What is preventing professing
Christians from thirsting after Christ and His Word in today’s America? If they
are not thirsting for Christ, what are they thirsting after? The only
alternative to Christ is the world that opposes Him and anything to do with Him;
they are thirsting after unrighteousness which includes a host of things (1 Jn
2:16). But this lack of desire to thirst after the living God and His
righteousness are very revealing.
“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”
(1 Jn 2:15).
The first part of this verse “Do not
love the world or the things in the world” is in the present (tense) active
(voice) imperative (mood), meaning either to stop loving the world or the
things in the world, or it could also mean not to form the habit of loving the
world or the things in the world, whichever applies.
Notice in the second part, the latter
part, of 1 Jn 2:15, “the love of the Father is not in him.” The pronoun “him”
refers to the “if anyone loves the world” him. Recall Paul’s statement in Rom
5:5, “…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who
was given to us.” So if “the love of the Father” is not in the heart of this
person that John is referring to, then the absence of “the love of the Father”
means also the absence of the Holy Spirit; this is the litmus test of whether a
person is saved or lost. There can be no greater question than this – Do you possess
the Holy Spirit or not? Cf.:
Jn 14:17; Rom 5:5; 8:9, 11; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; Eph 2:22; 2 Tim 1:14.
Therefore, the “him” that John makes
reference to is not a believer; he is spiritually lost. Jude
1:19, ESV, makes it clear that the word “sensual” man, which is the same Greek
word translated as the “natural” man in 1 Cor 2:14, is one who is “devoid of the
Spirit.” And Paul makes it clear in Rom 8:9, NLT, “(And remember that those who
do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all.),” emphasis mine.
So, John is making it crystal clear
why a person who “loves the world” or keeps on loving the world that is in
direct opposition to everything concerning God doesn’t know the Lord. The love
of the Father is not in the heart; the Holy Spirit is not in the heart; and all
that is in the world “is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 Jn 2:16).
The
world is in the heart of “him,” not the Holy Spirit. Thirsting for the world
will shorten a person’s lifetime (1 Jn 2:17), but a person thirsting for the
will of God “abides forever.” Even though some professing Christians think that they
can hang out there in the median and enjoy the best of both worlds, John makes
it clear there is no middle ground. There is no mistake or confusion on the part of this
person (1 Jn 2:4; 1 Cor 2:12; contrast 1 Jn 2:3, 5-6). Failure to thirst
after righteousness may be indicative of one “passing away.”
What if persecution for our faith
transfers from occasional to ordinary in America? I would have to say based on
the prevalence of ignorance of Scripture truth; many would become spiritually
thirsty a little too late having been caught in a Divinely appointed drought (cf.
Joel 1:20, similar to that of the beast of the field, except in a spiritual
sense)! As I said in Part 1, things could get turbulent for the saints in
America before Jesus returns for us. And what if He doesn’t return in our
lifetime, besides dying?
Well, that means there is more time
for persecution to play out and do its handiwork on those who love the Lord,
God permitting of course. Simply, we can’t respond rightly in crisis with
nothing in the heart tank; this is indicative of a heart that doesn’t thirst
for the things of God. Based on the discussion above in First John, if we do
not thirst, we are either unsaved or backsliding, generally speaking. Now, if the rapture takes
place before things hit the fan here, praise the Lord! But thirsting is the key
word; it reveals our spiritual state of affairs and our ability to deal with crises
in our lives.
If our eschatological interpretations
are correct, we escape the seven years of tribulation period on earth, which is
huge! But as followers of Christ, we need to more than ever to saturate our hearts
and minds with His Word as much as possible; for I fear a greater antagonism
toward the Christians and the truth of Scripture here in America and abroad as
time marches on. We cannot wait for a crisis to be upon us and expect to respond
in a positive spiritual manner with the spiritual gauge on empty to direct
or comfort us in a way that glorifies God.
The prevailing ignorance of biblical
truth troubles my spirit because it can be a sign of failure to thirst after righteousness, and we saw the meaning of that above. But I don’t say that as an absolute
statement. There are mitigating
circumstances where that is not true; I get that, but generally, it reveals an
unregenerate heart or a backslidden state; I’ve been there on both accounts. With
apostasy influencing the thirst of the ignorant among those professing
Christianity, we have a potential spiritual crisis on our hands today. I have
always felt that ignorance was the greatest threat to Christianity before ever
reading what eminent scholars had to say about it.
Well, I know it sounds like a lot of
downer talk. Though I may be accused of fear-mongering, I simply desire for
believers to be spiritually prepared to be rapture ready or for possible
persecution for the faith before that glorious event! If there is no thirst;
there is no preparation for either. We must be holy as He is holy (Lev 11:44, 45;
1 Pet 1:16) at all times come what may. Peter was heading for
crucifixion, and his last words recorded in 2 Pet 3:18 were these (the very
thing many are failing to do today),
“But grow in the grace and knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and
forever. Amen.”
To me, it is as if Peter is saying, “It’s
worth the effort, even if it means certain death.” And died he did for Christ.
Are we thirsting after righteousness despite the circumstances?
In the meantime the world is a very
hot and arid place spiritually for all believers (cf. Psa 63:1). And you would
think it would generate a lot of thirsty saints! Sadly, it doesn’t. Some
believers see the world differently that the Word. The world can provide
sources of water for our physical health, but what about a spiritual drink to satisfy
the soul? We can traverse the globe over and never find a spiritual oasis to
satisfy our soul on terra firma because the oasis we seek is not comprised of
lush vegetation and shady palm trees surrounding a pond in the desert.
We know that the world simply cannot
provide spiritual nourishment (1 Cor 2:14; 2 Cor 4:4; 1 Jn 5:19); it’s a spiritually dark
and desert place everywhere. We live among the endless dunes of dryness that
provide no spiritual refreshment for the soul (cf. Eccl 1:14), and that makes
me spiritually thirsty automatically when I think about it! I know I get a
little zany at times, but I do my best to see the world through the scope of
Scripture. I don’t mean that there are no places on earth that cannot refresh
us physically and psychologically. Those retreats we have frequently visited,
enjoying God’s magnificent creation. It’s under the curse and still a sight to
behold! Imagine when the curse is removed! Awesome will pale for a description.
So where are the spiritual oases among the dunes of this world to satisfy the thirst for righteousness? <><
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