Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:15-17
In this message we shall consider 2:15-17, verses concerned with the world and the things in the world. In these three verses John defines the world and the things in the world.
The word in 2:15-16, strictly speaking, is not to the fathers nor to the young children; it is a word given to the young men. Of course, whatever is written in the holy Word is written for all of God’s children. Nevertheless, according to the context of chapter two, these verses are written specifically to the young men, to those who are strong, who have the word of God abiding in them, and who have overcome the evil one.
In the first section of this Epistle, the section concerned with the fellowship of the divine life (1:1—2:11), we saw that sin and sins damage our fellowship. In the second section of this Epistle we see two other negative things: the world and antichrist. In verses 13 and 14 John also mentions the evil one. However, this evil one, Satan, the Devil, does not appear directly here. Instead, he wears the masks of the world and of antichrist. No one would love the Devil if he were to appear directly. But everyone loves the world. The world is Satan’s mask that he uses to deceive us and cheat us. In this section of 1 John, the problem is not with the Devil; it is with the world as the Devil’s mask.
For those who love material things according to their lustful desires, Satan will appear wearing the mask of the world. But for those who are religious and care for things that are religious, philosophical, or doctrinal, Satan will come with another mask — the mask of antichrist with his heretical teachings.
The anointing that we have within us enables us to deal with the masks of the world and of antichrist. The young men need to confront the mask of the world. For this reason, the word concerning the world is written to the young men. What is the main problem faced by the young children, the youngest ones in the church life? This problem is the problem of heresy, the mask of antichrist. The antichrists do not consider themselves antichrists, but claim that they are for Christ. This claim, however, is a pretense, a falsehood, a deceit. Therefore, John points out that such ones are antichrist; they are not for Christ. Although they bear the name of Christ, this is a pretense. Whereas the young men in the divine life should overcome the world, the young children need to beware of antichrist. These two negative things — the world and antichrist — are found in the second section of this Epistle.
In verse 15 John says, “Do not love the world, neither the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” The Greek word for world, kosmos, has more than one meaning. In Matt. 25:34; John 17:15; Acts 17:24; Eph. 1:4 and Rev. 13:8, it denotes the material universe as a system created by God. In John 1:29; 3:16 and Romans 5:12, it denotes the fallen human race corrupted and usurped by Satan as components for his evil world system. In 1 Peter 3:3 it denotes adorning, ornament. Here, as in John 15:19; 17:14 and James 4:4, it denotes an order, a set form, an orderly arrangement, hence, an ordered system (set up by Satan, the adversary of God), not the earth. God created man to live on the earth for the fulfillment of His purpose. But His enemy Satan, in order to usurp the God-created man, has formed an anti-God world system on this earth by systematizing men with religion, culture, education, industry, commerce, and entertainment through men’s fallen nature in their lusts, pleasures, pursuits, and even in their indulgence in living necessities, such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The whole of such a satanic system lies in the evil one (1 John 5:19). Not loving such a world is the ground for overcoming the evil one. Loving it just a little gives the evil one the ground to defeat us and occupy us.
In verse 15 John says that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. The love of the Father here is our love toward Him generated by His love within us. We love Him with the love by which He has loved us.
It is important for us to understand the different meanings of the word kosmos in the New Testament. We have pointed out that this word is used to denote the material universe, the fallen human race corrupted and usurped by Satan, and the anti-God world system set up by Satan in order to usurp the man created by God for the fulfillment of His purpose. It is the last mentioned denotation of kosmos that applies to 2:15. In this verse the world refers to the anti-God world system formed by Satan. Every thing, every one, and every matter have been systematized by the evil one, the adversary of God, and made a part of his world system.
In such a situation, where shall we go? The answer is that we need to go to the Triune God. Only the Triune God has not been systematized by Satan. Along with going to the Triune God, we also need to go to the Word of God. Therefore, since every thing, every one, and every matter have been systematized by Satan, we need to flee to the Triune God and His Word. God’s Word is our refuge, our protection.
According to the context, the young men have overcome the evil one, the one who formed this anti-God system, the one who has systematized all things, all persons, and all matters. How can the young men overcome this evil one? They can overcome him because they have the word of God abiding in them. The Word of God is also their refuge, stronghold, and fortress. Day by day, the young men need to stay in the Word of God. We know from our experience that when the word of God abides in us and we stay in the Word as our refuge, we are protected from the evil one.
In 5:19 John says that the whole world system lies in the evil one. Not only has this evil one systematized everything, but the entire system lies in him. We may use a patient in surgery as an illustration of the world lying in the evil one. In surgery, a patient is anesthetized and lies on the operating table. The surgeon is then able to operate on the patient, and the patient has no consciousness of what is happening. This is a picture of the whole world lying under the hand of Satan. Those in the world are unconscious of the fact that they are lying on the “surgery table” of the evil one and that he is “operating” on them.
In verse 15 John charges us not to love the world or the things in the world. He tells us that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. Not loving the world is the ground for overcoming the evil one. However, if we love the world, this will give the evil one the ground to occupy us. Whenever we open ourselves to the world, to Satan’s anti-God system, we lose the battle against him.
In verse 16 John speaks concerning the things in the world: “Because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” The lust of the flesh is the passionate desire of the body; the lust of the eyes is the passionate desire of the soul through the eyes; and the vainglory of life is the empty pride, boast, confidence, assurance, and display of material things of the present life. These are the components of the world.
The lust of the flesh, the passionate desire of the body, is mainly related to the body. Because the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil has entered into the human race, our body became fallen and corrupted. Adam and Eve, our first parents, partook of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As a result, an evil element came into the human race, and now this element is in our physical body. From experience we know that an evil, satanic element dwells in man’s nature.
Asceticism is an attempt to deal with the lust of the flesh. However, asceticism is not effective in dealing with the passionate desire of the body. In certain Christian writings we can see the element of asceticism. For example, we can find asceticism in the famous book, The Imitation of Christ. Some Christian teachings concerning bearing the cross actually bring in asceticism. In the four Gospels the Lord Jesus clearly spoke concerning the cross. However, we should not confuse the genuine bearing of the cross with asceticism. No matter to what extent people may mistreat their body by following ascetic practices, asceticism will not work in dealing with the lust of the body.
In verse 16 John also speaks about the lust of the eyes. We have pointed out that the lust of the eyes is the passionate desire of the soul through the eyes. When the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil came into the human body, the body became flesh. Because the body encompasses the soul, the soul fell under the influence of the fallen body. As a result, our soul also has been corrupted. Therefore, the soul, our psychological being, has become lustful due to the influence of the fallen body.
The fallen soul and body now work together. Our body influences our soul, and our soul influences our body. The body and the soul work together whenever we do something sinful. Because of this mutual operation of body and soul, it is difficult to say whether it is the body or the soul that takes the initiative to commit sin. Therefore, on the one hand, we have the lust of the flesh; on the other hand, we have the lust of the eyes. Apparently, the lust of the eyes is simply part of the lust of the flesh. Actually, this refers to something within our body. Our eyes are lustful because our soul is lustful. The lust in our eyes, therefore, comes from our soul.
In verse 16 John also mentions the vainglory of life. We have seen that the vainglory of life is the empty pride, boast, confidence, assurance, and display of material things of the present life. Here the Greek word rendered “life” is bios, a word that refers to physical life, and also to the present life. It differs from the Greek word zoe used in 1:1-2, a word that refers to the divine life.
In the New Testament three Greek words are used for life: zoe, which refers to the divine life, the life of God; psuche, which refers to our human life, our soulish or psychological life; and bios, which refers to physical life. The Greek word bios also denotes the present life. Hence, the vainglory of life means the vainglory of the present life. Whatever takes place in human society is the present life. With this present, earthly life there is vainglory. This vainglory includes empty pride, boast, confidence, assurance, and display of material things.
We have seen that the world in 2:15 denotes an evil, satanic, anti-God system that is constituted of the things created by God. Satan has used these things to form his system. However, these things are not the contents of the satanic world system. This system comprises the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of the present life. For example, God has created different kinds of food. Without food we cannot survive. However, Satan uses food to form a satanic system. This does not mean, however, that food is part of the contents of Satan’s evil system.
Farming and industry are also necessary for human life. It would be impossible for us to survive without farming and industry. Satan has utilized farming and industry in forming his evil system. But these things in themselves are not the contents of the world system formed by Satan. What, then are the contents of the satanic system? The contents of this system are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life.
It is not easy to differentiate between the things, matters, and persons used by Satan to constitute his evil system and the actual contents of this world system. Your car and house may be used by Satan to constitute the anti-God world. But neither your car nor your house is part of the contents of Satan’s evil system. I would emphasize again that the contents of Satan’s system is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of this present life.
We may use owning a car as an illustration of the difference between something used by Satan to form his system and the actual contents of this system. How can a car be utilized by the enemy of God to form his evil system? The car itself is not a problem and is not the content of Satan’s system. The problem is with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and, in particular, with the vainglory of the present life. If it were not for man’s vainglory, a car would not become a problem. However, many people like to buy an expensive car in order to make a display. In their case, the car they drive is used for vainglory. In this country a car is a necessity. The problem, therefore, is not with the car itself; the problem is with the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. When you consider a certain kind of car, you may desire to have it. Some may think about a certain car day and night. The car is not wrong — the persons are wrong. The problem is not with the car they need; the problem is with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life.
As further illustrations, we may also refer to our need for clothing and housing. A dwelling place is a necessity, and clothing also is a necessity. Once again, the problem is not with the house or the clothes; these are not the actual contents of the world system. The problem is with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, for these are the contents of Satan’s evil system.
According to the Bible, the world is against the Father (v. 15), the Devil is against the Son (3:8), and the flesh is against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). On the one hand, we have the Divine Trinity — the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. On the other hand, we have an evil trinity — the world, Satan, and the flesh. If we enjoy the Divine Trinity, we shall have nothing to do with the evil trinity.
In verse 17 John goes on to say, “And the world is passing away, and its lust, but he who practices the will of God abides forever.” As the world is against God the Father, so the things in the world (v. 15), which are its lust, are against the will of God. On the positive side, we have the Father and His will. On the negative side, we have the world and all the things in the world. The world is against the Father, and the things in the world are against the will of the Father.
According to John’s word in verse 17, the world is passing away and its lust, but he who practices the will of God abides forever. To practice the will of God is to do the will of God habitually and continually, not merely occasionally. The world, its lust, and those who love the world are passing away. But God, His will, and those who do His will abide forever.
