Welcome! Great that you are taking the time to study the Bible with us. Today is the first day that we study the verses 15-17. Tomorrow we will do it again with another focus. Please see the text below and listen to the study for the explenation.

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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. 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.”

Today and tomorrow we will spend time mediating on these three very important verses. Today, we will talk about the world, what is in the world that we should not love. Tomorrow, we will dwell on what it means for us as believers to be IN the world, yet not be OF the world?

DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD
James Montgomery Boice has a good explanation of the world. “the world of men is in rebellion against God and therefore characterized by all that is in opposition to God. This is what we might call “the world system.” It involves the world’s values, pleasures, pastimes, and aspirations.” Later in 1 John 5:19, we also learn that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

DO NOT LOVE THE THINGS OF THE WORLD
Verse 16 describes three types of sin that can ensnare us and take our eyes off God. While many things in this world can be good, but when they become an obsession or craving, they become sin.
It is interesting to note, the three things that Satan tempted Jesus within the wilderness, fall under the same categories in this passage. (Matt 4:1-11)
“THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH”: the Lust after physical or emotional pleasures, regardless of their consequences. Such desires are self-centered in nature, and include sex, drugs, addictions, revenge, violence, gossip and so much more. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, he told Jesus “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread,” a mighty temptation for anyone after a 40-day fast.
“THE DESIRES OF THE EYES”: The world contains many desirable things. The lusts of the eyes seek after riches and things the world considers valuable. These can become idols in our life, replacing God. For Jesus, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ”All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
“THE PRIDE OF LIFE”: The world praises status, importance and honor from others. Pride is a downfall which we must resist. Jesus tells us over and over, “the first shall be last, and the last first.” The values of the Kingdom of God are totally opposite from the world. For Jesus the pride of life temptation was to show off his power to the world: “Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. ”If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will commend His angels concerning you and they shall lift you up in their hands, So that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Remember, in each temptation, Jesus used Scripture to answer Satan.

THE FATE OF THE WORLD
Verse 17 tells us that the “world is passing away along with its desires.” The good news is that we know how it all ends. The last two chapters of the Bible (Rev 21, 22) describe how a new heaven and a new earth appear, as the first earth has “passed away.”

APPLICATION
Reflect a bit on your relationship with the world. Do you find yourself taken by its fleshly desires, are you distracted by its shining baubles and pretty objects which beckon to us, or are you driven by desire be somebody in the world, to be admired and have a high status? In the scope of eternity, do you focus on the temporal which will pass away, or what God has in store for us in the future?

Check out one of my favorite videos of Francis Chan’s rope illustration. It changes our perspective.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=86dsfBbZfWs