Todays Reading : I John 2:15-17
John has the distinction of being one of the most known apostles and known as the eyewitness of Jesus Christ. In many of the historical accounts, it shows that the apostle John was first a disciple of John the Baptist and then was called to be a disciple of Christ after Jesus’ baptism. So John was there with Jesus from his baptism, talked with him, saw him heal, heard him teach, watch him being tried and crucified, met him risen, and saw him ascend into heaven. In this letter, John is addressing the church and modeling a method in which to acknowledge and battle against the flesh and heresies. At the time that John writes this letter he is nearly 90 years old. He has had blessed life and continues to shine the gospel into the dark places of the church and our lives.
I John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
I John 4: 14-16
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
As we look at today’s reading with additional support from later in the letter we have some defining moments in our faith and our reality. John instructs us to not love the world or anything that is in the world specifically: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
These three items are always present in our daily lives. We all have been a victim to these items at some point and time because we are part of the flesh. According the Life Application Study “The lust of the flesh is – gratifying the physical desires; the lust of the eyes – craving and accumulating things; the pride of life – obsession with one’s statue”. These items are detrimental to us if these are the end goals and there is no thought of God or others. God wants us to make him the main goal and prize for ourselves.
When I look at both passages it is almost impossible to truly love anything in the absence of God because God is Love and whoever lives in love lives in God. God wants us to show discipline and control of the body, give unconditionally, and humble our selves to the service of the kingdom. We have to be vigilant and ready to show God’s love in the world at all times. May God allow us to continue to hold these teachings, so that we may be able to continue to shine the light of God into our journey.