1John 2:15-‐17
What does it mean to say “love not the world?” In this context, the world is not a reference to the globe or physical earth neither is it a reference to people. We know that “God so loved the world (people) that He gave His only begotten Son.”(John 3:16).
In this passage “world” means a system that is opposed to God. So, when John says “if anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in you” he is referring to an “either or” proposition. You cannot say “I love the world and God.” Either you love the world or you love God. You cannot love both. The World refers to a system of philosophy and a thought process that opposes God and the light (John 15:18). If you were of this world, the world would love you but Christ pulled you out of this world (John 15:19).
As a result the world will hate you. Isn’t it strange then that we would seek accolades and acceptance from a system that actually opposes God and is ruled by Satan and his angels? All that is in the World – John describes three big items that are in this worldly system that opposes God: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life (1John 2:17). The “desires of the flesh” -‐We all have natural desires in our flesh. For example, we all desire food and drink. The problem is when these natural desires go awry to the point that we are controlled by them and stop living for God. The desires of the flesh are visible outwardly.
People can see the things we indulge in and live for. The “desires of the eyes” on the other hand, is trickier and deeper. You may be able to look at the things of others and judge them for all their worldly possessions. But with the “desire of the eyes” you don’t have to possess anything to be guilty of this sin. The eyes are the window of the soul and the gateway to the heart. When we see things we begin to think about them. Then we covet them and become consumed by them.
A person can have no money and yet be consumed by money. On the outside he can appear pious and say, “I am just a poor person” and yet sin daily because he looks at the things of the world, covets them, and even loves them more than God. This is where the whole system of advertisement comes in. Satan knows us and he knows we can easily be distracted from God and enticed by the lust of our eyes.
The “pride of life” refers to a person who boasts about what they own. They are not afraid to show off and talk about all they possess and live for. The pride of life can also be when those who don’t have become self-‐righteous and judge those who do have. We can become great at pointing out the faults of others to make ourselves look good.
The pride of life affects everyone. You don’t have to possess all the things on the outside. You can be a believer who loves God and yet fall into Phariseeism where your pride comes from your religiosity. In this portion of scripture, John is not so much focusing on things. Yes, there are acts of sin that we should never do. But it goes deeper than that. It is about pride, about our heart and our selfishness. To not love the world means to not love yourself more than you love God. When you love yourself more than God you fall for all these things.
This mental state of selfishness where it is “all about me” is not from the Father but from this broken, fallen, anti-‐God system. You can’t love this world and love God at the same time. When you make yourself a friend of the world you become an enemy of God (James 4:4).
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to walk by the Spirit. When we do this we will not gratify the lusts in our flesh (Galatians 5:16-‐17). Lost people without Jesus live for the “here and now.” The center of the universe in this natural state is “me.” When we have been born again, however, we are new creatures. We have a new spirit that desires to live for God and not for ourselves or this world.
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