1 John 2:12–17 (NKJV)
12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him… And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
The contrast is clear: It’s the world vs. us. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. In Genesis, God created the world, and in John 3:16 we are told that “God so loved the world.” But here we are told not to love the world, because in this case, “the world” is referring to the fallenness of this sinful world. The true distinction we should hear in these verses is the distinction between the penitent and the impenitent, between the faithful and the fallen, between those redeemed and restored of the Father and those still lost of this fallen world.
We, too, were once lost, part of the fallen world, from the youngest of us to the oldest of us. However, as babes in Christ, we came to a right understanding of the Father through faith in His redeeming love in His Son. We were of the same sinful world, but then Christ’s death on the cross for us canceled the debt of our sin, as we received the free gift of forgiveness through faith in His name. And then we were transferred from the domain of this world into the kingdom of Christ, no longer of this world but of the Father. Therefore, John the Elder calls us to acknowledge that change in status and to live accordingly: no longer loving this fallen world, but walking in the Father’s love, loving the things of the Spirit, and abiding in Him.
Let us pray: O Lord, in Your continual mercy, cleanse and defend Your Church. Because we cannot continue in safety without You, always help and guide us; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
