being Possessed by It
Paul says:
“And they that use this world, as not abusing it:
for the fashion of this world passeth away.”
— 1 Corinthians 7:31, KJV
Believers use things within the world.
They use homes, transportation, tools, technology, money, education, and other resources.
The issue is whether these things remain servants or become masters.
Can you receive a gift with gratitude without building your identity upon it?
Can you lose something without losing faithfulness?
Can you enjoy something without needing more and more of it?
Can you use a resource for God’s purposes rather than allowing it to consume all your attention?
Hold earthly things with an open hand.
Use them faithfully.
Do not ask them to become your life.
Moses Chose a Better Treasure
Hebrews says of Moses:
“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”
— Hebrews 11:24–26, KJV
Moses had access to earthly privilege.
Status.
Power.
Comfort.
Treasure.
Yet faith changed his valuation.
He saw that sinful pleasure lasts only for a season.
He considered identification with Christ greater riches than Egypt’s treasures.
Worldliness is defeated partly by seeing value truthfully.
If earthly reward appears greater than Christ, compromise will seem reasonable.
When Christ is recognized as the greater treasure, costly faithfulness makes sense.
Set Your Affection Above
Paul writes:
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
— Colossians 3:1–2, KJV
Affection can be directed.
The command does not tell believers merely to stop caring about earthly matters.
It gives the heart a higher object.
Seek what is above.
Remember where Christ is.
Interpret earthly life from His rule and coming kingdom.
Lesson 96 will later teach living with eternity fully in view.
The present application is simpler:
Do not allow earthly things to become the highest things.
Let Christ and His kingdom determine the proper place of everything else.
God Must Become the Heart’s Portion
The psalmist said:
“Whom have I in heaven but thee?
and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth:
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
— Psalm 73:25–26, KJV
The heart will not be protected from worldly love merely through constant deprivation.
It needs a greater portion.
God Himself.
If the Christian life is understood only as losing everything attractive, the world will continue appearing richer.
But when God becomes the heart’s treasure, worldly rewards begin losing their absolute claim.
Ask:
“Do I desire God Himself—or mainly the earthly benefits I hope He will provide?”
“Would faithfulness still be worth choosing if it cost me something I value?”
Love for God does not make every earthly enjoyment disappear.
It puts each enjoyment beneath Him.
Separation From the World Is Not Isolation
Some respond to worldliness by attempting to withdraw from everyone who does not share their faith.
But Jesus left His disciples in the world.
Believers have neighbors to love, people to serve, work to perform, families to care for, and souls to reach.
Isolation can also hide pride.
A person may avoid unbelievers physically while continually loving worldly approval, comfort, and status.
Biblical separation is first separation of allegiance.
The believer does not join rebellion in order to reach rebellious people.
Neither does he despise the people Christ came to save.
Live among people with compassion.
Refuse the values that oppose God.
Separation Is Not a Human Rulebook
The answer to worldliness is not creating a list of cultural rules and treating every personal boundary as a universal command.
One believer may wisely avoid something that another can use without the same spiritual danger.
Applications may differ.
Scripture’s commands do not.
Every believer must refuse:
the lust of the flesh;
the lust of the eyes;
the pride of life;
friendship with a system opposed to God;
and affection that displaces love for the Father.
Personal boundaries should help obey those truths.
They should not become a means of self-righteousness or condemning everyone whose application differs.
Ask not merely:
“Is this on someone’s forbidden list?”
Ask:
“What is this doing to my love?”
Friendship With the World Is Hostility Toward God
James writes:
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
— James 4:4, KJV
This language is deliberately strong.
Worldliness is not a harmless style difference.
When someone chooses friendship with a system that opposes God, he places himself against God.
James uses the language of unfaithfulness because God deserves the undivided allegiance of His people.
The world says:
“Do not take God so seriously.”
“Keep religion, but let us determine what you love.”
James exposes the conflict.
You cannot make peace with rebellion against God without damaging faithfulness to God.
The Cross Changes the Relationship
Paul writes:
“But God forbid that I should glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
— Galatians 6:14, KJV
The world offered Paul grounds for boasting.
Religious status.
Human accomplishment.
Reputation.
But the cross overturned those values.
The cross showed that human pride could not save.
It revealed that glory comes through Christ’s sacrifice rather than human greatness.
Through the cross, the world lost its rightful claim upon Paul.
The believer should ask:
“What does the cross reveal about the thing I am tempted to glory in?”
If Christ is your righteousness, identity, and hope, the world’s applause cannot become your life.
Keep Yourself Unspotted
James describes pure religion as including this responsibility:
“…and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
— James 1:27, KJV
The world leaves stains.
Its values may enter gradually.
The believer must therefore remain watchful.
Ask:
“What worldly attitude is appearing more normal to me?”
“What do I now admire that once troubled my conscience?”
“What temporary concern is consuming my spiritual attention?”
“Where has the desire for approval weakened my willingness to obey?”
“Has comfort become more important than faithfulness?”
Keeping oneself unspotted does not mean claiming personal perfection.
It means refusing to become careless about the influence of a world opposed to God.
A World-Love Examination
1. What Do I Most Fear Losing?
The answer may reveal what has become a functional source of security or identity.
2. What Kind of Life Do I Envy?
Envy exposes what the heart considers valuable.
3. Whose Approval Most Controls Me?
Would I disobey God to avoid rejection or gain acceptance?
4. What Do I Continually Imagine Possessing or Becoming?
Repeated fantasy may reveal a worldly treasure.
5. What Crowds Out the Word?
Which cares, pursuits, or pleasures continually receive the heart’s best attention?
6. What Would Be Hardest to Surrender for Faithfulness?
The answer may reveal a competing love.
7. What Is Feeding This Attachment?
A repeated source of media?
Comparison?
A social environment?
A personal ambition?
A fear?
8. How Can I Turn My Affection Toward God?
What truth, prayer, act of worship, or faithful responsibility should replace the worldly feeding?
A Practical Pattern for Resisting Worldly Love
1. Name the Attachment
Do not speak only of “worldliness” in general.
Identify the actual reward, value, or desire.
2. Identify Its Promise
What does it claim it will give you?
Security?
Importance?
Satisfaction?
Acceptance?
3. Compare the Promise With Truth
Can this temporary thing actually provide what it claims?
4. Identify What Feeds the Love
Repeated admiration strengthens affection.
Reduce or remove the source where necessary.
5. Remember That the World Is Passing
Judge the attachment in the light of its temporary nature.
6. Set Affection Above
Turn deliberately toward Christ, His Word, His kingdom, and faithful service.
7. Use Earthly Things as Servants
Receive them gratefully without allowing them to define or rule you.
8. Choose Faithfulness Over Temporary Reward
Follow Moses’ example by esteeming Christ greater riches.
Discipleship Questions
- What does Scripture mean by “the world” when it commands believers not to love it?
- How is living responsibly in the world different from adopting the world’s values?
- Why can respectable ambition, comfort, possessions, or approval become forms of worldliness?
- What does the example of Demas teach about the danger of loving the present world?
- What worldly reward or value currently has the strongest competing claim upon your heart?
Closing Exhortation
Love not the world.
Do not hate the people God calls you to love.
Do not despise the creation God made.
But refuse the system that teaches people to live without submission to Him.
Do not allow pleasure, possessions, recognition, comfort, or approval to become your portion.
Watch what you admire.
Watch what you envy.
Watch what you fear losing.
Watch what repeatedly crowds the Word out of your life.
The world promises much.
It cannot keep what it promises.
Its pleasures last for a season.
Its glory fades.
Its fashion passes away.
But the one who does the will of God abides forever.
Esteem Christ greater riches.
Use earthly things without being possessed by them.
Set your affection above.
Let God become the strength of your heart and your portion forever.
A Prayer for a Heart That Loves God
Father,
You know every affection, desire, ambition, and attachment within me.
Show me where I have begun loving the world.
Expose the approval, pleasure, comfort, possession, recognition, or security that has competed with my love for You.
Forgive me for admiring what opposes Your will.
Forgive me for measuring success by the standards of people who do not submit to You.
Incline my heart unto Your testimonies and not to covetousness.
Keep the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things from choking Your Word within me.
Help me live faithfully in the world without becoming shaped by its rebellion.
Teach me to use earthly things without allowing them to rule me.
Give me faith like Moses to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than temporary treasure.
Let the cross destroy my boasting in worldly status and accomplishment.
Set my affection upon things above.
Become the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Help me love people compassionately while refusing the values that draw them away from You.
Keep me unspotted from the world.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Next Step
Complete these statements honestly:
The worldly reward or value most competing for my heart is:
It promises that it will give me:
What Scripture reveals about that promise is:
The repeated influence feeding this love is:
The boundary or reduction I will establish is:
The way I will deliberately turn my affection toward God is:
Do not write only:
“I will love the world less.”
Identify the attachment.
Identify what feeds it.
Then turn your heart deliberately toward the greater treasure.
Previous Lesson: Lesson 35 — How to Guard Your Eyes and Thoughts
Next Lesson: Lesson 37 — How to Control Your Tongue