2月6日；
约翰一书 2:1-17；
唱诗：诗篇 18:1, 7；

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。（约一 2:15）

我们生活在这个世界上常常关心这世界上的事，这是天路旅程的一部分。我们必须处理地上的实际事务，对地上的事情负责，花费大量的精力在属世的事务上。

对世界的这种关注本身没有什么错，神创造人在这地上运作，自从创造以来就没有变过。我们的主并不要求我们脱离这个世界，但他保护我们远离那恶者（约 17: 15），他还补充道，“他们不属于世界……”。

因此我们明白，我们活在世界中，却不属于世界。我们正在天路中，还没有到达最终的目的地。在今生中，我们会接受和享用这地上许多的事物，但我们可能并不爱它们，我们的心并不追求世俗的享受。

哪些事是我们在这个世界上迫切追求的？约翰告诉我们，是“肉体的情欲，眼目的情欲，并今生的骄傲”（约 2: 16）。在这里，约翰所说的这个“世界”，并不是指神创造的世界，而是指有罪的、堕落的和受咒诅的世界。关于这世界，约翰还说道，“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”（约 2:17）。

爱世界意味着我们热爱这个世界及其财富。我们花费生命中大量的时间，去满足我们的欲望，竭力见识世界的辉煌，建立个人的财富与名望的帝国。然而，我们必须把自己献给我们的神和属天的财富，就像我们的主，我们不应该依恋于地上的事情。

思考问题：这世上最吸引你的东西是什么？什么是阻挡在你与神的爱之间的东西？

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February 6
1John 2:1-17
Song: Psalm 18:1, 7

DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD

"Do not love the world or anything in the world.If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."（1 John 2:15)

We who live in this world are often concerned about the things of this world.This is part of being en route. We have to deal with earthly realities and responsibilities, and much of our energy is spent on worldly pursuits.

Such focus on the world is not wrong in itself. God created man to function in this world and that has not changed since creation. Our Lord did not ask that we be taken out of this world, but that we be protected from the evil one (John 17:15). And he added, "They are not of the world...”

So we come to understand that we are in this world but not of it. We are en route and have not yet reached our final destination. In this life, we may receive and enjoy many earthly things, but we may not love them. Our heart does not go out to worldly pleasures.

What are some of the things this world has to offer which we all too eagerly pursue? John tells us they are "the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does..."(1 John 2:16). The “world” that John writes about here is not the created world, as such, but the sinful, fallen, and cursed world. Of this world, John also says, “[it] and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:17).

Love for the world means that our devotion is to this world and its treasures. We spend much of our life satisfying our cravings, striving to see all the splendor of this world, and building a personal empire of wealth and prestige. But we must devote ourselves to God and to heavenly treasures instead. Like our Lord, we must not cling to earthly things.

Questions: What attracts you most in this world? Does anything stand between you and the love of God?