My bible study currently has me in 1 John. While my studies always prompt me to contemplate the commitment to my faith and my obedience to the word of God, verses 15-17 of chapter 2 cut to the heart.

They read:

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

As someone who spent most of his life lusting, I momentarily wanted to “un-read” these words. But the twinge of regret and the grief for my past disobedience quickly dissipated as I remembered the foundational truth of my most recent post, powerfully voiced in 1 John 1:9:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Praise the Lord, I have been forgiven. So my thoughts turned instead to consider the correction I could offer to those who seek to rationalize God’s wisdom in an effort to continue their love affair with the world. After all, I was always pretty good at rationalizing poor choices.

For example, one might rationalize worldly pursuits by pointing to the false contradiction of 1 John 2:17-18 with John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”)

If God loved the world, why shouldn’t I?

Context, however, matters. In the New Testament, “world” is used in three distinct contexts. In one it is simply the planet earth. In another, as exemplified in John 3:16, it alludes to the people that populate the earth.

But it is the third meaning that is referenced in 1 John 15-17. In this context, the “world” is anything that leads or encourages us to make choices that are disobedient to God’s word. Often these things manifest as false idols – such as the unrepentant pursuit of money, fame and pleasure. John has characterized them here as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”

This meaning of “world” is illuminated by Jesus’ allusion to Satan as “the ruler of this world” in John 14:30 – and unbelievers as “sons of this world” in Luke 16:8.

I, for one, spent too much of my life in pursuit of false idols, subject to the ruler of this world. Every day continues to be a struggle against this world and its ruler. It is not a contest that I – or anyone – can win alone.

In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul cautions that the ONLY way that struggle can be won is to “walk in the Spirit” – that we must not yield to our fleshly lusts but to God. We must be led by His Holy Spirit and, in doing so, strengthen ourselves against worldly desires, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” (v 17)

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:19-25

The “world” or God…who do YOU love?