Introduction: John tells us to say no to the world. There is a need for us to understand the world system that stands opposed to everything in the kingdom of God. As God’s people we need to recognize and reject all that is of the world so that the love of God may flow freely in our lives.
I What is the World? (vv. 15-17)
i) Kosmos: The Greek word means and orderly arrangement and was used for hair arrangements. It is used of the universe, the orderly arrangement of the heavenly hosts, or harmonious arrangement or constitution and government.
ii) Usage in Scripture: 1) Created World, Mat 16:26, profit a man to gain the whole world …. 2) human beings, Joh 3:16, God so loved the world….. 3) system of this fallen world, 1Jo 5:19, the whole world is under the control of the evil one…. Satan is the prince or ruler of this system.
iii) What it is here: The last definition representing all that displeases God, opposes His teaching and is under Satan’s dominion: philosophies, ideas, doctrines that distort or degrade Christ and his sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.
II What is in the World? (v 16)
i) Cravings of sinful man: The lust of the flesh includes all the desires in our bodies that impel us to do wrong. So Satan used these desires to tempt Eve (Gen 3) and then Jesus (Mat 4). These include sexual sins, eating, and those relating to temperament and character.
ii) Lust of the Eyes: These include not only the sins of the eyes but of the imagination and mind also. Again Satan appealed to visual desire of Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. He also appealed to the visual desire of all the cities of the earth when tempting Jesus.
iii) Boasting of what he has and does: This is the pride of life. The original sin that was found in the heart of Lucifer. This was his failure to accept his creaturely state and dependence on the Creator. Satan used this tactic to appeal to pride when he suggested that eating the fruit would make her wise and like God. He tried to appeal to this same pride and independence from God when he asked Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the temple, to exert his own will independent of God and expect the angels to protect him.
III What not to do with the World? (v 16)
i) Do not love it: It is a command of Scripture. Paul says in Gal 6:14, through the cross he was crucified to the world and the world to him. Has that really happened in your life?
ii) Or anything in the world: Materialism has no place in the life of the believer. This world is passing away. Everything in this world will be destroyed (2Pe 3:10-11)!
iii) Can’t love God and the World: You can’t be godly and worldly at the same time. You can’t serve two masters but you will always serve one. Jam 4:4 you adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
iv) We need to be reprogrammed: Rom 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…..
Conclusion: The prince of the world is still opposing us today. Are you on your guard against the temptations of this world? If your love has gone cold ask yourself if you need to renounce afresh the world.
