September 16
________________________________________LOVING THE WORLD FORFEITS GOD’S LOVE
12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.15 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. 16 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. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. –1 John 2:12-17
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This letter of John is addressed to all: fathers, young men and children. This gospel account addresses the issue of loving the world and all things in it. According to Baker’s Evangelical dictionary, the biblical concept of “world” falls into five categories: the physical world, the human world, the moral world, the temporal world, and the coming world. In this account of John, we can surmise that it refers to the physical and human concept. John reminds us of the importance of keeping ourselves pure in order to move forward with our salvation. Holiness is something that God requires from His chosen people. Because God has set His people apart from the world, He requires them to stay pure for Him. Because He Himself is holy, He wants all believers to be in that state of righteousness as well.
In this letter, John emphasizes the importance of keeping our priorities intact. We need to live focusing on Jesus first and keeping ourselves out of distractions that come so easily in the world surrounding us. Since Satan rules the world, everything in this world is controlled by him. God created everything in the universe and gave dominion and authority on humans, but Adam and Eve gave it to Satan when they committed the first sin against God.
The world is passing away, unlike the eternal life that God created for humans to have. Because God loves us so much, He gave us a “will” to choose Him and does not force us.
It is up to us to choose God rather than be corrupted by the world and its system.
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REFLECTION
• What does “loving the world” means in God’s economy?