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The World and Its Things
The theme of John’s first epistle is love. This letter teaches us that oft quoted phrase, “God is love” (I John 4:8). Here God reminds us how great His love is for His creation, because He has made it possible for us to be called His children (I John 3:1). It is a letter full of love. It convinces us not only of God’s knowledge of love and God’s display of love, but also of how we ought to love one another. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (I John 4:7).
Alongside these teachings of love, we find a command that there are some things we should never love. “Do not love the world nor the things in the world” (I John 2:15). In the midst of this extraordinarily positive letter, John mingles in a dash of foreboding and warning. “Do not love the world...”
He sets up a contrast. He speaks of the importance of love referencing its fervor, its sacrifice and its passion for God and other believers. John speaks of care and concern, almost a distraction that comes when a person loves something or someone. In fact, by writing this letter John shows evidence of his love for the brethren. He writes because he cares. He writes so they may not sin (I John 2:12-14). And through all the commands to love one another and to love God and our brethren, he writes, “do not love the world...” The world spoken of here refers not to the lost. Neither does it refer to all things physical. John by no means is saying that we ought not love God’s creation or God’s created. He specifies. Do not love lust and sinful desires. Do not love that which is wrong and against God (I John 2:16).
I know what you are thinking; “Not to worry, I don’t love the world.” These are my thoughts exactly when I previously came across this verse. But allow me to share with you a thought new to me, a thought your spouse has undoubtedly shared with you and a thought the Holy Spirit shares through John multiple times in this very letter. Love is not a feeling; love is something you do and a way you act. After all, God doesn’t judge our love based on warm, gushy feelings, but by our actions (I John 2:5, 5:1-3).
Love obeys. Our love for God is evidenced by our willingness to follow His commands. He tells us that if we love Him we will keep His commandments. Love God, don’t love the world. Don’t be the person sin asks you to be.
Love pursues. We show our love for God and our brothers and sisters by pursuing a relationship with them, by creating a close bond. God calls us His children (I John 3:1). John calls his readers “beloved,” “little children,” and “fathers.” Don’t love the world. Don’t pursue a relationship with worldliness or even venture near it. Don’t get close.
Love sacrifices. Jesus’ love is shown by giving His life on a cross. Our love is shown by our willingness to be living sacrifices, forsaking all for the sake of Jesus and His kingdom. Don’t love the world. Don’t give up anything for the sake of sin. Make not a single compromise for Satan; give him not even an inch. I must give up precisely nothing for worldliness.
While Satan may not get any warm and gushy feelings from you or me, he can be loved. Unlovable as he may seem, we show our love when we obey him. We show our infatuation for him when we draw closer to sinful things and when we begin to pursue a relationship with worldliness. We show our love when we sacrifice Godly things so we may fall in line with the ways of his wickedness.
Satan and sin do not deserve my love or my affections. They are not worthy of my obedience, my sacrifice or my impassioned pursuit. They have earned nothing but repudiation. As John reminds us, “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (I John 2:16-17).
Let us love God, let us love one another and let us refuse to love the world.
