15 Do not love the world nor 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 and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15–17)
Overcoming the evil one (v. 14) is now explained. Our battle is with “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.” (1 John 2:16) These are not from the Father, but from the world. The evil one adroitly uses these hooks to overcome us if he can.
Combating the world and Satan involves two things: loving God and doing his will. How do we love him and do his will? What is his will for us? It’s certainly not anything that entices our flesh, it’s certainly not something that glitters like gold, and it’s certainly not an obsession with climbing the corporate ladder of success. On the contrary, we are to “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10) in other words, less striving and more knowing.
This singular focus—striving to know God—subordinates all the stuff that is designed to take us down, to derail our progress, and to corrupt what is good.
Here are some more principles.
It’s impossible to love God and the world at the same time. You can’t derive pleasures from both at the same time. We don’t want our spiritual progress to suffer, so we must work hard at it, of course with the Spirit’s help, ridding ourselves of all the subtle influences of the world. This is difficult to do but becomes easier with practice. It’s never fully accomplished, but is a worthy objective. The key is, do you love godly things or worldly things.
There’s a truism in verse 16. All that is from the world is corrupt in some fashion. We can count on it. Another woman. Another job. Another car. Another anything! There needs to be a turning point in which what is yearned for with the same force of our will is more of God and more of his truth. This has an amazing way of derailing our passions for the world’s enticements. It’s like refusing to enter the “midway” at the county fair.
Doing the will of God protects us from the wiles of the world. It’s much like being in military service. In theory you’re all about fighting a war, with little if any time for civilian life. Jesus was always about his father’s business. His one-track mind allowed him to live the perfect life. The more engaged we are in serving him and his purposes, the less time we have for cavorting in the world. It must be admitted in this day and age how easy it is to get sidetracked. We must stay focused and dependent on him, which practically means spending big chunks of time in God’s word and prayer and less time scrolling.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:6)
We should all be eternally grateful for the power that works within us!
For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. (Colossians 1:29)
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