Series: 1 John
Week: Eight
Passage: 1 John 2:15-17
Title: Two Christian Responses to the World
Focus: Practical Application
Last Week in Review
Week 7 – LIVING (Stages of Christianity) (1) Those new to the faith (2) Those that are spiritually mature (3) Those making progress toward maturity
TITLE: The Christians Attitude on the World (1 John 2:15-17)
OPENING NOTE: GCG Article of Faith - Separation - Section 14 – “We believe that the children of God should like in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded by God.”
INTRODUCTION:
John seems to be happy with the fact that much of his audience is making progress into more spiritually mature disciples. Remember, John is writing to help those Disciples of Christ refute the heretical teaching that they are hearing from the world. As these Christians strived to become more like Christ through becoming obedient in the fellowship (obeying the Word) and loving the brotherhood, there were always going to be dangers in front of them that needed to be addressed. How one overcame the evil one would show how one would advance in his or her Christian walk.
SCRIPTURE: “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. 16For 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. 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17
TITLE: Two Christian Responses to the World (1 John 2:15-17)
POINT #1: Do Not Love the World (1 John 2:15)
• Explanation: John first of all starts with a stern warning “Do not love the world or anything in the world”.
o “World”: The Greek word for “world” is “kosmos” meanings “the ordered world”. The word is used in the NT but not in the Greek OT (Septuagint). In the OT we see the words “all things” or “heaven and earth” used. The “world” as John referred to that which was made by the Word (God). However, if God made the world then why would John push his audience to not love something created by God?
• Sin exists (in a once perfect world): Through the transgression of Adam, sin has entered into the world (Rom. 5:18). This sin had universal consequences resulting in a disordered (opposite of “kosmos”) world in the grip of the evil one (1 Jn. 5:19).
• Rebellion exists (in a once perfect world): The world (all things and heaven and earth) that God made was crafted to reflect his glory. This created world that was once for Him is now in rebellion against him.
• John 1:10 “The world was made through Him (Jesus) and yet the world did not know him.”
• False profit exists (in a once perfect world): Jesus said it would not profit a man anything if he gained the whole of it and lost his soul in the process (Mt. 16:26) meaning that the obtainment of the world is no longer an obtainment to be godly.
• Illustration: Satan pushes us to focus on pleasing ourselves with what the world has to offer instead of focusing on pleasing and loving things of God.
o THINK: How much of our free time do we use to affecting others instead of ourselves? As mature believers, what are we displaying with our actions to young believers (children) with the use of our time? Are we satisfying the self (praise, money, recognition) or leveraging out time to honor God?
• Conversation (Cyndi): One of the greatest attacks Satan uses on the family unit today is in the element of time. We get so busy with the things of this world and building up of the self that we ‘take out’ our time for God. He then no longer gets the best of our time but our leftovers. This affects our daily walk, our commitments to discipleship (both for ourselves, and for others that need us), and our service to the church and the needs in our community.
• Application: John establishes and further drives home the point, “if anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him”. In other words, if we as believers chase after that which is of the world then we are under that which the devils would want us to be influenced (sin, rebellion against God, worldly profit). The world competes for the love of Christians and one cannot both love it and the Father at the same time.
o “Friendship with the world is hatred toward God” (James 4:4).
Point #2: Do not Desire the World (1 John 2:16)
• Explanation: John outlines three areas that help the believer identify that in the world. (1) Desires of the flesh (2) Desire of the eyes (3) Pride of life.
o Desire of the “Flesh”:
• OT: “Flesh” in the OT meant the whole body or every part of a person (Pr. 14:30). This is where we get the concepts of unions (marriage - man and wife are ‘one flesh’ in Gen. 2:24 and relatives in Judges 9:2). In the OT flesh is often seen as weakness (“In God I trust without a fear. What can flesh do to me?’ Ps. 56:4).
• NT: The NT affirms that in the OT spoke about but takes it a step further stating that the “flesh” is the earthly part of man full of “lusts” and “desires” (Eph. 2:3) which “is death” (Rom. 8:6). The man who lives “according to the flesh” (Rom. 8:13) is “against the Spirit” (Gal. 5:17).
o Desire of the “Eyes”:
• OT: In Hebrew the “physical organs are construed as acting semi-independently and possessing also psychical and moral qualities” (Banwell). Therefore, the eye not only has sight but is proud (Is. 5:15), has pity (Dt. 7:16), sleep (Gn. 31:40), and delight (Ezk. 24:16).
• NT: In the letter to the Corinthians Paul emphasizes the interdependence of the physical organs (1 Cor. 12:16) while pointing to how the eye can points to man’s envious and greedy nature (i.e the flesh).
o “Pride” of Life: In a nutshell, “rebellious pride, which refuses to depend on God and be subject to him, but attributes to self the honour due to him, figures as the very root and essence of sin.” (Tongue). Pride signifies a proud and flamboyant way of life focused on the self. John states that we as Christians ought to have nothing to do with such worldly perspectives as these.
• Illustration:
• Application: A worldly life can be defined if we would open our eyes to see that in which we are participating. We must open ourselves up to see if we are engaging in any of the three signs of worldliness John communicates.
o Do you desire that which gives into the self and rejects the Spirit?
• Lust of the flesh = Idolizing pleasure. We love to do what is fun, easy. We are too tired or don’t have time left for God, His church, and those in need around us.
o Do you let the eyes point/lead you to an envious or greedy self-centered nature?
• How much of our thought life and agendas do we spend idolizing possessions, thinking of buying things, planning to buy things
o Do you life a proud and flamboyant way of life that points to yourself and not God working in/through you?
• Ego & pride can also exist in how Biblically learned we are. Pride can also show up in how humble we think we are as compared to others. Are we looking to build up our name in how we are recognized? Or are we looking to build up the name of Christ?
• REAL STORY: Cyndi learned one of the ways she knew she entered into one of these 3 areas was that when she had obtained the thing I desired (fun event, thing bought, new promotion obtained or ego stroked) there was an emptiness realized. ‘IT’ was never enough and the next ‘IT’ had to be obtained. The joy was short-lived, and really not true joy. And not top of all that…. Now the new ‘IT’ I had was choking my time even more.
o (From Dr. Constable Commentary) Resisting appeal of the world is difficult for every believer. We need to be aware of its attractiveness and understand it’s angles of temptation and remember 4 things:
1. Love of the world lacks the Love of God (v.15)
2. It results in consequences that are not what our Loving Father desires for our welfare (v.17)
3. It last only a short time (v.17)
4. It precludes intimate fellowship with God (v.15)
CONCLUSION: (1 John 2:17)
John encourages his audience here to not reject the will of God. His comfort is shown in communicating that “the world and its desires are temporary and passing away”. What this tells us is that we must be admit to know (understand the Word) and do (live out the world) which is the will of God because it “lives forever” (gives “abiding life” of fellowship with God).
A life lived in God’s fellowship is a life full of rejecting the sinful things of this passing world because it is a life that has no real ending. A person whose character and personality are shaped by obedience to God will not be affected by the passing away of the world and its vain desires.
“Only one life will pass; only what’s done for Christ will last.”
