1 st John Part 6 Making the Right Decision

1st John Sermon Series

GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS

Part 6

Making the Right Decision

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Welcome back to part 6 of our sermon series “GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS” as we walk the road of faith together through the Book of 1st John.

Before we get into the word that God has for us today, lets go to the Father in prayer.

If you have your Bibles and I hope that you do, open your Bible with me to the book of 1st John chapter 2. If you are unfamiliar to where 1st John is you can go to the back of the Bible to Revelation, then Jude, 3rd, 2nd then 1 John.

Remember that John is writing to the second and third generation born-again believers, these folks did not witness the beginning of the church nor the resurrection of Jesus.

For some of these born-again believers it was a tough time in their lives, I am sure that many of us can identify with that. For some their devotion to Christ was wavering and others were being led astray by false teachers and there were others who just began to relax their faith.

Here is what I want you to see today: what they went through in biblical times are the same as we are going through in the church today.

I was watching a podcast- a video training, from Tom Rainer, He was the president of the Life-Way Book store which is the bookstore for the Southern Baptist Convention.

He said that 10-15 years ago the definition of an active church member was someone who was going to church 3 times per week, going to 2 services and participating in a small group Bible study or were involved in a ministry of the church.

He said today however the definition of an active church member is someone who attends church three times a month – it went from three times a week to three times a month.

A shift occurred in our culture, and the believers made the shift along with the society, and the shift said that just like prayer is not vital in schools that being an active member of the body of Christ isn’t that important either.

The shift has taken away the importance of being the body of Christ.

What occurred from that was that the standards of being part of the body of Christ became to relaxed, which has bled into the church, its leadership, and even the standards of our faith today.

We can see that evidence of prayer not being in our schools today, and we are beginning to see the results of the shift in Church.

Now recently with the pandemic it gave law makers and others a chance to close churches, punishing them if they had services. That has caused a lot of issues in the church and began anther shift in Church culture.

So, even though John is writing this letter to those 2nd and 3rd generation believers, we can see how it also applies to us today.

So, in this letter John goes after what it means to go back to the basics of being a disciple of Christ Jesus.

John thus far has talked about the vital signs of bring a believer and that is having fellowship with God and other believers. He said that spiritual fellowship is the pulse of the disciple. It literally shows that you are alive spiritually.

Then John went straight for the jugular when he said that God is light and as those who have fellowship with God we are to walk in God’s shoes and we should illuminate the world by reflecting God’s light.

And if that wasn't enough he then reminded us that as children of God we have been pardoned from the death, the sentence of sin and if we have sinned we are to seek forgiveness that occurs from Christ Jesus.

John then went on to tells us of the old command to love God and others and describes it as a new command as Jesus came to earth to show us what love supposed to look like and how as disciples the love for one another separates us from the rest of the world.

Then last week who could forget that spiritual growth is process. New believers are at the infant stage growth needing spiritual milk, then comes the youth stage of having God’s Word in them, fighting and winning the spiritual battles. Then of course the seasoned stage adulthood.

And each stage brings with it revelation of Scripture, revelation of God, revelation of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but it they also bring struggles in life.

I think that we can agree that sometimes life can be troublesome. Jesus affirms this in scripture.

Not only that but our days are filled with making decisions.

According to the newspaper USA Today the average adult makes about 35,000 decisions each day.

Another statistic that I read according to psychology and neuroscience web-page is that Brits make 773,618 decisions in a lifetime but they live to regret 143,262. That is almost 20% of the time they regret their mistakes. Even though these statistics are broad and enormously different, there is the truth that life is filled with decisions that we make; amen? Life is filled with the decisions that we make and decisions that we regret.

Well today I am going to ask you to make the right decision for God.

As we make decisions of life each day, the most of those decisions are often made because of who we are and what we think is important and what is not important.

And this is what John is getting at here as he warns us about the world.

If you are there in 1 John chapter 2 begin reading with me from verse 15. This is the Word of God and it begins like this:

1 John 2:15-17

“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. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever”

What a dramatic turn from spiritual growth to warning believers that the decisions that they make in life have a dramatic impact on their spiritual wellbeing.

WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR TAKE HOME TRUTH:

AND OUR TAKE-HOME TRUTH IS:

THE PRIORITIES IN LIFE DETERMINE THE ROAD WE ARE ON.

We make the important decisions each day of our lives based on our priorities in our lives. And those decisions not only show us where we are spiritually with God, but they also show others where we are with God as well. You have heard me say “What you do next in any situation will tell others what you believe about God”

On the other side of that our decisions and priorities can also be set by outside influences such as, family, friends, co-workers, spouse or significant others, the arts and society.

Just as we are to influence others about God, the world influences us against God.

Now, John wrote this letter to believers who were being infected and confused by certain outside sources and influences. Remember those pesky Gnostics got into the church.

It reminds me of this Gospel song preformed by the name of Keith Green that probably challenges every one of us today: Here are the lyrics:

“I want you here with Me, but you’ve been keeping other company. You can’t sit still, it’s plain to see, you love the world and you’re avoiding Me. My Word sits there upon your desk, but you love your books and magazines the best; You prefer the light of your TV, you love the world and you’re avoiding Me…”

That’s the challenge set before us in this scripture. Do you love the world? Because if you love the world, then you don’t love God the Father. But if you do love God the Father, if His love is in you, then you do not love the world.

Therefore, the point that John is making is this, the priority in your life determines the road you are on.

Now if we read this correctly what John is saying is that there are only two priorities in life and the choices you make is from one of these priorities.

John seems to be repeating, but again repacking it a little different from what Jesus said in Luke 16:13 that you cannot serve two masters, “you will either hate one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other” The point here is that you can only serve one Lord in your life.

Another scripture that Jesus spoke of was the two roads, which is also consistent to Johns words in this letter which is found in Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.”

Notice that Jesus said there are 2 lords and there are two roads, John now says there are two priorities and notice that these scriptures have EVERYTHING in common with one another.

The point here is that there are only two priorities in life that determines your spiritual life, which is the basis of your choices in life.(x2)

To determine the road you are on we need to look at these priorities.

THE FIRST PRIORITY IS LOVING THE WORLD.

I call it the wrong priority…

But so many are infatuated or love what the world offers and stands for, yet so many are blind to fact that this wrong priority to have in life.

Look back at verse 15 those first few words come to us as command “DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD or the things that belong to the world”

Now first of all I want you to see that the words this command indicates is that there is an ongoing battle of people loving the world and isn’t that what we see today?

Notice that the word world is used six times in these few verses. The Bible uses the word world in three different contexts.

In the original text the Greek text the word for world is cosmos. The word cosmos means the universe as a well ordered ornament of God in other words world is defined as the physical world that God created.

Second the word world is defined in scripture as the people of the world collectively such as in John 3:16 “God so love the world in this way that He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life”.

Notice that God loves the world and the people are defined as the world.

But then comes the third meaning is found here, John’s meaning of the word world refers to the evil, organized system under Satan, which is operated by unbelieving people who are God’s enemies.

In chapter 5 verse 10 John describes it this way that the “whole world around us is under the control of the evil one”.

The Bible also tells us in 2 Cor 4:4 that the world is Satan’s dominion and he is the god of this world. Notice that the world is also described as those who walk in darkness in Eph 2:2.

Jesus also spoke of this world hating both Him and those who follow Him in John 15:18-19.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

This world operates on the basis of ungodly thoughts, desires, attitudes, motives, values, and goals. In other words, the world is defiantly going against everything that God stands for.

So, the command is not to love the world and this command is based from three important facts:

The First fact of why we are not to love the world is that loving the world and what is in it is an obstacle to loving God.

There is conflict that we see throughout the scripture that puts the evil of Satan, the evilness of darkness against the holiness and light of God.

Look at second part of Verse 15 “If anyone loves the world, love for the father is not in him.”

Folks, it is impossible to love God and the world at the same time.

John Piper says it this way:

“Love for the world pushes out love for God, and love for God pushes out love for the world.”

The greatest commandment is love God with all of our heart, our soul and our minds, meaning that there is nothing left to love the corrupted world with.

The world and God are incompatible- somethings just don’t go together like: you can’t take a shower and play football at the same time. Try this with me; try to whistle while keeping your lips closed. You can’t whistle and keep your lips closed at the same time.

Loving the world, the evilness and the darkness creates a barrier of spiritual blindness to the love and to receive redemption of God.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that “the god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ”

I know that I was completely blind of my need for God before I put my faith in Christ Jesus. I was in complete denial. I loved and went after the worldliest things, I did it all wrong, I wanted the wrong things, I wanted what the world had to offer and my love of the world was my obstacle.

Loving the world is an obstacle to loving God.

The second fact of why we are not to love the world is that the world is driven by the lust of sin.

John gives us three desires that characterize what it means to be driven by a lust for the world. Let say this out loud the lusts of the world is sin.

Look back at verse 16- with me:

“For everything that belongs to the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride in one’s lifestyle is not from the Father, but is from the world”

“Lust” refers to a strong desire or impulse. It is used almost always in a negative sense in the New Testament. “Flesh” refers to our fallen nature, which is not eradicated at salvation. “The lust of the flesh” includes any strong desire or inclination of our fallen nature, including sexual sins, but also all activity that stems from the self-seeking, godless nature that we are born with.

I want you to notice that this pattern of lust has not changed from the very beginning, its what got us into trouble in the beginning and Satan is up to his old tricks each day of our lives.

In Genesis 3:6 Eve saw that the forbidden fruit “was good for food” which appealed to the lust of the flesh. She saw “that it was a delight to the eyes.” This appealed to the lust of the eyes. She also saw “that the tree was desirable to make one wise.” This appealed to the boastful pride of life.

Since then this has been the pattern of this sinful world.

We see the very same pattern occurring when Satan tempted Jesus when He was in the wilderness for 40 days, Satan urged Jesus to turn the stones into bread (the lust of the flesh). He showed Him all the kingdoms of the earth, offering to give them to Him (the lust of the eyes). He encouraged Him to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, and God will command all the angels top protect Him, which could have been a source of pride in this miraculous accomplishment.

The three desires that characterize the lust of the world are:

Lust of the flesh

Lust of the eyes

The pride of one’s lifestyle

The first two desires — lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes refer to our desire for what we don’t already have.

We lust after things and people that don’t belong to us; for example, sexual lust, adultery, envy and greed, etc. we want what others have.

Lets not not even talk about the 10 Commandments. The tenth Commandment is all about coveting other peoples things to include the neighbors wife.

Listen to what Proverbs 27:20 says: “Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.”

Then that third phrase – “pride” – refers to the pride in what we do have.

Job, cars, home, land, money etc.…. the best way to explain it is to say it is this is the desire to be better than others so that you can glory in yourself and your accomplishments.

So, we find that those who love the world are driven by two things: a passion for pleasure and a pride in possessions.

We all battle these temptations daily, and we often fail. But John’s point is, if you continue to seek the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life as your way of life, you are not maintaining love for the Father.

Loving the world is an obstacle to loving God.

The world is that the world is driven by the lust of sin.

Then the third fact of why we are not to love the world is that it is passing away.

Look at verse 17 with me:

“and the world with its lusts is passing away”

The world is dying each and every second, its lifestyle, its desires, what makes the world appealing will never last, it is temporary, it will not remain forever, but not only that if you share the desires of the sinful world- if you love the world you are sure to pass away with it.

I have heard of people walking away from God because they were going through tremendous pressures of life, but yet the nonbelievers were living the best lifestyle. Here is what I want to say to you that when you put your faith and trust in Jesus and you love God rather than the world and your reward is far greater throughout eternity.

The people who love the world make decisions based on that priority.

Smart people don’t buy stock in the company that is guaranteed to go bankrupt, but Satan has a grip on the world.

The Bible tells us in the gospel of Matthew 6:19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.”

Why because it is all temporary, it will not last- its sure to fail…it is not a guarantee. You will lose your life. If you love the world, it will pass away and it will take you with it. It would be like staying on the Titanic and getting sucked down to the bottom of the sea, instead of using the lifeboat that is waiting for you.

Do you know what my wife and I invest the most in? God and His Church; why? Because we know that the body of Christ will never die- it will live forever. There is a great return in our investment.

That scripture in Matthew 6 continues to say in verses 20-21:

“But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Can I ask you today; is your treasure in the world?

JOHN TELLS US THAT THE PRIORITIES OF THE WORLD LEAD US DOWN THE WRONG ROAD.

Because it is an obstacle to loving God, driven by the lust of sin and it is that it is passing away.

JOHN NOW GIVES US THE SECOND PRIORITY.

THIS PRIORITY IS A CONTRAST TO THE FIRST PRIORITY AND THAT IS:

LOVING THE FATHER.

I call it the right priority in life.

There are two quick points I need to make here with you.

First, the opposite of loving the world is loving the Father.

Remember just a few weeks ago we talked about the old commandment that was made new.

Loving God is not only a command from the Old Testament, but Jesus made it clear that He came to show the love of God for us.

John tells us in the 4th chapter of this book that “WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US”

Look at verse 15 “If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him”

John puts a twist and makes his readers think for a moment. Are these words condemning the world and its evil or is it about the opposite of loving God?

It’s both because you cannot love God and love as the world, yet you cannot live as the world lives and love God. It is a matter of priority in your life.

The second point is

#2 Loving the Father is doing His will.

Look at the last part of verse 18 with me: “the one who does God’s will remains forever”

THE QUESTION OF THE HUMAN RACE.

What is God’s will for my life?

FIRST AND FOREMOST WE WERE CREATED TO LOVE GOD.

In Matthews Gospel, he records the words of Jesus as Jesus quotes the Old Testament Law.

Matt 22:37-38 “Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

So then we ask the question how do we show our love? I am turning over to the fifth chapter, you can turn there with me, it is just a few pages from where you are chapter 5 and let me share with you what John says

1 John 5:3

“For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands”

Jesus had told us that “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” John 14:15

The idea here is simple- God’s will for all people is measured by the spiritual life in two easy steps.

Love God with your whole being and obey His commands.

And when you do these things the decisions in life will be manifested through God being your priority.

In other words when God is your priority in life the decisions you make in life are directed by His will for you.

Also the benefit is this: What you do next in any situation will tell others around you what you believe about God.

You see: Your priority in life determines the road you are on.

The wrong priority is an obstacle to loving God. It is driven by the lust of sin and it is that it is passing away.

The right priority is Loving God and doing His will and inheriting an eternity in heaven that will never end.

Invitation

I want to encourage you to apply God’s message to your life today.

Are you tired of living life by the worlds standard?

I know that it can be hard trying to gather everything you can to let others see your success by the worlds standard.

The world has us by the grips, with the lust of the flesh, the eyes and pride of life. But friends let me tell you that's no way to live your life, its the devils way not God’s way.

So my question to you today are you ready to make the right decision for God.

This is where peace and rest comes from. The Bible teaches us that Jesus gave an invitation that still stands today in Matt 11:28

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Do you need rest from the world?

There is no better time than the present to seek that rest.

Maybe you have realized that your life have not been right before God, I want to give you the opportunity to come and pray at the altar, but also we have our deacons here to pray with you.