No Love

1 John 2:15-17

: We stay in 1 John and address an interesting couple of verses.

Because 1 John 2:15-17 can create the image of an all-encompassing view, clarity is needed.

Greek word is

is a big word, it covers a lot. =

What is at issue here is the facts that many of the things available to us become a competition against God.

The problem is that there are definitely things like Endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which although

and

and

,

,

from God and are

to the cause of Christ

Again, a good way to think about this is what pulls us away from God. Competition like I just said.

James 4:4 has a very similar theme,

Word friendship is

.

You’ve all probably heard it said that Christians are ‘in, but not of,’ the world.

That primarily comes from a passage in John’s Gospel 7:14-19

Notice Jesus’s references to his disciples being “not of the world.” Verse 14:

“The world has hated them because

.”

And there it is again in verse 16: “

.”

Here’s a good impulse in the slogan “

, but not 

.”

: So, what exactly is John referring to?

The world can be conceived or understood as a system of values and goals from which God is excluded.

: The second issue coming from John has to do with worldly cravings.

– verse 16

John specified its contents under three well-known phrases that effectively highlight the world’s false outlook. Men of the world live for the cravings of sinful man. “Cravings” translates ‘

, which is used twice in this verse and once in the next verse. The NIV translates it differently each time: “cravings,” “lust,” “desires.”

.

: The third problem that is considered worldly is its boastings.

– verse 16

The boasting of what he has and does paraphrases the Greek

(lit., “the pretension of human life”), which signifies a proud and ostentatious way of life.

= the laying of a claim to something. a claim or title to something.

Often 

a claim made, especially indirectly or by implication, to some quality, merit

A claim to dignity, importance, or merit.

the act of 

 or alleging.

Christians ought to have nothing to do with such worldly perspectives as these.

verse 17

1 John 2:17After all, the world and its desires (

) are temporary and pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

: So, is it ok to go to the prom, or a party or a crazy, loud sporting event or even a non-Christian concert? Is that loving the world?

The truth is that only you can answer that question and our answer needs to examine our values, cravings, boasting and desires.