Can you please explain 1 John 2:15-16?
Listen: 151.6
Let’s read those two very important verses. 1 John 2:15-16says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” This presents a problem for some, for the Lord Himself loves the world. John 3:16is clear in telling us that, “God so loved the world…” Yet, here, we are instructed not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world. What is the difference?
God’s love for the world is a love that is concerned about our eternity; a love that is concerned about our spiritual well-being; a love that longs to see the world come to Him for His free gift of eternal life that He offers to all. The Lord wants us to have this same type of love for the world. In fact, He sends His disciples into the world to preach the Gospel in love to everyone. The Lord said in Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The Lord wants us to show His love to the world by our words and our actions.
However, the Lord does not want us to become attracted to the world and all its pleasures. He does not want us to set our affections on the world. We read in Colossians 3:1-2, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” All that the world offers is contrary to what the Lord wants us to be occupied with. As we just read in 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life…” It was these three characteristics of worldliness that helped to tempt Eve to sin in the Garden of Eden.
Genesis 3:6tells us, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” She saw the tree was good for food. That is the lust of the flesh. Eve saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes. That is the lust of the eyes. Eve desired the tree to make her wise. That is the pride of life. So, we see that all the world has to offer us will only draw our hearts away from Him. The Lord desires our undivided hearts. Does He deserve our whole hearts? Of course He does! The Lord has loved us beyond measure. He has given himself as the greatest sacrifice to take away our sins. He deserves our whole heart! King David wrote in Psalms 119:2, “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”
My dear friend, let’s consider the blessed truth of 1 John 2:17, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” All that is in the world, all that the world has to offer is only temporary and distracting. Proverbs 4:23tells us to, “Keep thy heart with all diligence…” As believers, let us set our affection on things above. Let us guard our hearts from the enticements of the world so that we might live for our blessed savior. (151.6)