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1 John 2:15-17 - Our Relationship with God and The World.

1 John 2:15-17 (NIV) Do not love the world 
or anything in the world. If anyone loves the 
world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For 
everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, 
the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he 
has and does--comes not from the Father but from 
the world. 17 The world and its desires pass 
away, but the man who does the will of God lives 
forever. 

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) Stop loving this evil 
world and all that it offers you, for when you 
love the world, you show that you do not have the 
love of the Father in you. 16 For the world 
offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the 
lust for everything we see, and pride in our 
possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from 
this evil world. 17 And this world is fading 
away, along with everything it craves. But if you 
do the will of God, you will live forever. 

INTRODUCTION

Some people think that worldliness is 
limited to external behavior--the people we 
associate with, the places we go, the activities we 
enjoy. Worldliness is also internal because it 
begins in the heart and is characterized by three 
attitudes: (1) 'the cravings of sinful 
man'--preoccupation with gratifying physical desires; (2) 'the 
lust of his eyes'--craving and accumulating 
things, bowing to the god of materialism; and (3) 
'boasting of what he has and does'--obsession with 
one's status or importance. When the serpent 
tempted Eve (Genesis 3:6), he tempted her in these 
areas. Also, when the devil tempted Jesus in the 
desert, these were his three areas of attack (see 
Matthew 4:1-11). By contrast, God values 
self-control, a spirit of generosity, and a commitment to 
humble service. It is possible to give the 
impression of avoiding worldly pleasures while still 
harboring worldly attitudes in one's heart. It is also 
possible, like Jesus, to love sinners and spend time 
with them while maintaining a commitment to the 
values of God's kingdom. What values are most 
important to you? Do your actions reflect the world's 
values or God's values? [Life Application SB] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

The World
   Worldliness has been vastly misunderstood 
on the part of thousands of Christians. It 
needs a little clarification. 
   Suppose someone should offer me a 
hamburger after I had eaten a T-bone steak. I would 
say, "No, thank you, I am already satisfied." 
Christian, that is the secret. You are so filled with 
the things of Christ, so enamored of the things 
of God, that you do not have time or taste for 
sinful pleasures of this world. The Bible says, 
"The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; but to the 
hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet" (Proverbs 
27:7 KJV). 
   You will find in your born-again 
experience that your pleasures have been lifted into an 
entirely new and glorious realm. Many non-Christians 
have accused the Christian life as being a set of 
rules, taboos, vetoes, and prohibitions. This is 
another lie of the devil. It is not a series of 
"don'ts" but a series of "dos." You become so busy in 
the work of Christ and so completely satisfied 
with the things of Christ that you do not have 
time for the things of the world. 
   Do you see the Christian life as a series 
of "don'ts" or of "dos"? [Peace for Each Day by 
Billy Graham] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

1 John 2:15-17 - Our Relationship With God 
And The World. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220923-0920.html 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2013/20131202-1315.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/