There is always a tendency to make the love of God and the world work together as we are still in this flesh even though they are exclusive. The distinction is not between God and His world, but the word is love. Love NOT the world that we are in the midst of, but use it to love God in ALL our living. We are able to live practically in this world as we serve Him!

When scripture speaks of the "world" here, John admonishes AGAINST the world and our love of it. We use and dispose of these things for the purpose of God's glory. We ask ourselves "is God in it?" And we do not set our affections on the things of the world. John moves from the world to the thoughts and perspectives that man has to the world (lust for example.) There you have the difference and antithesis...seeking God versus seeking the horizontal at all times. The love of God. The love God has and the love of God IN us as a result of God's love.

It is the love of God that allows us to love God as we are drawn into His fellowship and as that love is perfected in us. It comes to an end in us as we love God. How do we love God? We seek the WILL of God in all things! That is the love of God. We respect His will and work toward it! We still experience the struggle and craving of our flesh and we understand these things as we struggle with them each and every day. It is difficult for us to let the things of this world go though our fingers being tempted so often after the things of the world. And we often try to have one foot in the world and one in God's direction, but it CANNOT be done. We don't have to separate ourselves from them, but do have to deal with our attitude toward them. $ is not evil, but the love of $ is! Nothing wrong with these things, but how do we perceive these things? All things are given to us so that we may show forth God's glory. Always God's glory! That we may not be taken out of this world, but maintained unto God! We can utilize it for our self or to the glory and will of God! "What is God's will in this as God gives these things to me?" That is what separates us from the world. As sojourners we are only walking through this world as they are all under sin until they are renewed in glory.

So what is the outcome? We put all things in the perspective of serving God, His glory, His Kingdom, and we MUST press them into His Kingdom as we seek His glory in ALL THESE THINGS! We continually ask ourselves what is the will of God in my life with these things?...and then utilize them to that end!

II Peter 3:9ff- It is all going to burn!

Revelation 21- We tabernacle with God and seek that city!