The Third Criterion: Not To Love The World

 "My dear children, I write this to you: you have already received the forgiveness of your sins, through the name of JESUS.  Fathers, I write this to you: you know HIM, who is from the beginning.  Young men, I write this to you: you have overcome the evil one.  My dear children, I write to you, because you already know the FATHER.

Fathers, I write to you, because you know HIM, who is from the beginning.  Young men, I write to you, because you are strong, and the word of GOD lives in you, who have, indeed, overcome the evil one.

Do not love the world, or what is in it.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the FATHER is not in him.

For everything in the world--

the craving of the flesh,

the greed of eyes

and people boasting of their superiority--

all this, belongs to the world, not to the FATHER.

The world passes away, with all its craving, but those who do the will of GOD remain for ever." - 1 John 2:12-17 

(The  third criterion: not to love the world.  Note how John begins by rejoicing with his readers because they know the FATHER.  It is not a matter of hating the world that CHRIST came to save.  Yet the life and history of people manifest a deep alienation: this is the power of the evil spirit.  John calls "the world" all the evil current prevailing in it.  According to John the world is the deceitful life which people live when they cease to seek the FATHER's will, and when they oppose CHRIST.  Two contrary forces coexist in this world of ours and also in people: what comes from the FATHER and is forever; and what is planned and desired by humans when they forget their condition and dignity as children of GOD: greed and pride that lead them to death.

There is something more to say about this not loving the world.  Even though all that comes from GOD is good: the sunlight, love, what emerges from human intelligence and hands, yet the whole creation is worth nothing if we compare it with GOD.

As long as we look upon the world as the great gift that GOD gave us and we feel accountable to HIM for its progress and development, the world is good for us.  As soon as we consider the world as our thing, use it or neglect it according to our fancy, or if we think we can change it alone and by force, it becomes our worst enemy, an idol that enslaves us and is the source of rivalries.  Christians commit themselves to the world [first case] but not with the world [second case].  They keep their freedom as children of GOD or they are no longer sons and daughters because of their love for the world.)

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