John wrote, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). That's ... a little perplexing. I mean, aren't we supposed to love the world? Aren't we supposed to love our neighbors? What is that all about?
John doesn't leave in question what he intended. "For all that is in the world, 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" (1 John 2:16). Ah! Got it. Sin. This world system. "The flesh." Okay, so the love of the world or "the things in the world" -- sin, this worldly system -- is antithetical to the love of the Father. If you choose the world, the love of the Father isn't an option. Of course, that is perplexing, isn't it? You see, the phrase, "the love of the Father," can have two meanings. Either it is the love we have for the Father, or it the love the Father gives to us. It could mean, "You don't love the Father," or it could mean "The Father has no love for you." Which is it? If we think about it a minute, it's simple. If "love the world" is the opposite of "love of the Father," then they are similar in structure. If you have love for the world, you do not have love for the Father. Easy ... but ... ouch!
I think we often have a problem with this. We really love the world. We seek to be conformed to it. We hesitate to obey God when it means running against the world. Face it ... we're used to the world; we're not nearly as used to the Father. Go with what you know, right? And, of course, none of us would say that ... out loud. So be aware ... if you place your dearest attention on the world, Scripture says ... you don't love the Father. "But ... but ..." No. The sins of the world are not from the Father. Love those ... and you don't love the Father. "The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:17). You choose.
3 comments:
I see this struggle with “love for the world” as being more concerned about the “here and now” (or the very soon-to-come) than a believer ought to be--i.e. thinking much more about this life rather than the one to come; it’s really very shortsighted, considering how brief this life is and how long eternity will be. This limited view is understandable for those who don’t know God but should not be true of me as one instructed to “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). The more I love the Father and hate sin, the more the world’s charms grow dimmer each passing year. Seeing how badly sinful man has spoiled this world, one can only look to the next life for God’s very best creation--which I do with great joy.
Exactly. It's hard for finite beings to look beyond the finite to the infinite.
Wouldn't the quandary of the love for the Father and the love of the Father for you both be true, if we love the world? He cannot abide sin, so much so that He turned His back on His own Son. So if we've embraced the world, we have no love for the Father in us, and He has no love for us, in our sin, and if we remain in that, His love for us that don't love Him cannot override His hatred of sin.
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