After years of pressure, the Canadian Federal government declared Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization on Wednesday. According to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Centre, the IRGC is the Iranian regime’s “primary organization responsible for conducting covert lethal activities outside of Iran, including asymmetric and terrorist operations.” The IRGC numbers 150,000 and oversees the country’s missile program and nuclear efforts. It’s also linked to militias fighting throughout the Middle East and supports terrorist groups, including Hamas. In its 2023 annual report, the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) said the Iranian regime continues to conduct foreign interference operations against Canada, namely to silence political dissidents. (https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/liberals-designate-irans-irgc-as-terrorist-group)
As A Christian, how should one understand the opposition to Christian ideals? Evident from continued opposition to Christianity, is the recognition that there exists conflicting worldviews of two opposing kingdoms. Put another way, the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God are inherently incompatible (cf. 4:5–6; 5:4–5; John 15:19; Gal. 6:14). The two are mutually exclusive and opposed to one another. They are antithetical, and cannot peacefully coexist. True Christians therefore will not be characterized by a habitual love for the world, nor will worldly people demonstrate a genuine affection for the gospel and its Lord (John 3:20; Acts 7:51; 13:8–10; 17:5, 13; Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:14–16). Clearly, there is an unmistakable line of demarcation between the things of God and the things of the world. The ongoing moral and ethical deterioration of contemporary culture makes this obvious. Even brief consideration provides a lengthy list of cultural agendas that are aggressively hostile to biblical Christianity: an attack on the traditional family by feminism; an active promotion of sexual promiscuity and homosexuality; an increasing acceptance of violence; an emphasis on materialism and hedonism by the secular media; a steady decline in standards of personal integrity and business ethics; an undermining of right and wrong by postmodern relativism; and so on.
The perfect love of God is a theme that runs throughout Scripture (Deut. 7:7–8; 10:15; Pss. 25:6; 26:3; 36:7, 10; 40:11; 63:3; 69:16; 92:2; 103:4; 119:88; 138:2; 143:8; Isa. 63:7; Jer. 31:3; Hos. 2:19; Zeph. 3:17) and appears with particular emphasis in the New Testament (Rom. 5:5, 8; 8:39; 2 Cor. 13:11; Eph. 2:4–5; 2 Thess. 2:16; Titus 3:4; Jude 21), especially in this epistle (2:5; 3:1; 4:7–21) and elsewhere in John’s writings (John 3:16; 5:42; 11:5, 36; 13:1–2; 14:21, 23; 15:9–10, 12; 16:27; 17:23–24; 19:26; cf. 2 John 3, 6). Yet because God loves perfectly, He also hates perfectly. As the Holy One (cf. 2 Kings 19:22; Ps. 71:22; Prov. 30:3; Isa. 1:4; 40:25), He loves all that is righteous, holy, and in line with His will and glorious purpose (cf. Ex. 15:11; 1 Sam. 2:2; Pss. 22:3; 47:8; 99:3, 5; 145:17; Isa. 6:3; 57:15; Rev. 4:8; 15:4). What this means, of course, is that He simultaneously hates whatever threatens or opposes those things (Deut. 29:20, 27–28; 32:19–22; Pss. 2:2–5; 7:11; 21:8–9; Nah. 1:2–3; Zeph. 1:14–18; Rom. 1:18; Col. 3:6; Rev. 11:18; cf. Matt. 13:41; 25:41; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; 2 Thess. 1:8; Rev. 21:27). The absolutely perfect love of God likewise demands that those who love Him share His hatred of all that is opposed to Him.
This short but familiar passage in John’s first letter describes a major object of God’s hatred—the world and those who love it. In the midst of John’s series of doctrinal and moral tests regarding the assurance of salvation (4:13), the apostle inserted a command not to love the world. In 1 John 2:15–17 the author moves from emphasizing the assurance that the members of the community have in their relationship with God to exhorting them about how they are to deal with the world that hates them and is opposed to God (Akin, D. L. (2001). 1, 2, 3 John (Vol. 38, p. 107). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
His admonition, which is part of the moral test, divides into two main elements: 1) The Command not to love the world (1 John 2:15a), and 2) Reasons believers are not to love the world (1 John 2:15b–17).
Because this World is passing away, saints have:
1) The Command Not to Love the World (1 John 2:15a)
1 John 2:15a 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) (ESV)
“Do not love the world” is a PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE with a NEGATIVE PARTICLE, which means to stop an act that is already in progress (Utley, R. J. (1999). The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John (Vol. Volume 4, p. 207). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.) By this John implies his readers may be guilty of misplaced values. In response, he will quickly explain why such an approach to life is inconsistent with experiencing intimacy with God. John does not say to abandon the world. Just as Jesus did not ask that His disciples be taken out of the world, only protected from Satan (John 17:15), John is not saying to flee the world or to reject it completely. He is simply saying not to love it. (Derickson, G. W. (2012). First, Second, and Third John. (H. W. House, W. H. Harris III, & A. W. Pitts, Eds.) (1 Jn 2:15). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.).
When people love the world, they are misapplying this human emotion in a way that will lead to their demise. … The object of one’s love or affection is decisive. One must be careful that this love is going in the right direction and that it acts in a manner consistent with Christian confession. John charges us to love neither the world in general nor the things of the world in particular. The command is comprehensive…Our affection must be focused and specific (Akin, D. L. (2001). 1, 2, 3 John (Vol. 38, pp. 108–109). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
But what exactly are we talking about when we refer to the “world”. By examining its use in a particular biblical context, and properly comparing Scripture with Scripture, one can understand the various meanings of the term world. In this verse it is clear what John is not referring to. First, he is not speaking of the physical world, or the created order. John would not have commanded his readers to hate something that God in Genesis 1:31 pronounced was originally “very good.” Even though creation is marred by the fall (cf. Genesis 3), nature’s physical beauties still reflect God’s glory and demand praise (cf. Ps. 19:1-6). Second, John would not have commanded believers to hate the world of humanity. That is because God loves people in the world and sent His Son to be the propitiation for their sin (see 2:2; 4:9–10, 14; cf. John 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:19; 1 Tim. 2:3–6; Titus 2:11–14; 3:4–5). World, therefore can be understood as an organized system … which is opposed to God and alienated from him. It represents everything that prevents people from loving, and therefore obeying, their creator (Jackman, D. (1988). The message of John’s letters: living in the love of God (p. 60). Leicester, England; Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
In the writings of John “world” signifies more usually (the forces) organized in rebellion against God, so that the word carries a negative sense. It is under the control of the evil one (1 Jn. 5:19; cf. Jn. 12:31; 14:30). It lies in darkness (Jn. 1:5; 12:46) and sin. It is, therefore, under divine judgment (Jn. 9:39) (Marshall, I. H. (1978). The Epistles of John (p. 142). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)
“The things in the world” points to the individual deceptive treasures, pleasures, honors of the world, its wealth, its power, its wisdom, etc. We are not forbidden to admire, appreciate, use aright the natural things of this earth such as relatives, friends, fatherland, the beauties and the grandeur of nature, home, occupation, and the thousands of useful, attractive, valuable things which God has put all around us. But whatever in its connection, tendency, and influence is hostile to the Father, to Christ, and to his kingdom, however alluring or attractive it may otherwise appear, is “things in the world,” to which we must be hostile since we belong to God, to Christ, and to his kingdom. (Lenski, R. C. H. (1966). The interpretation of the epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude (p. 424). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.)
Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10 (p.910).
Ultimately, the world and its things, which John warned his readers not to love, is the invisible, spiritual system of evil. It is the kosmos (“world order,” “realm of existence,” “way of life”) governed by Satan; as Paul reminded the Ephesians, “You formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Later in this letter John wrote: “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (5:19; cf. 4:1–5; John 12:31). The “world” here refers to the same evil system that Jesus referred to when He said, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you” (John 15:18; cf. 17:14). So, it was not humanity in general or the created order that hated Christ, but rather the wicked, corrupt (2 Peter 2:19), demonic ideologies and enterprises that stimulate fallen humanity (cf. Matt. 13:19, 38; 2 Cor. 2:11; 4:4; 11:14; 1 Thess. 2:18; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 16:14). The weapons of spiritual warfare to combat this include: prayer, the Word of God, faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit Believers are to tear down the strongholds of wrong thinking and behavior that are reflected in the lives of those who resist Biblical authority (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2235). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).
In keeping with this understanding, the apostle Paul correctly viewed the world as engaged in a massive spiritual war against the kingdom of God:
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. (ESV)(cf. Eph. 6:11–13)
• “The arguments/speculations” that Paul indicates that believers must battle refer to here include ideologies or belief systems, ranging from primitive, animistic systems to sophisticated, complex world religions, philosophies, political theories, or any unbiblical worldviews. They represent all unbelieving ideas and dogmas that, often from an elitist standpoint, rise up against the true knowledge of God. In response, believers are commanded to confront and destroy the world’s spiritual lies and false speculations with the truth.
Back in 1 John 2:15, Paul thus identifies the world as the full spectrum of beliefs and inclinations that oppose the things of God, and John implicitly echoes that definition. When a person becomes a Christian, he or she is no longer a slave to the world system. Christians have been “rescued … from the domain of darkness, and transferred … to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13; cf. 2 Cor. 6:17–18; Eph. 5:6–12). This fallen world system attempts to meet all of mankind’s needs apart from God. It structures life in such a way that humans appear to be independent. Institutions that all of us are grateful for can become idolatrous when they allow independence from God. Examples include: (1) human governmental systems; (2) human educational systems; (3) human economic systems; (4) medical systems, etc. As Augustine said so well: “man has a God-shaped hole” in his life. We try to fill that hole with earthly things, but we can only find peace and fulfilment in Him.( Utley, R. J. (1999). The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John (Vol. Volume 4, p. 207). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.)
Quotations: We have witnessed the erosion of a Christian consensus undergirding society, and this has been joined with a “sacred” devotion to science and materialism, which now give us our cosmology. Yet while this is going on, new modern myths—new pagan religious forms—are erupting everywhere. Carl Henry announced the same judgment on the severity of the world’s fall in Twilight of a Great Civilization. (C. Henry, Twilight of a Great Civilization. The Drift Toward Neo-Paganism (Westchester, Ill.: Crossway, 1988).) He offers a penetrating critique of the moral and intellectual downfall of our society and calls on the church not only to erect boundaries, lines of demarcation separating church and world, but also to take the offensive, to attack the neo-paganism on our doorstep. The world is now a theological problem. When will we draw a “line in the sand”? (Burge, G. M. (1996). Letters of John (p. 122). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Second, because this World is passing away, saints have:
2) Reasons Believers Are Not to Love the World (1 John 2:15b–17)
1 John 2:15b-17 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 16 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. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (ESV)
In order to support his admonition, John does not offer a long list of specifics or detailed illustrations. Instead, he presents three general reasons believers must not love the world: a) because of who they are (1 John 2:15b), b) because of what the world does, and c) because of where the world is going.
Believers Are Not to Love the World:
a) Because of Who Believers Are (1 John 2:15b)
1 John 2:15b 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 (ESV)
Because believers are forgiven (Pss. 86:5; 130:3–4; Isa. 1:18; Matt. 26:28; Luke 1:77; Eph. 1:7; 4:32; Col. 1:14; 2:13–14; 3:13; 1 John 2:12), have a true knowledge of God (2 Cor. 2:14; 4:6; Eph. 4:13; Col. 1:9–10), have the Word of God abiding in them (Ps. 119:11; Col. 3:16), have overcome Satan (James 4:7; 1 John 4:4), and have an increasingly intimate relationship with the Father (1 John 2:12–14), they cannot love the world. Anyone who loves the world demonstrates that the love of the Father is not in him. Like Demas, such spiritual defectors manifest that any previous claim to know and love God was nothing but a lie (2:19). Responding to the Father’s love (your personal devotional life), and doing the Father’s will (your daily conduct)—these are two tests of worldliness (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 492). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
Nonetheless, the basic identity of believers as God’s children does not make them immune to the world’s allure. Because they are still fallen sinners—though saved by grace—true followers of Christ are tempted through their remaining flesh by the world’s behaviors and enterprises (Matt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 10:13; Gal. 6:1; Eph. 6:16; James 1:12–14; 1 Peter 5:8–9). Whether the temptation comes from worldly priorities, worldly amusements, worldly riches, or worldly lusts, believers desire to resist the world’s effort to seduce them. As Jesus warned His listeners, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Luke 16:13; cf. Matt. 6:19–21, 24). We must learn to “be content whatever the circumstances” and learn “the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Phil 4:11–12). What John is recommending is that we not participate in the worldly things and become tied to the world. For, if we do this, the Father is not in us (Womack, M. M. (1998). 1, 2 & 3 John (1 Jn 2:15). Joplin, MO: College Press.).
Believers Are Not to Love the World:
b) Because of What the World Does (1 John 2:16)
1 John 2:16 16 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. (ESV)
The meaning of all that is in the world and is in/from the world appears in the three qualifying descriptions of sin’s categories. Sin is the dominant reality in the world, and launching from this verse it is helpful to look more extensively at sin, by definition called “lawlessness” (1 John 3:4)—any violation of God’s perfect and holy law. Whereas the law of God encompasses all that is righteous (Pss. 19:7; 119:142; Isa. 42:21; cf. Josh. 1:7–8; Ps. 119:18; Neh. 8:9, 18; Isa. 51:4; Matt. 22:36–40; Acts 28:23; Rom. 3:21; James 1:25), sin encompasses all that is unrighteous (Prov. 24:9; Matt. 15:19; 1 John 5:17; cf. Gen. 6:5).Understanding the serious danger sin poses, the apostle John summarized the avenues the world uses to incite sin: the desires/lust of the flesh, and the desires/lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The desires/lust of the flesh refers to the debased, ignoble cravings of evil hearts. The flesh denotes humanness and its sinful essence. The word translated desires/lust (epithumia) is a common New Testament term denoting both positive and negative desires (Luke 22:15; Rom. 1:24; Phil. 1:23; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 2:17; 2 Tim. 2:22; Titus 3:3; James 1:14–15; 2 Peter 1:4; cf. Matt. 5:28; Gal. 5:17; Heb. 6:11; James 4:2). Here it refers negatively to the sensual impulses from the world that draw people toward transgressions. The expression desires/lust of the flesh brings to mind primarily sexual sins, but, while they are included in its definition, the phrase is certainly not limited to that meaning. These cravings are evil because they cause people to disobey God’s explicit command, “You shall not covet” (Exod. 20:17; Deut. 5:21). Moreover, these cravings originate in fallen nature and give birth to sin (James 1:15). Paul writes a similar account of this sinful nature (Gal. 5:16–17), which he says “is contrary to the Spirit.” (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of James and the Epistles of John (Vol. 14, pp. 271–272). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
Please turn to Galatians 5 (p.916).
The base desire of the human heart perverts and distorts all normal desires (Jer. 17:9), sending them into a relentless, slavish pursuit of evil that exceeds the proper limits of what is good, reasonable, and righteous—any attitude, speech, or action that opposes God’s law (cf. Rom. 7:5; 8:7). Those lusts include all the immoral excesses about which Paul warned the Galatians:
Galatians 5:19–21. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (ESV)(cf. Rom. 1:24–32; 1 Cor. 6:9–10)
• Those sinful attitudes and actions are primary characteristics of the world system and are irresistibly appealing to the corruption of the unconverted soul. Apart from the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, these are the actions toward which sinful humans instinctively gravitate. When people reject God, they turn in on themselves, and so relationships between human beings are destroyed as well. Those who do such things, expressed here in the present participle (Gk. prassontes, translated here as “do”) refers to those who “make a practice of doing” such things, as a pattern of life. Their outward conduct indicates their inward spiritual status: that they are not born of God, do not have the Holy Spirit within, and are not God’s true children. (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2254). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
The world also entices sinners to thoughts and actions contrary to God’s will through the desires/lust of the eyes. Eyes are gifts from God (cf. Prov. 20:12; Eccl. 11:7) that enable people to see His beautiful creation and excellent works (cf. Pss. 8:3–4; 19:1; 33:5; 104:24; Isa. 40:26; Rom. 1:20). However, as they let in light, so they are open windows for temptation to enter; thus sin perverts the use of the eyes (cf. Prov. 27:20; Eccl. 1:8; 4:8) and plunges people into dissatisfaction, covetousness, and idolatry (cf. Pss. 106:19–20; 115:4; Eccl. 5:10). Lot’s wife misused her eyes, and God killed her as a result (Gen. 19:17, 26). Achan plundered the forbidden goods he saw, which also led to his death (Josh. 7:18–26; 22:20). From his rooftop David saw Bathsheba bathing, subsequently committed adultery with her, and paid severely for his sin the remainder of his life (2 Sam. 11:1–5; 12:1–20; Ps. 51:1–17). Because of such potential consequences, it is imperative for believers to guard their eyes (cf. Job 31:1; Ps. 101:3; 119:37). Jesus’ graphic hyperbole underscores the necessity of avoiding the lust of the eyes. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matt. 5:27–29) The eyes therefore can be understood as the tendency to be captivated by the outward show of things, without enquiring into their real values (Akin, D. L. (2001). 1, 2, 3 John (Vol. 38, p. 110). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
The third human element that provides an avenue into the soul for temptation is the pride of life. Such pride is the arrogance (cf. 1 Sam. 2:3; 17:4–10, 41–45; Pss. 10:3; 75:4; Prov. 25:14; Jer. 9:23; Rom. 1:30; James 3:5; 4:16) that arguably motivates all other sin, including the lust of the flesh and eyes, as it seeks to elevate self above everyone else (cf. Ps. 10:2, 4; Prov. 26:12; Dan. 5:20; Luke 18:11–12; Rom. 12:3, 16). Pride is the corruption of the noblest parts of peoples essence (cf. Ps. 10:2–6, 11; Prov. 16:18–19), rationality and spirit that were created for them by God (Gen. 1:26–27). Instead of accepting that reality with appropriate humility and gratitude to God, sinners exalt themselves and seek fulfillment in things that glorify the creature rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:22–25). In essence, Pride (alazoneia, found also in James 4:16,) denotes arrogance, boastfulness, the conviction of self-sufficiency” (Utley, R. J. (1999). The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John (Vol. Volume 4, p. 207). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.).
In the flesh (sensuality), humanity functions according to the base desires of animals (cf. Ex. 32:1–9, 19–20, 25). With the eyes (covetousness), individuals seek to have more than others (cf. Luke 12:16–21). Through pride, humanity defies God and arrogantly attempts to dethrone the Sovereign of the universe (cf. Gen. 11:2–4). It is not surprising, then, to see that the world, under Satan’s leadership, continues to assault sinners through those same three pathways of temptation. The Devil plays on the corruptibility of the fallen human heart to achieve the maximum impact for evil and chaos in the world. But believers are not slaves to the diabolical, corrupt world system (Rom. 6:5–14; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8–9; 1 John 4:1–6). Like their Lord who has redeemed them, they possess the ability to successfully resist the temptations of this world (cf. Rom. 8:1–13; James 4:7). But do we love and serve God fervently? Then we must turn from all that would keep us from such love and service. When Jesus called people to be his disciples, he challenged them with the words “Follow me.” This meant that they had to leave their nets or money tables or whatever else had been occupying their attention and time up to that moment. Similarly, when we are called to embrace the truth of the gospel, we must reject error. When we are called to righteousness, we must turn from unrighteousness. When we are called to love God, we must turn from all lesser loves and loyalties (Boice, J. M. (2004). The Epistles of John: an expositional commentary (p. 65). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.)
Finally, Believers Are Not to Love the World:
c) Because of Where the World is Going (1 John 2:17)
1 John 2:17. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (ESV)
The third reason believers are not to love the world is because it is passing away. The principle of spiritual death that permeates the world is the exact opposite of the principle of spiritual life, which operates in God’s kingdom. Thus, the living dead in the world are destined for eternal death in hell, but Christians are destined for eternal life in heaven (Matt. 13:37–50; 25:31–46; cf. Matt. 5:12a; Luke 10:20; Heb. 12:22–23; 1 Peter 1:3–5). The well-known saying of slain missionary Jim Elliot seems appropriate here: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to get what he cannot lose.”(Jim Elliot as quoted in Walls, D., & Anders, M. (1999). I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude (Vol. 11, p. 176). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Please turn to 2 Thessalonians 1 (p.930)
The verb translated is passing away is a present tense form of parago (“to disappear”). The present tense indicates that the world is already in the process of self-destruction (1 Cor. 7:31b; 1 Peter 4:7a; cf. James 1:10; 4:14; 1 Peter 1:24). The entire system contains the seeds of its own dissolution (cf. Rom. 8:20–21). John looked ahead to the destruction of the satanic world system and all those who cling to its desires/lusts—its ideologies that oppose the Godhead (2 Cor. 10:3–5; 2 Peter 2:1–17; Jude 12–15; Rev. 18:21–24; cf. 19:11–21; 20:7–10). They are all hurtling rapidly toward eternal damnation, as Paul wrote concerning the ungodly who persecuted the Thessalonian believers:
2 Thessalonians 1:5–10. 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. (ESV)
• Paul did not say that those unrepentant members of the world would cease to exist (that would be the unbiblical doctrine of annihilationism), but that they would undergo an everlasting punishment in hell (cf. Matt. 25:46; Mark 9:43–49; Rev. 20:15). The world’s process of self-destruction will only accelerate and grow worse in the coming years (cf. 2 Tim. 3:13) until the Lord returns.
So how do you love God more than the world?... Think about the transitoriness of the world and its possessions. Everything on this earth wears out. It is a reminder to us that the world is indeed passing away. Ask yourself whether you are being a steward of God’s resources or a consumer of the earth. Only with an eternal perspective will the temporal find its proper place in our values (Derickson, G. W. (2012). First, Second, and Third John. (H. W. House, W. H. Harris III, & A. W. Pitts, Eds.) (1 Jn 2:17). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.).
Whoever does the will of God, who savingly trusts and obeys Christ, has nothing to fear concerning the world’s destruction (1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9). It is God’s will that people believe the gospel, repent of their sin, and embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Mark 1:15; John 6:29; 1 Tim. 2:4–6). John earlier had heard these words of Jesus: “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 6:40). Each person who has obeyed that teaching is a Christian and abides/lives forever (Luke 6:46–48; John 8:51; 10:27; 14:21; 15:10; James 1:22–25; 1 John 2:5; 3:24; cf. Pss. 25:10; 111:10). When the believers will is in harmony with the will of God, the Christian has fellowship with the Father and the Son that lasts forever (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of James and the Epistles of John (Vol. 14, p. 273). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
(Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. (2007). 1, 2, 3 John (pp. 79–92). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers)
