Do Not Love This Passing World

Matthew Mouser

Epistles of John • Sermon • Submitted 3 months ago • Presented 3 months ago

1 John 2:15–17

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You can always tell a person’s priorities based on what they love. At the same time, you tell what a person loves based on what their priorities are. This morning’s passage deals with this exact idea. As we read these three verses, ask yourself, “What do I actually love?”

Read 1 John 2:15-17

The Command

In the first verse, it is quite clear the command that John makes to these disciples whom he cares so much for. “Do not love the world.” It is being written to the same people who have considered their own salvation by asking whether or not they obey the commands of God and whether or not they love their brother. This command is placed in the negative because it would seem that a command in the positive to “love God would be obvious”. While it might not be to the extent that is warranted, move people who claim the distinction of Christian would say that they indeed love God. However, how many can say that they don’t love the world, and therefore are in line with this exhortation from John.

It is a seemingly simple command but there are two words that need to be defined. The first is the verb, to love. It is the Greek word, agapaō, which is most often used to describe the love that God has for us and that we have for Him. There are many that are likely asking the question, well where should we draw this line? For instance, is there anything wrong with enjoying a sporting event and loving your favorite team? Not in and of itself. But the use of this word most often used to describe the love that a person has for God is important because our love for anything except for God is important. Our love for anything but God must never reach the level where it could be compared to God.

The point that is made in the second half of the verse proves the point made simply by the use of this verb: if a person loves the world with the same admiration as they have for God, they do not love God at all.

This is a consistent theme in the rest of the bible. Listen to James 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.”

I believe that this begins as a heart matter that most often translates into our actions. The love that we have for the world is what draws us away from God. It is what keeps us from a strong prayer life. It is what keeps us from pursuit of holy living. It is what prevents us from enjoying fellowship with other believers. Sin dwells in a love for the world and the things in it. But next, it is important that we look at what exactly is included in the world. This is the second thing that is necessary to define and is found in verse 16 and our second point.

The Contents of the World

When John says “the world and the things in the world”, what does he mean? Is he referring to earth? God made the earth so why shouldn’t we love it? We know that to be false because it is God who made the entire universe. I want to point back first to James 4:4 to broadly define worldly things. Anything that comes between us and God, causing enmity, should be included in this idea of worldliness. And there are so many things. Our hobbies. Our jobs, mine included by the way. Our families. Entertainment. The list could go on and on. But this is one way to think about what we must not love.

John actually goes further and describes the details of the world: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. These are the things in the world.

I want to look at each of these contents individually. First,

The desires of the flesh - This is most general of the three categories listed here and refers to any actions by which we satisfy our fleshly desires. When these desires, which are sinful, are what we love, the love of the Father is not in you. Plain and simple.

The desires of the eyes is when we sinfully desire what it is that we ought not do. This is the process in our minds and hearts prior to sinning with our bodies. Think back to what Jesus says in Matthew 5: “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The point that Jesus makes is a tough one to swallow but applies so much to our lives. Think about these desires as cravings that come and go. However, all of the cravings that I’m describing lead down a path of evil and opposition to God. The become things that we obsess over in our minds, while we may never grasp onto them. You may not take part in the things of this world, but boy do you want them. You obsess over something when the reality is that the idea of that thing or action has become an object of your affection and has come before the Lord. Let me give you an example of this could be applied to many different things. Let’s just say I become consumed with the idea of robbing a bank. I begin training to become a master at lock-picking and researching different types of safes. I look up the blueprints the study them day and night. Up to this point, I haven’t sinned, in the opinion of many, because I haven’t committed the act of robbery. However, think of the things that have been neglected in my life because of this obsession. This same idea can be applied to finding the right mate down the road or being successful in business as well. We begin making all of these plans for the future and obsess over this thing that may someday happen. And these things are not all bad all the time, but they become what we love rather than loving God and trusting that He will place us in the right job or with the right person in our lives. And it all comes back to the desires of our eyes. What desire has come between you and God?

Finally, the pride of life. The pride of life is becoming puffed up and prideful regarding our possessions and accomplishments. This point in particular can be drawn back to idolatry. Whether it be a house, a car, a piece of jewelry, we begin to place this item, or even accomplishment like a degree in school, above God in conversation and in our lives. This sort of pride is both crippling as well as sinful. And we are all susceptible to it, even pastors. I see it all the time where a pastor gets on his highhorse and think he is above reproof or correction. It’s a dangerous place to be in and that’s why John provides this warning and encouragement.

The verse ends as the first did, with the warning that these worldly loves are not from the Father. They do not come from Him. And that’s the final way would we could define worldly: anything not from God Himself?

John gives an idea in the final verse that gives you and me encouragement to love Him. Our last point is

The Conclusion of the Command

John gives one final reason why the disciple of Christ shouldn’t love the world. Obviously, in terms of reasons why, we place “you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart…” at the top but John reminds the original readers of this letter, as well as you and I, that the things of this world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the heart, and the pride of life, are passing away. In other words, there is coming a day when these desires will no longer exist in us when Jesus makes His mighty return.

But why is it that these things are passing away? Go back up to 1 John 2:8. The darkness is passing away because the true light is shining. When we covered that verse a few weeks ago, I talked about how the true light, that is Jesus, is whittling away at the darkness and someday it will be no more at all.

So, the things of this world are merely temporary. They have no eternal value. At the same time, the things of the Lord and His Kingdom will last forever. Just as our God is eternal, so is His will for us. Which is why we are promised eternity with Him.

To me, this is a helpful standard by which we can evaluate our lives. Do you live with only temporary things in mind or are your sights set on the Kingdom? Have you prioritized the things of God and His people over the things that tickle your ears and please your flesh?

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