Is 1 John 2:15 to be taken literally

[thistle]

“Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.”
-1 John 2:15

I try to take this passage literally and put it into practice. There are many other quotes by saints that suggests the same thing. I believe that many of us shrug such passages off, but they may be the key to our salvation.

It certainly does not mean we should shun wives and children, friends, ban tv’s , ban watching movies, ban watching sports etc etc.
Anyone who wants to remove themselves from all that has the right to do so but God has not called us to do that.

 

[Googler]

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed means made happy by God satisfying our desires. The first law of following Christ is total detachment from all worldly possessions. Everyone of His followers is only as devoted to Him as his own heart is detached from everything of material, temporal or worldly value. This detachment of heart must be sincere and genuine. To live the first Beatitude means to honestly not hold on to what the world treasures as precious. ’The world’ is those people who treasure what is here on earth. We must be able to face God and tell Him we are truly indifferent to everything of any material value in this world. Everything in this world is only as meaningful as it is a means to enabling me to reach my eternal destiny. The practice of Christlike charity, this poverty of spirit, is proved by the way we act and what we do with what we possess, thus sharing and giving to others.

Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

Christ distinguishes two kinds of wealth: material and spiritual, temporal and eternal. God wants us to be wealthy, rich, affluent, but He wants us to be discriminating, to not just retain but actually gain in our true riches which are spiritual and eternal. We are not made for this world. We are made for eternity, and this eternity depends on what we consider precious now in time. If we set our hearts on the passing things of this world we run the risk of losing the nondestructable wealth of heaven. Money and wealth is grace in the dictionaries of this world. Our hope must be set on the endless treasures that our faith tells us we will infallibly attain. Trust that having served Our Lord faithfully by being detached from the things of this world He will not abandon us. We are living in an age that material prosperity is the standard of human progress. We are living in a society where wealth is admired and where the wealthy are idolized. If the materially intoxicated world is to be saved, it can only be by the power of God’s grace. We must sacrifice everything in this world no matter how precious to bring souls into the treasures of a blessed eternity with God.

Amen, I say to you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And when they had heard this, the disciples wondered very much, saying: Who then can be saved? And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Blessed means made happy by God satisfying our desires. The first law of following Christ is total detachment from all worldly possessions. Everyone of His followers is only as devoted to Him as his own heart is detached from everything of material, temporal or worldly value. This detachment of heart must be sincere and genuine. To live the first Beatitude means to honestly not hold on to what the world treasures as precious. ’The world’ is those people who treasure what is here on earth. We must be able to face God and tell Him we are truly indifferent to everything of any material value in this world. Everything in this world is only as meaningful as it is a means to enabling me to reach my eternal destiny. The practice of Christlike charity, this poverty of spirit, is proved by the way we act and what we do with what we possess, thus sharing and giving to others.

Christ distinguishes two kinds of wealth: material and spiritual, temporal and eternal. God wants us to be wealthy, rich, affluent, but He wants us to be discriminating, to not just retain but actually gain in our true riches which are spiritual and eternal. We are not made for this world. We are made for eternity, and this eternity depends on what we consider precious now in time. If we set our hearts on the passing things of this world we run the risk of losing the nondestructable wealth of heaven. Money and wealth is grace in the dictionaries of this world. Our hope must be set on the endless treasures that our faith tells us we will infallibly attain. Trust that having served Our Lord faithfully by being detached from the things of this world He will not abandon us. We are living in an age that material prosperity is the standard of human progress. We are living in a society where wealth is admired and where the wealthy are idolized. If the materially intoxicated world is to be saved, it can only be by the power of God’s grace. We must sacrifice everything in this world no matter how precious to bring souls into the treasures of a blessed eternity with God.

Nicely put!

 

[mikekle]

“Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man loves the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.”
-1 John 2:15

I try to take this passage literally and put it into practice. There are many other quotes by saints that suggests the same thing. I believe that many of us shrug such passages off, but they may be the key to our salvation.

Thats why alot of christians dont like the modern ‘green movement’, it is getting to the point of being a religion, that literally worships nature, look around, almost everyone is getting drawn into being ‘green’ these days, and they truly believe they are doing a wonderful and good thing…makes me wonder about whats really going on.