July 29, 2025 - 1 John 2:15,16 - "Love Not the World"

1 John 2:15,16

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

There are many things in the world that we are commanded to love: our spouses, children, neighbors (Ephesians 5:25; Mark 12:33) our fellow believers and the fellowship of saints (Ephesians 4:2) and all that God the Father graciously bestows upon us—whether material, physical, mental, or spiritual, (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). However, it is important to note that we are specifically commanded to not love the world.

While we can enjoy many aspects of God’s creation, as He is the Creator, Giver, and Governor of all, believers are called to be separate from the world, which is a fallen and depraved system [cosmos]. The world we are to detest is the realm of wickedness that opposes Christ, both externally and within ourselves: "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19).

When the Holy Spirit breathes the life of Christ into a sinner's soul, He translates that soul from death to Life, from darkness to Light, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24). This transformation spiritually separates the believer from the world, setting their affection on Christ, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2). A person redeemed by Christ and made alive by the Spirit will not willingly love anything above God. The Spirit continually draws the believer’s heart toward the LORD Jesus Christ, prompting them to serve Him alone. As Matthew 6:24 says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." This principle holds in both doctrine and practice; we cannot take satisfaction in anything that dishonors Christ.

All that stands opposed to Christ can be summed up as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Every temptation and sin can be traced back to one of these three sources:

1) The Lust of the Flesh: Carnal and sensual desires rooted in our sinful, fallen nature, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8).

2) The Lust of the Eyes: The desire for the approval and praise of others, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward" (Matthew 6:1-5); "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” (John 5:44).

3) The Pride of Life: Ambition and honor that seek self-glory instead of recognizing oneself as the chief of sinners, "But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil" (James 4:16).

Any obsessive attraction to the world from the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. These things are passing away, fleeting and vain, but the one who is born of God—believing on Christ, abiding in Him, and walking by the Faith—abides forever. We who are God's children, therefore, are enabled by the Spirit of God to look beyond the temporal and fix our hearts on the eternal, finding our hope and life in Christ alone, and His finished work at the cross as all our “Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption,” (I Corinthians 1:30).

Indeed, the flesh is a real and evil enemy within. Yet, the LORD knows who His are and He died to deliver those He has redeemed from the evil within them and in this fallen world. He promises to keep each one from being condemned with the world, as He states in John 17:15: “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

Thankfully, Christ has already fulfilled the commandment to not love the world on behalf of those for whom He died and He now lives to intercede for them, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).