I know we think it’s possible to love a bunch of things at one time. And that may be the case when we talk about our family, or friends, or favorite pizza. But when those things are opposites, it is unfeasible and really impossible. This verse talks about us having one love.
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.
- Before we unpack this verse, and talk about what it means for our lives, it is important to first understand, What in the world does John mean by world?
- In these epistles and the Gospel, John employs this term in three distinct and basic ways:
- (1) the created universe (3:17; 4:17; John 1:10);
- (2) the world of human persons, not neutral persons, but the world of man as fallen away and estranged from God. (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2);
- We see this in gospel of John, notice how he describes the world…
- He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. (Jn 1:10)
- Later on John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29)
- as originally created by God, was very good (cf. Gen. 1:31, with Jno. 1:3, 10), but became evil and is the object of redeeming love (Jno. 3:16; 1 Jno. 2:2; 4:14), so that the children of the world become the children of God in their faith in Christ and His Word
- (3) an evil organized earthly system controlled by the power of the evil one that has aligned itself against God and his kingdom (4:3–5; 5:19; John 16:11).
- ILL: Two kingdoms. Opposites. Just as Auburn and Alabama will forever be rivals.
- “love” –
- When people love the world, they are misapplying this human emotion in a way that will lead to their demise. In a sense love is neutral. The object of one’s love or affection is decisive. One must be careful that this love is going in the right direction and that it acts in a manner consistent with Christian confession.
- The correct application of love springs from the fact that the believer has a singular loyalty and commitment to the Father. This verse states clearly that one cannot love the world and love God at the same time. The absolute nature of this statement is striking and compels careful and serious reflection. The stakes are high. Because the Father’s kingdom is at war with the kingdom of this world, the two will never coexist peacefully. To pledge allegiance to one side is to declare opposition to the other.
- Your affections are meant for something better than these transient and defiled things, so do not let your heart’s love flow out to things so soiled and base. “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth” (Col 3:2).
- APP: The problem is in what we value.
- The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field – Mt 13:44.
- There are things in this world which will pull for our affections
- “If anyone loves the world”
- Subjunctive case highlights the conditions that cause the absence of the Father’s love. Almost as if John is saying, IF you love the world, THEN the love of God won’t be in you.
- Or, if this is the trajectory of your life, then you can expect this result.
APP: Could it be that we often don’t feel loved by God because we’re loving the world too much? Maybe, just maybe the issue is us. Not God! - the love of the world is incompatible with the love of God, as our Father; the love of the world cannot consist with the sonship of God.
- Jesus said it this way, “You cannot serve God and money.”
- These two things are such deadly opposites that they cannot live together. Where the love of the father is, there cannot be the love of the world. There is no room in us for two loves. The love of the world is essentially idolatry, and God will not be worshiped side by side with idols. You cannot send your heart at the same time in two opposite ways—toward evil and toward good. You must make a choice between the two.
- ILL: 2 people calling one person.
- 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. – Lk 15:11–24.
- Romans 5.8 – “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”- (Ro 5:8)
- We can choose the world and be killed by sin, or
- We can choose God and live because his Son died for us.