何谓贪爱世界？
约翰壹书二章12至17节
12小子们哪，我写信给你们，因为你们的罪借着主名得了赦免。
13父老啊，我写信给你们，因为你们认识那从起初原有的。少年人哪，我写信给你们，因为你们胜了那恶者。小子们哪，我曾写信给你们，因为你们认识父。
14父老啊，我曾写信给你们，因为你们认识那从起初原有的。少年人哪，我曾写信给你们，因为你们刚强，神的道常存在你们心里，你们也胜了那恶者。
15不要爱世界和世界上的事。人若爱世界，爱父的心就不在他里面了。
16因为凡世界上的事，就像肉体的情欲，眼目的情欲，并今生的骄傲，都不是从父来的，乃是从世界来的。
17这世界和其上的情欲都要过去，惟独遵行神旨意的，是永远常存。
信息分享
我们今天选读的经文，就是其中一个「停止前进」的警告标记，它上面写着：「不要爱世界和世界上的事。」我们若继续在那条歧路上前进，就会变成「贪爱世界」。
然而，怎样才叫做「爱世界」呢？有人列出一张清单，宣称清单上的行为就是「爱世界」的表现，如此一来，作决定就很容易了。只要你查看清单，当遇到试探怂恿你做清单上的事时，你坚拒不做就行了。
但谁能够罗列这张清单呢？某人可能不做清单上的任何事，却仍以其他方式过着世俗的生活。
「爱世界」不能以清单、列表和电脑分析来界定。凡是在这个未得着基督救恩的世界里，以自我中心的心态来生活，就是「爱世界」。当我容让自己离开基督，这种心态就会控制我。
约翰特别叫我们小心提防三个陷阱：
1. 肉体的情欲：身体的欲望；
2. 眼目的情欲：渴望获得和拥有、贪婪或错误的野心；
3. 骄傲：渴望得到他人的称赞，借此来荣耀自己。
我们要小心面对这三方面的欲望，并且察看自己是否已让基督进入并管理我们人生的每一方面。
我们若渴望为基督而活，那么世界的吸引力便会逐渐减退，我们将不会出现「爱世界」这个问题。
唱诗：当转眼仰望耶稣
WORLDLINESS - WHAT IS IT?
1 John 2:12-17
12 I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.
Do Not Love the World
15 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.
16 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.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Message
Our reading today is one of those stop signs. “Do not love the world or anything in it.” To do so means we are travelling the wrong road and “worldliness” can describe our position.
But then how do you define “worldliness”? Some people draw up lists and declare that everything on their lists is worldly. This makes decisions very easy. You simply look at your list and if what you are tempted to do is on the list, then you shouldn't do it.
But who makes up the list? And a person may not be doing any of those things listed, yet may still be living like the world in other ways.
Worldliness cannot always be listed, tabulated or put on a computer. It is the self-centred spirit of an unregenerated and unsaved world outside of Christ. It takes over when I allow myself to be drawn away from Christ.
John lists three areas we need to watch out particularly:
1. Pleasure - the desires of the body, or the flesh.
2. Possessions - the desire to have and to gain; greed or wrong ambitions.
3. Pride - the desire for honour and praise from men.
We need to face up to these areas and ask ourselves if Christ Lord is in them and in all the areas of our lives.
If our only desire is to live for Christ, then the things of the world will fade away and the question of worldliness will be resolved for us.
A CHORUS TO SING TODAY: Turn your eyes upon Jesus.