Christ Our Treasure

Christ Our Treasure

“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. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life- is not from the Father but is from the world” (1Jn 2:15-16). To love the world and the things of the world is to show that the love of the Father is not in a person.

In other words, if the things of Christ are sort of a “ho hum” part of life and everything else in the world is real to you then it is highly doubtful that you have the love of the Father within you. Now, we must certainly affirm God’s goodness in Creation that He has given us to enjoy. However, there is a distinction between the Christian enjoying Creation to the glory of God versus being in love with the world. The question is, how do we see it and spot the difference?

It is found in one’s priorities. Is Christ our supreme and highest treasure? Is our life geared around Christ or is He of less importance than other things? Is Christ of more importance than sports, your gun collection, clothes, etc. Is Christ our joy and our treasure, or simply a means to an end.

I know a youth minister who is now beginning to have conversations with parents who send their students off to college. After a semester or two many of these students in college have nothing to do with the church and they come to ask why. This youth minister, as gently and kindly as he can, explains that their children will not hold as primary what they have treated as optional. That is to say, many of the families he is counseling have put all manner of things above Christ and being active in the local church. If Jesus is secondary for the parents, then He is almost assuredly not going to be primary for the student, no matter how many years they went to VBS.

It is true that no one should enjoy creation as much as a Christian. Literature, music, nature, cinema, sports, and more should be enjoyed most by Christians because they are good things given by God. However, when created things become ultimate things there is grave danger. Certainly we ought to enjoy all that God has given us in Creation, but not at the expense of enjoying Christ, our supreme joy and delight. Do not let the concerns of the world and the stuff of the world overshadow Christ. He must always remain primary, especially in the eyes of our children.