IF GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, WHY SHOULDN’T I?
1 JOHN 2:15-17
John 3:16
If we want to have fellowship with God, we must be like Him.
If we want to walk with a God Who loves the world, shouldn’t WE love the world?
Why does John say to stop loving the world?
What’s the difference between God’s love for the world, and ours?
JOHN’S PURPOSES
1. That we might enjoy fellowship 1:3
—with other people —with God
2. That we might have complete joy 1:4
JOHN’S MESSAGE:
Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together unless they agree?”
To enjoy fellowship with God, we must be like Him.
GOD’S HOLINESS 1:5-3:10
Description of God 1:5 “God is Light” => God is HOLY.
Implications for God’s children 1:6-3:10
Need to walk in holiness 1:6-7
To enjoy fellowship with a holy God, we must be holy!
Provision for restoration to holiness 1:8-2:2
EVIDENCE OF OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD 2:3-27
Four evidences we are in fellowship with God:
How do we know that we know Him?
How do I know one when I see one?
1. Obedience to His commands in general 2:3-6
We know that we know Him, . . .
when we are keeping His commandments. 3
when we are walking as He walked. 6
When we’re walking as He walked, we have assurance that we’re abiding in Him.
2. Obedience to His command to love one another 2:7-14
We know that we know Him, . . .
when we love our brothers.
If we’re part of His family, we’ll love His kids!
Brothers love each other!
[ 3rd evidence that we’re in fellowship with God . . .
How do I know one when I see one? ]
3. Not loving the world 2:15-17
The Command: 2:15a
“STOP loving the world!”
“STOP loving things in the world!”
Contradictory attitudes: 15b Can’t both be true at the same time!
If anyone loves the world, => he doesn’t love the Father!
Present tense–“When, . . .”
This isn’t about love for the world, like God’s love for the world.
This is making a choice between pursuing God, and what pleases Him,
or, choosing the things the world chooses–living according to the standards the world around us lives by.
Love for God and love for the world are mutually exclusive!
Christ’s words: “You can’t serve God & mammon at the same time!”
You have to make a choice!
They contradict each other.
Three things we find in the world: 16 Sum total of all that’s in the world:
There are numerous ways we could catalog all that’s in the world.
John focuses on the essence of “love for the world.”
The world is Satan’s system–a system that wants to leave God out of our life!
The way the world looks at things leads to three main pursuits in life–none of which focus on God!
In fact, they force us to make a choice:
Will we pursue them? Or, will we pursue a relationship with God?
1. Desire of the flesh
Because this is so often applied to one kind of desire: LUST . . .
and one view of “flesh”: sexual desire, . . .
we often miss the broader danger John is warning us against.
While John certainly INCLUDES that idea, the bigger danger is found in pursuing . . .
MY desire–what I want–the desire to satisfy self–MY needs.
NOT just “LUSTS”–it’s a reference to MY desires.
The things I want to achieve in life.
The things I want to obtain.
When I, like Satan, think I can leave God out and pursue MY dreams.
Trying to put forth our best effort to attain OUR goals in life.
The goals may be good goals, but when the focus is me, I’ve started loving myself, more than I love God!
All of these are aspects of ME pursuing what I want out of life.
It’s all about ME!
2. Desire of the eyes
Desire for what we see
Focusing on what we SEE, leads to a WANT
It moves us to DESIRE what we see.
That DESIRE motivates us to TAKE what we SEE.
Achan, Saul, Eve, etc.
The things we see may be good things, but when we start wanting what we SEE, instead of loving God, we’ve lost our focus!
We can’t love God and love the things we SEE at the same time!
What are we focusing on?
3. Pride of life–self-centered, prideful thinking.
The desire to promote ourselves.
If we’re living to promote ourselves, rather than God,
we’re loving the world rather than loving Him!
None of these comes from God;
They may fulfill our dreams and our desires
They may look good
They may help us get ahead and have people’s respect, but . . .
they all come from the world.
So they seek to replace Him-to leave God out!
Two distinct destinies: 17 –Not going the same way!
The world and the things it desires are temporary!
When we focus on things in the world,
we’re focusing on things that are by definition temporary.
Everything in this world gets old–they wear out; they rot; they die.
It’s all passing away–“You can’t take it with you!”
People who are characterized by doing God’s will abide forever!
So why do people who will abide forever cling to things that are passing away?
Why do we get our eyes focused on that which is temporary?
Which will we cling to?
Something that’s temporary?
Or, something that lasts?
SO WHAT? HOW SHOULD THIS STUDY AFFECT THE WAY WE LIVE?
So, how do WE answer the question: “If God so loved the world, why shouldn’t I?”
We must make a choice between pursuing God, and what pleases Him,
or, choosing things the world chooses–living according to the standards the world around us lives by.
What will WE choose to live for?
Will we live to satisfy OUR OWN desires?
Will we live for greed, materialism–to obtain more of the things we see around us?
Will we live for prestige and power–to elevate OUR importance–so people will think well of us?
What are we going to live for?
When we choose to live our life to please God, we know we’re in fellowship with Him.
You can’t be in fellowship with Him and pursue the world’s dreams at the same time!