READ: Hosea 4-6; Proverbs 4; 1 John 2
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 2: 15 Do not
love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for
the Father is not in them.
16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives
forever.
OBSERVATION: Some Christians
think that apostle John's command of “Do
not love the world or anything in the world” is paradoxical to his earlier
statement of God's love for the world. Some people misunderstood that John
calls for an ascetic life. Here, John does not refer to people of the world but
the world system that is under the dominion of Satan. As our Lord Jesus prayed
for us, we are “not of the world” just like him (Jn.17:16). Protecting ourselves
from the corrupt world system or worldliness is challenging for every Christian.
Here, John is not
saying up to what level we are allowed to love the world. Instead, he
outrightly says, “do not love anything in the world.” Apostle Paul says the
same in different words that “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom.12:2). As Christians, we must
stand against anything that denies the sovereignty of God. We should know that “friendship
with the world means enmity against God” (Jam.4:4). We can either love the
world or our God the Father. “No one can serve two masters” (Mt.6:24). We
should not allow anything in the world to take away our love for the Father
God.
In verse 16, John says of three
things that come from the world: “the lust of the flesh, the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life.” Dr. Thomas L. Constable beautifully explains, “The
"lust of the flesh" is the desire to do something apart from the will
of God…The "lust of the eyes" is the desire to have something apart from
the will of God…The "pride of life" is the desire to be something
apart from the will of God.” Thus, these three worldly things separate us from
God by indulging us to sin against him in body, spirit, and soul. In the past, many
had fallen from grace and sinned against God when they allowed these things in
their lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ overcame all these three things— the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—when the devil tempted
him (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Jesus says, “I have overcome the world”
(Jn.16:33); “He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb.2:18). We
should be careful to love our God with all our heart (Deut.6:5). It is our love
for God that enables us to keep his commands. We find our true happiness and
live safe when we live according to God’s word and do the will of God.
APPLICATION: The first and
greatest commandment of Jesus is, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Mt.22:37; Mark 12:30;
Luke.10:27). I should/will be careful not to allow any worldly things to occupy
the place of God. I love him because he first loved me. All the pleasures and desires
of the world will pass away, but my life does not end here. I will continue to live
with God. I am convinced that nothing
will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord (Rom.8:38-39).
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your love that
chose me to live for you. Jesus, help me grow in God’s love and remain in you. Holy
Spirit, give me your strength to love the Lord God with all my heart and with
all my soul and with all my mind and with all my strength. Amen.
- Arputharaj Samuel
+91 9538328573
Day – 337
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