CONFLICT | WITH THE WORLD

MATTHEW 5:9 BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD

KEY SCRIPTURES

1 John 2:15 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.

It is important to clarify that there are three ways the Bible uses the word World:

1. The Physical World: Nature (Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, etc.).
2. The People of this World: Humanity – John 3:16
3. The Philosophy of this World: Moral World.
   • People indifferent or hostile to God.
   • World System that is in Rebellion to God.
   • The Corrupt and Evil world system opposed to God.

“AGAPE” Love – a deep affection for, a Pre-Eminent Love.
Love for the things of this world should never be the Pre-Eminent Love our lives.

KEY POINTS

The Things of this World

• The Lust of the Flesh – preoccupation with gratifying physical pleasure
• The Lust of the Eye – craving and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism
  • We want more… More… More…
  • Keeping up with the Jones’s.
  • We buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t even know.
• The Pride of Life – obsession with ones status and importance.
  • Seeking the approval and acceptance of man over the approval of God.
  • John 12:43 – “You are those who seek, not the honor which comes from God, but that which comes from man.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do us men work so hard, so diligently and for such long hours at our jobs and we make so little time for our families?
2. Why do marriage fall apart so easily today?
3. Why do we get so discontent so quickly?
4. Why do so many men struggle in the area of pornography when they don’t want to?
5. Why do woman struggle so much with body image and appearance? Men too for that matter, work so hard to try and turn their body into imagine that they think is acceptable?
6. Why do we buy things we don’t really need, with money we really don’t have to impress people we don’t even really know?
7. Why does it hurt so bad when people don’t like us? Why are we so concerned with what people think about us.

Idol of Comfort: I’m not content, I’m not at peace, I’m not happy unless I experience a certain quality of life or a particular pleasure.

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life, in your presence there is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures pleasures for everyone.”

Idol of Approval: I’m not content, I’m not at peace unless I am loved or accepted by a particular person or group of people.