DEFINED|| Love God not the World

INTRO||

RECAP:

John is digressing to an encouragement and a exhortation (Argument or advice intended to incite hearers to action) This is a main thrust as to why he is writing.

Argument or advice intended to incite hearers to action

1-3 John, A 12-Week Study The Big Picture

Being forgiven and enrolled into the fellowship of heaven, Christians must cease loving the world1 and its sins.

Encouragement:

1 John 2:12–14 ESV

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Exhortation

Argument (Acts 2:40) or advice intended to incite hearers to action

Here john is not talking about actual age demographics he is speaking about the differing maturity levels of believers and where they are at in their own fellowship with God. ( do not allow the masculine terminology to obscure the application of what John says to the women and girls of the congregation as well.) clearly like every family their is members of differing maturity which is great it means that they are growing and developing. where a person is at on the spectrum is not good or bad it is how they are developing. Some of us have only be walking with the Lord a short time which is great and look what is attributed to them

In neither case should we allow the masculine terminology to obscure the application of what John says to the women and girls of the congregation as well.) clearly like every family their is members of differing maturity which is great it means that they are growing and developing. where a person is at on the spectrum is not good or bad it is how they are developping. Some of us have only be walking with the Lord a short time which is great and look what is attributed to them

1 John 2:

Little Children:

because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake & because you know the Father - their a beautiful simplicity in their fellowship - they know God as father and they understand that foundational truth their sins are forgiven. - their is a sensere rejoicing in knowing Christ has forgiven them and they are in the family of God. All God’s children know their Father and know that he has accepted them, in Christ -

(Jalen story)

All God’s children know their Father and know that he has accepted them, in Christ(Jalen story)

Fathers:

The identifying factor is this - you know him who is from the beginning. Clearly all children are born have that experience - its the same with Christian maturity - we all have come to know God as father and the joy of forgiveness of sin - its the entry point and the truth remains true for all whole life - what makes them “fathers” is their increased knowledge of God by walking with him through the years and coming to know him more and more -

Time hurries on, but in all generations they find a refuge in him who from everlasting to everlasting is God (; cf. ). They are already consciously living in eternity. -

These are those who have matured in their faith and have become the adult or parental expression of mature believers - Leaders in the church using their knowledge to lead, grow, shepherd those younger in the faith - that they to may become mature

The Message of John’s Letters 3. The Light Shines in Christians’ Convictions (Verses 12–14)

There is no route to Christian maturity other than a deepening knowledge of Christ, and those who know him love him.

For those of us who have moved along this path - how are we using the depth of knowledge? Are we teaching those behind us? Leading the way to knowing Christ more? Or have become stagnate in our pursuit of God? God has put the fathers and mothers among us for a reason - to help us. to help each other be those overcomes. to find victory

(story of praying with fathers/mothers in the church - there is a maturity and assuredness in those who pray - Dave Froese, Dave Dirks, Burt Mannis, Ingrid druckle “God is good and Jesus is wonderful)

Young Men:

The distinguishing mark is: you have overcome the evil one, you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

They have grown to the next stage of Christian revelation, they are conforming their life more and more to Christ battling their sin through the power of God’s word that abides within them - meaning they rely on it, they know it, they hide it in their hearts doing what it says - thats obedience, self denial, and an intense reliance of the power of Christ. Some of us here trying to take that step to becoming young men and women of faith or are in the midst of it - Keep pressing on - keep battling because the result are a beautiful maturity that then helps those who are making that step to. How many brothers do I stand shoulder with in the pursuit of sanctification, prayer for the Lost, their is a camaraderie there that we need to become over comers - this is why love for one another is so important - thats why its written to many and not the individual.

John has been talking about having relationship with God through Christ - being in Christ, being in the light ultimately being in Fellowship with God which means we Love God and not the World

The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary d. A Digression about the World (2:15–17)

Christian people have entered into a great inheritance in the forgiveness of sins, fellowship with God and the conquest of the evil one, but their temptations have not come to an end.

their is the growth of maturity and leaning to follow Christ more and more becoming more like him. and here we find a very challenging command from John

1 John 2:15–17 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. 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. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

THE WORLD

The word world has a few meanings through out scripture - its important to distinguish what is being meant here - for instance tells that God loves the world, so shouldn’t we? So should we not love the world? that because of the difference in meaning - It can mean God’s creation, life on earth, it can mean the human population - people, it can mean the current condition of humanity, how they operate in alienation and opposition to God or as Westcott puts it

“The life of human society as organized under the power of evil.”

John goes on to break down what it means in 3 portions 2 external 1 internal

The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary d. A Digression about the World (2:15–17)

And love is a fit subject for such commandment and prohibition because it is not an uncontrollable emotion but the steady devotion of the will

The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary d. A Digression about the World (2:15–17)

And love is a fit subject for such commandment and prohibition because it is not an uncontrollable emotion but the steady devotion of the will

and we have to decide between the two constantly regardless of how mature we are a christians - child, elder, or youthful

so John goes on to break down what is in the world in 3 portions - 2 external 1 internal

The lust of the flesh: is an external proposition designed to trigger a physiological response in our mind and body (Dr. Karl Payne aka little KP)

When you read this definition of the lust of the flesh what do you think of? lots of people think of sex, pornography, something illicit. Maybe drugs, alcohol, etc. These are very real and tangible examples of the desires or lusts of the flesh. But its deeper than that. Its anything that rules over us. How many turn a blind eye and have allowed ourselves to become physiologically and compulsively hooked on something deemed social exceptable but has the same level of controlling effects?

Netflix binge watching? Our phones we check just become it vibrates, or we are board. Same with food and other consumables.

John is calling us to walk as Christ walked to be in fellowship with him and Paul in unity with this says that if we are controlled by the flesh we are not controlled by the spirit but this cannot be for those who say the know God

Galatians 5:19–20 ESV

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

Galatians 5:17–18 ESV

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

That was how I was with video games. It numbed my soul and I became a slave to them in so many ways. Through much repenting and relying on Christ my socially acceptable slavery has been broken. - we must be sober minded when we look at our lives, be real about it and ask God to show us if we have been lulled into slavery - something the Lord revealed to me as I wrested through different things in my life and something I say to myself often is

be a slave to the nothing but the true master - Jesus Christ

Is there something in your life that rules you other than Christ? Will you turn a blind eye or will you surrender to Christ?

The Lust of the eyes: focuses squarely upon our desires to have beautiful things, which we believe we must have for contentment.

(both lust of flesh and eyes are external solicitation to sin)

By this definition it pushes God out of the picture - the lust of the eyes see all the things we want or don’t have believe we need it. It speaks to a lack of gratitude for Christ has given us - he is the definition of the fulness of life - yet the desire for more can override that in us and push us towards believing that God might be holding out on us as we see more things out in the world. Which causes us to question God’s goodness. This could show up in our lives by desires the right skin tone, hair, physic, jewelry, window shopping, scrolling amazon, 24 hour bid endlessly looking at all the things we wish we had. Words like envy, jealousy, and covetousness describe it well.

Dr Karl Payne puts his finger on the pulse of it very well

“What is the real difference between a person who makes a lot of money and allows it control him and a person who hopes to make lots of money and allows this compulsion to control him? Is either individual’s focus and passion seeking first the kingdom of God and doing his will? - Greed - I need more, and envy - I want what you have, both fail to promote contentment.”

The Pride of life: Selfish Ambition

To understand this lets turn to parable of Jesus.

Luke 12:13–21 ESV

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Here we see a man very successful from an earthly perspective - he got caught up in his achievements, his stuff, and making “it”. Jesus’ eternal view point showed the man to be bankrupt though he had it all. - the pride of stuff, experience, and status - all for what purpose? Promoting self and loving self. How many young men I have known who have put all their stock in their skill set, in their grades, in many other things but neglected what was truly valuable - they were not rich towards God.

(story of aunts view point of the kids - but because of God’s intervention)

Gods idea of success is different from the worlds. Is ambition wrong? no not at all but when it turns selfish their becomes an issue. - the self serving ambition doesn’t consider God’s will in decision making, or consider God’s blessing in their movement. They will pray about God’s will after they have made up their mind on the matter and are looking for his confirmation.

God is calling us to bring all things subject to his authority. God you tell me how to live - all that I have is yours and I want to be a good steward of it for the service of others not my self. - Jesus said

Mark 9:35 ESV

And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Matthew 20:17–20 ESV

And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.

Thats the call of Christ is to think in terms of using what we have been given to serve others, to love God.

You can see how love for the world would harden our hearts against God and people - love for the world diminishes our capacity to love God and others because our hearts gets filled with selfish love and desires for pleasure and things - people interrupt those pursuits and God exposes them and calls them what they are; temporary pleasures that forfeit the eternal rewards - which is naive of us as humans. We trade gold for straw one will last a time and the other eternally.

so John is saying that there is incompatibility between loving God and the world and their is a contrast between the transience of the world and the eternity of those who do God’s will.

Luke

so John is saying that their is incompatability between loving God and the world and their is a contrast between the transience of the world and the enternity of those who do God’s will.

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

James

James 4:4 ESV

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.

The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary d. A Digression about the World (2:15–17)

And love is a fit subject for such commandment and prohibition because it is not an uncontrollable emotion but the steady devotion of the will.

The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary d. A Digression about the World (2:15–17)

If we are engrossed in the outlook and pursuits of the world which rejects Christ, it is evident that we have no love for the Father

How do we battle against this? How do we choose love of God over the allures of the world?

How do we battle against this? How do we choose love of God over the allures of the world?

Evaluate:

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 ESV

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

1 Corinthians 10:3–5 ESV

and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

1st cor.

Doing the will of the father - another way of saying obeying God - demonstrates our trust in his goodness - the things of the world calls his goodness into question. e Christ? Does it glorify him? Does it push deeper into his presence and reliance on him? Does it developed our character to be more Christlike?

Is it temporary building materials or something eternal? Would you be proud to stand before Christ with whatever it may be?

The way we evaluate the best is by knowing God’s word, knowing his truth which sets us free. we are constantly be propositioned by the world to exchange our love for God for love for the world - the great rip off - to exchange the truth for a lie, to change the eternal for the temporary.

Know God and his truth, living in the light equips us for victory of the allurements of the world.

I believe thats one of the reasons he gave us communion - that stark reminded of teh cost of eternal life, the cost of his love that lead him to the cross to purchase us, that he was willing to obey perfectly that we could experience his love. This should motivate us to do want to follow him and do his will.

Doing the will of the father - another way of sayign obeying God - demonstrates our trust in his goodness - the things of the world calls his goodness into question.

Why would put trust in the thing that is passing away rather than the eternal goodness of God. Our love and trust in God shows we are seeking the eternal things of God and that Love for the father is truly in us.

Jesus once again invites us to his table, into his presence to declare him as more than enough for our lives, to declare as king over our lives, to surrender all to him and his infinite wisdom and goodness.