The Love of the Father and the Love of the World

1 John 2:12-17 The Love of the Father and the Love of the World Introduction: Last week as we studied through verses 7-11 John was applying the test of love to our lives. We can have assurance that we know God if our life is bearing the fruit of Love. Love is from God and is the distinguishing mark of his people. The love of God shinning through his people is a sign that the new age/the kingdom of God has come. Hate is in total opposition to God and is the distinguishing mark of the kingdom of darkness, that is passing away. John now writes his readers to assure them that he is confident in their fellowship with God, he does so to strengthen them, because although the kingdom of God is already shinning, it has not fully come, sin, temptation and the devil are still at work. Therefore we must continually guard our hearts... 1. Little Children a. Many think that John is simply writing to three different age groups within this fellowship. Others think that John is referring to three different stages of spiritual maturity. John uses the term little children to refer to all the recipients of this letter. (2:18;2:28;5:21)Therefore it would be strange for John to all of a sudden change his meaning in the middle of the letter. b. Another thought is that John is addressing the whole church as little children and then two specific groups in the church: Fathers and Young men. This is an attractive interpretation especially when you think how God has called men, young and old, to lead his church. If this is John’s meaning he is commending them for holding fast to the truth in the midst of heresy within the church. c. The truth is nobody really knows why John addresses three different groups. What we do know is that these things are not just true about each group (whether John was concerned with actually age or spiritual maturity) but are true of all Christians. d. The first time John refers to them as little children he uses the greek word teknia and the next time paidia. Teknia emphasizes the community of nature between the child and the parent. Remember John is their pastor, their father in the faith, they are his dear or little children in the Lord. Paidia emphasizes the idea of subordination. Children under the discipline or discipleship of a father. i. Good parenting/fathering is a combination of encouragement and warning. And this is exactly what John does. He encourages or affirms the things that are true and good; and then he turns and gives warning to the dangers that loom. 1. Now if there is something that John wants his hearers to remember and be assured of it is that their sins have been forgiven them for his name sake, and that they know the Father. 2. It is an essential to the christian life that we keep the gospel at the forefront of our minds; that our sins have been forgiven because of what Jesus has done, taking our death, our sin, and guilt, and giving us his life, righteousness, and adoption - access/fellowship with the Father. 3. This is something we must be certain of, this is something that God wants us to have absolute assurance about. Our sins are forgiven and we now have God as our heavenly father, because of what Jesus has done. a. “And when before the throne I stand in him complete, Jesus died my soul to save my lips shall still repeat”. 2. Fathers a. John twice says to the fathers that he writes to them because they know him who is from the beginning. b. John is speaking about an experiential knowledge of Christ. -He who was from the beginning. i. The beginning could refer to the beginning of Jesus earthly ministry. If so; the knowledge they have is indicative of a deep, ongoing spiritual relationship that is grounded in the historical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not in intellectual speculation that would pervert the true picture of who Jesus is. - Akin ii. If the beginning refers to time, it would be a reference to the immutability of Christ. Which to me seems more fitting with the context. Either way it has to do with an unchanging truth concerning Jesus Christ. iii. He says first, that he is writing to them because their sins are forgiven for his name sake, and that they know the father. The second thing he would want them to be certain of is that the one who has accomplished this work for their sake never changes. 1. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” 3. Young Men a. John says that he writes to the young men because they are strong and the word of God abides in them and they have overcome the evil one. i. Again a vital part of the christian life is that we understand where our victory and strength over the evil one come from. 1. It is God’s word at work in us. 2. How does God’s word in us give us victory over the evil one? a. Please don’t misunderstand me when I say this. I think often times we read about God’s word abiding in us and we automatically think this means the Bible. And so then we think that victory over the devil comes by reading God’s word; by simply getting it into our minds. I don’t think that this is what John means when he says “the word”. b. It seems to me that John is referring to something more specific. i. It seems to me that John is referring to the specific word of God here as in the Gospel. The Gospel is what gives us victory over the evil. The scripture says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” ii. Christ death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead is what overcame the evil one. 1. 1 John 5:4-5 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 2. As that “word” (the Gospel) abides/lives in us we have victory over the evil one! 3. It’s like this: John wants us to know our sins are forgiven, we have a relationship with the father, it is because of Christ who does not change. - this is the word that give us strength and victory over the evil one as it abides in us. a. I think John is writing to assure and encourage his readers. He does so because although the true light is already shinning and the darkness is passing away. The new age has not fully come. Believers are living in the “already and the not yet”. The victory is certain but there are still battles to be fought and won. So John now continues to warn us of the dangers we face in “the already and the not yet”. Particularly: the world. 4. The World a. “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. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” b. What does John mean by the world? i. When John uses the term the world he can mean three different things: 1. He can mean the created universe (1 John 3:17;4:17; John 1:10) 2. The world of human persons (John 3:16-17; 1 John 2:2) 3. But usually John is referring to an evil organized earthly system controlled by the power of the evil one that has aligned itself against God and his kingdom. a. It is really the context which determines the meaning and the context here refers to worldly attitudes or values that are opposed to God. And John will go on to explain exactly what he means. ii. But shouldn’t we love the world; aren’t we taught even to love our enemies? 1. The love of the world that John is referring to is an ongoing action. It carries a different meaning than the love christians are to have for fellow believers. That love is focused on self sacrifice and the well being of others; this love is focused on pleasure, self gratification and self glorification. c. The desires of the flesh - passions. i. This is a reference to the sinful desires within our own being. 1. Natural desires that are contrary to God’s will. 2. A desire from within that takes no account of the true value of things. d. The desires of the eyes - possessions. i. “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.” - Proverbs 27:20 ii. This speaks of the sinful desire to try to satisfy ourselves with possessions. iii. This is the sin of covetousness. e. The pride in possessions - position. i. The Holman Christian Standard Bible puts it this way: “the pride in one’s lifestyle”. ii. This has to do with pride and boasting about having and doing things this worldly system deems important; taking pride in your lifestyle and accomplishments. iii. This pride that results from and in the worldly possession is an affront to God, for it leads to self glorification and a failure to realize man’s utter dependance on God for existence. This is where people make God’s of their livelihood, social status, or other accomplishments. These things might be important to men but they matter very little to God. 1. Luke 16:15 “For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” 2. “A worldly man is one who lives as though this were the only world. He may think about another, he may say he believes in another, He may read the Bible and attend church on Sunday, but the rest of the week in business, at home, in pleasure, he lives as though there were no God in the universe”. i. It needs to be said that the condemnation of everything in the world is not a declaration that the world created by God is evil. John fully embraced the doctrine of the goodness of creation as taught in Genesis 1-2. John’s proclamation is that humanity in it’s sinfulness has followed evil rather than good and has worshiped the creation rather than the Creator. The problem isn’t material things. The problem is that people have made these things into idols. Each vice that John list are avenues by which humanity is especially prone to pervert the goodness of God’s creation. 5. The Love of the Father a. John gives two reasons for not loving the world: i. Love for the world and Love for God are incompatible. 1. The two are completely opposed to one another. a. James 4:4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” b. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (or possessions).” i. 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.” - Kysar/Smalley ii. The world is transient while God is eternal. 1. There is no future in worldliness. 2. As John previously told us the new age (God’s kingdom) has arrived and the present age is doomed. The world, like the darkness in it, is already disintegrating and those consumed with worldly desires will pass away with it. 3. But those who do the will of God abide forever. a. For John, loving the Father and doing the will of God are synonymous. i. Jesus said if we loved him we would keep his commandments. In chapter 3:23 John says, “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” 1. Again John is pointing us back to the Gospel. The way that we love God is by believing in his Son, and letting the fruit of that belief live out of our lives. Mainly the fruit of love. Conclusion: 1. Do you find that your heart is set upon, passions, possessions and position? a. Then you can be certain that you are a lover of this world and not a lover of God. When this world passes away, you and all that you have lived for will pass with it. 2. Do you find that your heart is set upon loving the Father? Wanting his ways, his will, his kingdom? a. Loving God means doing his will - keeping his commandments. i. Have you believed upon Jesus for your salvation, and are you demonstrating that by doing his will?? 1. Then you can be certain that you are a lover of the Father, who is eternal, and when this world passes away, you and all that you have lived for will remain. 2.