The Love of the World or The Love of the Father?

Recap

Hello everyone! Welcome back to the Anchor!! Tonight we are picking up where we left off in the book of 1 John,

give Bibles out.

We will be in 1 John 2 this evening.

1 John 2:15 ESV

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.

Let’s pause right here on this one. Do not love the world? what is that supposed to mean? doesn’t John 3:16 tell us that God so loved the world? This doesn’t make any sense… would anyone want to take a guess as to why John is telling us not to love the world?

John uses the word world in a few different ways: 1) creation 2) the world of human persons 3) organized evil/earthly system controlled by satan that stands against God.

Can someone read Ephesians 2:1-2 please?

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Everyone in this room at some point has been a part of this world, and some still might be.

John is referring to the world as the third one in this passage:

He tells us to not love the world or the things in the world. Because if we do, the love of the Father is not in us. Has anyone here heard of the word Idol before: spelled IDOL. Anything or anyone we place above God in our lives: whether it be what we think about, spend time on/with, and serve. John is saying if you love the world and it’s systems and ways, you don’t love God. But what exactly are the things of this world? Let’s look at the next verse:

1 John 2:16 ESV

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.

Okay so three things we can list here:

*White board*

desires of the flesh

desires of the eyes

desires of the pride of life

Let’s begin with number one: who here has heard of the fruit of the spirit? Did you know that before that verse Paul actually writes about the evil fruit of the flesh?

Galatians 5:19–21 ESV

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 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.

deep down inside all of us, our broken self desires all of these things. We see this come out through jealousy, anger, idolatry. All of these things. And if you think you don’t well you are exercising that right now!

Let’s look at number 2)

this goes a lot with a few of the things mentioned in Galatians, this is desiring immediate pleasure in things God made, outside of God’s design. A theme we can see in this one is impatience, or the “I want it now attitude!” Here is where we see that word LUST, which is an intense or overwhelming desire for something that goes against what God wants.

An example: in Genesis 3:6

Genesis 3:6 ESV

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.

They look at something they can’t have and desire it, they are lusting after it in that moment. Another example could be if your parents said no to something but you still strongly desire to do that thing. Maybe they say you can’t watch a certain movie or tv show but you strongly want to and watch it anyway.

And third is the desires of the pride of life.

This has to do with finding your worth in the things of the world: how much you have. Your idol in this could be your video games, your cool friends, your animals, or in your grades. Anything you pride yourself in and find your worth from apart from God

James 1:13–15 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Here is another everyone statement: EVERYONE HERE STRUGGLES WITH THESE THREE THINGS!!

Every single person!!! these three things are not of God, and the verse says it too.

Let’s see what happens next:

1 John 2:17 ESV

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Here’s the good news! The world is fading away, evil will die, death will die. Satan will be destroyed once and for all. This all began with Jesus conquering the grace when He rose again. And get this! We all can be saved, because we need it. We have broken God’s law, we have desired these three things! We deserve punishment! However, God in His great love sent His son Jesus, to pay the price for us! Whoever comes to Jesus, believes in Him, confesses that He is Lord, and turns from His sin in repentance. Will be saved! This is part of God’s will for us!! And whoever does this will not die like the world, but will remain alive forever. There is hope for all of us! We can have eternal and abundant life! Even now!