First John: 1 John 2:15a-Do Not Love the World Lesson # 69

1 John 2:15 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 or the things in the world” is composed of the following: (1) negative particle me (μή), “not” (2) second person plural present active imperative form of the verb agapaō (ἀγαπάω), “do love” (3) articular accusative masculine singular form of the noun kosmos (κόσμος), “the world.”

The noun kosmos means “cosmic world system” since it pertains to a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.

The noun kosmos is not only a system but also an organization in the sense that it refers to the formation into a whole of interdependent and coordinated parts for harmonious and united action against God.

It refers to the assemblage of fallen angels forming a complex whole that is under the authority of Satan.

In 1 John 2:15, the verb agapaō is employed with the negative particle me in order to form a prohibition.

The second person plural form of this verb means “each one of you” since it refers to the recipients of this epistle as a corporate unit in a distributive which emphasizes no exceptions in the sense that each person in the Christian community is required to obey this prohibition.

The verb agapaō means “to love” in the sense of honoring by taking pleasure in someone or something to the point of making it more important than one’s relationship with God.

To honor means, “to hold in high esteem, revere, worship suggesting a combination of liking and respecting.”

Therefore, to love the cosmic system of Satan is to take pleasure in it because one holds it in high esteem, and reveres, and worships it, liking and respecting it and making it more important that one’s relationship with God.

The negative particle me denies the idea expressed by this verb.

These two words have the force of a general precept which really makes no comment about whether the action is going on or not.

In 1 John 2:15, the present imperative form of the verb agapaō would be a customary present imperative whose force is for the recipients of this epistle to simply continue making it their habit of not loving the cosmic system of Satan.

This interpretation is supported by the fact that John affirms in 1 John 2:12-14 that the recipients of this epistle were remaining faithful to his apostolic teaching and thus were already obeying this prohibition which he more than likely had taught them many times in the past.

1 John 2:15 Each one of you continue making it your habit of not loving the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone does at any time love this world, then the love for the Father is unequivocally not existing in him. (My translation)

1 John 2:15 marks a transition from the apostle John’s apostolic teaching in 1 John 2:12-14 to his teaching in 1 John 2:15-17.

In the former, he affirms that the recipients of this epistle were remaining faithful to his apostolic teaching and were rejecting the false doctrine taught by the proto-Gnostic teachers.

Thus, in these verses he is commending the recipients of this epistle.

Now, in 1 John 2:15-17, John reminds the recipients of this epistle of their responsibilities with regards to the cosmic system of Satan.

He prohibits them from loving this system in verse 15 and then provides them reasons in verses 16-17 as to why they should obey this prohibition.

1 John 2:15 is composed of two prohibitions and a fifth class conditional statement which expresses an eternal spiritual truth with regards to loving the world.

It also presents the first of three reasons as to why the recipients of this epistle must obey these two prohibitions.

The second reason is given by John in verse 16 and the third in verse 17.

The recipients of this epistle were already obeying these two prohibitions since John affirms in 1 John 2:12-14 that they were remaining faithful to his apostolic teaching and were thus rejecting the false doctrine taught by the proto-Gnostic teachers whose teaching originated with Satan and his kingdom.

In fact, the affirmations in these verses serve to commend the recipients of this epistle for remaining faithful.

If the recipients of this epistle were remaining faithful, then what is the point of the prohibitions in 1 John 2:15?

Preventative maintenance.

The recipients of this epistle were believers who still possessed a sin nature and were still be exposed to the false doctrine originating from the devil who actively opposes the church (cf. Eph. 6:10-18).

Thus, the importance of issuing these prohibitions.

Though they were faithful at the time John wrote this epistle, this could change at any moment, if they permitted themselves to be seduced by the temptations of Satan’s cosmic system.

“The world” pertains to a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.

This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God the cause of Christ.

This world system is used to seduce men away from God and the person of Christ.

It is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Bible, and very anti-humanity though it often appears as humanitarian as part of Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light.

“The world” is not only a system but also an organization.

An organization is that which is organized.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines the verb “organize”: (1) To form as or into a whole consisting of interdependent or coordinated parts, especially for harmonious or united action (2) To systematize.

If we paraphrase this definition, we could say that the noun kosmos refers to the “formation into a whole of interdependent and coordinated parts for harmonious and united action” against God.

Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines a “system” as “an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole; due method or orderly manner of arrangement or procedure.”

If we paraphrase this definition, we could say that the noun kosmos refers to the “assemblage of fallen angels forming a complex whole” that is under the authority of Satan.

The cosmic system is not a theocratic or Christocentric society, organization or system since it is designed by Satan to seduce men away from worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan uses temptations to incorporate even believers into his system and organization that is independent of God.

The first prohibition is addressing the believer’s relationship to the vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan.

This first prohibition is addressing the believer’s relationship to the various ideals, aims, methods, and character, which are promoted by Satan and his kingdom and stand perpetually in opposition to God and the cause of Christ.

The first prohibition deals with the cosmic system of Satan itself, which as we noted is both a system and an organization that is against God and under the authority of Satan.

Thus, John is prohibiting the recipients of this epistle from loving the organization and system inspired by Satan but of course, you are to love the people who are deceived by Satan.

This world system of Satan embraces every facet of human life on planet earth.

Satan is the god of this world (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4) and deceives the entire world (cf. 1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:10).

Consequently, all the affairs of mankind are adversely affected by Satan’s rule over the earth.

Thus, this world system led by Satan adversely affects every form of human government on the face of the earth and thus politics.

It also embraces all of human culture as well as religion, education, industry, science and the business world.