The Flavor Of the Week
1 John 2:15-17
1Jn 2:15 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.
In the scripture, "world" (cosmos) is used to mean one of three distinct things.
1) The world could mean the physical universe, that which we see with our eyes. Psa 19:1 "To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork."
2) World can mean mankind, the special inhabitants of God's creation. Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
It is obvious that the "world and the things in the world" is not speaking of the beauty of God's creation and its reflection of the creator. It is obvious that God is not instruction us to not love mankind, whom He loved and for whom He gave His Son.
3) The world system, including its values, order, passions, religions, goals and principles.
It is that which has fallen from God in the fall. It is defiled and rests under the sway of the evil one. 1Jn_5:19 "We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one."
2Pe_2:20 "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first."
We could spend the rest of the night on a topical study here. How can we identify the elements of the world that have slipped into our lives in a disguise of godliness? We can stop and see the things God hates as a start. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists: "A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren."
Other things mentioned in the listed references are: Pride, arrogance, the evil way (the way of the wicked, including his thoughts), the perverse mouth and heart, dishonest scales, the sacrifice of the wicked, he who justifies the wicked, he who condemns the just, the mouth of an immoral woman, and one who turns away his ear from hearing the law. Ref. Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 11:1, 20; Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 15:8-9, 26, Proverbs 16:5, 11, Proverbs 17:15, Proverbs 20:10, 23, Proverbs 21:27, Proverbs 22:14 and Proverbs 28:9.
We are not to love the world system at all. There is no degree to which it is acceptable. Love for the world removes the love for God, for "anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Romans 12:2 instructs us not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed to God's way by renewing our minds. We can assume by this that by simply living in this world, we pick up its practices.
Ill. When I was a boy, my Arkansas cousins moved to California for two years.
When they moved back, they talked funny. Just living in California for two years influenced how they said "You guys" and how often they said it. I prefer "Y'all" to "You guys" any day.
My cousins promised me they didn't try to talk funny, but living with those Californians rubbed off on them.
My wife can just talk to her sister on the phone and I notice a change in her accent. When she hears a New Mexican accent, I ask, "What accent is that?" She says, "That is no accent at all, unlike your Texan."
The same is true with the world's system and values. We, by sinful nature, pick up the values, principles and goals of our society much the same way. James spelled it out clearly in black and white, revealing again the sinfulness of just a minor adjustment in our lives created by the world system.
Jas 4:4 "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
Both writers point out the polar differences in God's way and the World's way. If you are influenced by the world, James says you stand against God; John says you are devoid of His love.
Then John defines the world in the next two verses.
1Jn 2:16 "For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world."
John defines the very things he is talking about. "...the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions".
One writer states, "we are not to love the things which are sought merely to pamper the appetite, to please the eye, or to promote pride."
The interesting note about these three things of the world is that in Satan has not changed his tactics of temptation in over 6000 years. Gen 3:6 "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."
Notice the lust of the flesh (the woman saw that the tree was good for food), the lust of the eye (that it was a delight to the eyes), and the pride of life or possessions (that the tree was to be desired to make one wise).
Then, something like 4000 years later, Jesus was tempted in Matthew 4. Mat 4:2-3 "And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
There is the lust of the flesh as a temptation, again, sin is good for delectable foods.
Mat 4:6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"
Thus, the pride of life.
Mat 4:8-9 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
The lust of the eye.
So in the first book of the Bible, Satan used his three big guns.Against Christ, Jesus uses his three big guns.And John lists them again in one of the last five books of the Bible.
It seems to me that Satan's temptation flavor of the week has always been on the menu and will be for a long time yet.
1Jn 2:17 "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
Someday there is going to be a new Heaven and a new earth. The world system was defeated on the cross. It's fate was sealed when the tomb of Jesus was unsealed. With all it's promises, temptations prove to be as empty as the grave of Jesus. All the works dedicated to the world will blow away like the chaff in the wind. That which promises to satisfy the stomach while pulling away from God will prove to be an empty shell. That which promises through the eye to satisfy the life be gone. That which we seek to approve ourselves through pride will crumble into dust. The world is passing away with its desires. What what will stand?
Those who have been empowered by the righteousness of Christ to do His will. Also, the works of those made righteous done through the power of Jesus Christ in their lives will stand.
Two things I wish to conclude with.
First, and example of one who bought the flavor of the day.
There was a man named Demas. Not much was written about Demas. Paul first wrote, chronologically, about Demas in Philemon. Phm 1:23-24 "Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers."
As one of the gang, he is working for Jesus and with Paul, Epaphras, John Mark, Aristarchus and Dr. Luke.
Then in Colossians, we read, "Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas." Col_4:14. But something happens and things change.
2Ti 4:9-11 "Do your best to come to me soon. 10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry."
"Demas, in love with this present world". Demas bought the flavor of the week. Don't be a Demas.
The second thing: With three flavors of the week, how can we be ready?
It is simple. Three diseases, one cure. "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."
Lord, what is the greatest commandment? Mat 22:37-40 "And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'"
God's plan for resisting temptation comes to one thing, regardless of what God pulls out of his bag of flavors. Love God and love like God. That is not so complicated.
Joh_14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
And how hard is this to do?
1Jn_5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
What is the sum of the commandments? Love God and love like God. Now, that's a flavor of the week you can win with.
