First John: 1 John 2:15b-Do Not Love the Things in the World Lesson # 70

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)

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday July 19, 2017

www.wenstrom.org

-Do Not Love the Things in the World

Lesson # 70

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)

“Or the things in the world” is composed of the following: (1) negative disjunctive particle mēde (μηδέ), “not” (2) accusative neuter plural form of the definite article ho (ὁ), “the things” (3) preposition en (ἐν), “in” (4) articular dative masculine singular form of the noun kosmos (κόσμος), “the world.”

The negative disjunctive particle mēde is used to extend and continue the preceding prohibition and to negate the meaning of the phrase ta en tō kosmō (τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ), “the things in the world.”

It is thus connecting the idea of the recipients not loving the cosmic system of Satan and not loving the things of this system.

The recipients of this epistle were not to love either of them.

Therefore, the disjunctive negative particle mēde is used to introduce a prohibition which correlates with the first prohibition which appears at the beginning of the verse.

Therefore, the meaning of the verb agapaō is not only negated by the negative particle me but also by the negative disjunctive particle mēde.

Together this verb and mēde form a prohibition which denies any idea of the recipients of this epistle loving the various inanimate and animate objects located in the cosmic system of Satan.

John is using mēde because he wants to express the correlation between loving the cosmic system of Satan and these objects of this system.

The accusative neuter plural form of the definite article ho is a substantiver meaning it is nominalizing or transforming into a noun the prepositional phrase that follows it, which is en tō kosmō (ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ), “in the world.”

The definite article ho means “things” which identifies as being the various animate and inanimate objects which are located in the world.

Once again, we have the noun kosmos which again refers to the cosmic system of Satan which is indicated by the word’s articular constriction which is anaphoric indicating that this noun is retaining the same meaning it had earlier in the verse and same referent here in this prepositional phrase as in the previous prohibition.

The noun is the object of the preposition en which is a marker of location meaning it is locating the cosmic system of Satan as the location or place of these animate and inanimate objects.

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)

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 and 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 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.

In , “the things in the world” refers to the various inanimate and animate objects which are located in the cosmic system and are listed in and would appeal to the sin nature of the recipients of this epistle.

These “animate” objects would include human beings and animals and these “inanimate” objects would include material objects such as homes, money, cars and any other object people seek to possess for themselves.

These objects are not evil in themselves but rather one’s attitude toward them can be evil if it causes one to value them more than obedience to God.

Thus, John’s prohibition to not love them.

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. (ESV)

“The desires of the flesh” refer to the selfish desires or lusts of the indwelling old Adamic sin nature.

“The desires of the eyes” refers to the selfish desires or lusts that come about due to what is attractive to one’s eyes.

“The pride of life” refers to the pride or arrogance which arises in the soul because one’s possessions.

Therefore, “the things in the world” refers to the various animate (such as people or animals) and inanimate objects (such as homes, cars, and money) which are not evil in themselves but tempt the believer to place more value on them than their relationship with the Father.

Thus, they refer to these objects which can be a cause of temptation for the believer to live their life independently of the Father.

These objects are attractive to the sin nature and Satan and his angels seek to employ them to seduce the believer away from experiencing fellowship with God.

Satan seeks to deceive the believer to value them more than their relationship with God and obedience to Him.

Satan and his angels use these objects to appeal to the indwelling old Adamic sin nature of the believer which is selfish and self-centered and opposed to God.

Like the devil and his angels, the sin nature always seeks to tempt the believer to live independently of God and thus, these objects become temptations for the believer.

A “temptation” is something that entices someone to usually do something that is evil.

To tempt is to induce or persuade by enticement as to do something unwise, wrong, to attract by holding out the probability of gratification or advantage, often in the direction of that which is wrong or unwise.

The concept of temptation is synonymous with the concept of seduction.

To seduce is literally to lead astray, sometimes from that which absorbs one or demands attention.

The first temptation mentioned in is the “lust of the flesh.”

This temptation was used against Eve in the Garden of Eden and is recorded in .

The second temptation in is the “lust of the eyes.”

This temptation was used against her as well as in the Garden and is recorded in .

The third temptation is the “boastful pride of life.”

This temptation was used against her in the Garden and is recorded in .

Adam and the Woman both received a sin nature the moment they disobeyed the Lord.

This sin nature can never obey God and is imputed to everyone that comes into the world according to .

Therefore, the cosmic system is a society composed of individuals who have sin natures that can never obey God and are under the deception of the devil.

The temptations of Satan’s cosmic system appeal to the fallen nature of man.

The cosmic system is an organization and system composed of human beings who are enslaved to the sin nature and these temptations appeal to the sin nature.

The second prohibition forbids the recipients of this epistle from loving the various animate and inanimate objects that are found in the cosmic system of Satan in the sense of honoring them by taking pleasure in them to the extent that the cosmic system becomes more important than their relationship with God.

Because of the sin nature and Satan and his angels, these various animate and inanimate objects temptations can induce or persuade believers by enticement to not love the Father in the sense of being dedicated and devoted to Him.

They would attract them by holding out the probability of gratification or advantage that would be contrary to the plan of God for their lives.

The cosmic system was built upon these temptations since these temptations were successful when used against Eve in the Garden of Eden in order to get her to disobey the Lord God.

Thus, the second prohibition deals with the various inanimate and animate objects which are located in this Satanic organization and system, which are designed to seduce men away from God and to live independently of Him.

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.

To love the cosmic system of Satan and the things of this system would constitute living one’s life in the darkness which is mentioned in , , and 11 and refers to living one’s life according to the standards of Satan’s cosmic system.