Welcome back to “Well That’s Interesting,” a series dedicated to exploring intriguing passages of scripture. The book of 1 John stands out in the New Testament for its powerful yet sometimes perplexing messages. It’s a book that offers both deep comfort and significant challenges to believers. Many admire 1 John for its inspiring verses about God’s love and forgiveness, but its complex writing style, described as cyclical and metaphorical, can also lead to interpretive difficulties. Without a solid foundation, readers can find themselves confused about their standing with God. However, the aim of scripture, and this exploration, is to build confidence in God’s word, not confusion. So, let’s establish a firm starting point as we delve into 1 John 2:15-17.
Foundation: Written to Believers
It’s crucial to understand that 1 John is addressed to believers – individuals who have already placed their faith in Christ for salvation. This letter isn’t an evangelistic message to the unsaved, but rather guidance for those already within the Christian faith. The early church faced constant threats from false teachings, and 1 John addresses these challenges by contrasting the life of a true follower of Jesus with those who oppose Christ.
The letter contains strong warnings because the issues John tackles are critical. He emphasizes the importance of living a life that reflects Christ and avoiding lifestyles contrary to His teachings. However, the core message remains directed to believers. While John speaks about antichrists and those outside or within the church who oppose Christ, his primary concern isn’t to question the salvation of genuine believers. Instead, 1 John prompts self-examination: Does your life reflect the hope you profess in Christ? (Matthew 5:14–16). This letter is not about casting doubt on salvation by grace through faith, but about urging believers to live in a way that aligns with their faith.
“Do Not Love the World”: Verse by Verse Breakdown (1 John 2:15-17)
With this foundation, let’s focus on the verses at hand: 1 John 2:15–17.
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 continues to live forever.
1 John 2:15–17 NASB
These three verses are rich in meaning, each contributing to John’s overall message about worldliness. Notice the repetition throughout these verses – “world,” “love,” “Father”— emphasizing the stark contrast John is drawing between the godly and the worldly.
Verse 15: Defining “World”
When 1 John 2:15 instructs, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world,” it’s essential to understand what “world” signifies here. It’s not a contradiction to John 3:16, which states, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” In John 3:16, “world” refers to humanity, God’s creation whom He deeply loves. However, in 1 John 2:15, “world” takes on a different connotation. Here, it refers to the system of values and desires that are in opposition to God.
John isn’t saying we should hate creation or find no joy in God’s gifts. Instead, he warns against prioritizing temporal, worldly values over eternal, godly ones. It’s about not letting our focus shift from the Creator to the creation itself, especially when that creation is tainted by sin and opposes God’s will.
Consider Paul’s words in Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Or Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and wealth.” These verses echo the same sentiment – we must choose our ultimate allegiance. Will God be our priority, or will we be consumed by worldly pursuits?
Verse 16: Characteristics of Worldliness
Verse 16 clarifies what John means by “the world,” outlining its key characteristics and how it contrasts with Godliness. “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.” God’s creation, though inherently good, has been corrupted by sin. This fallen state has twisted worldly things into something fundamentally opposed to God’s holy nature.
John identifies three primary expressions of worldliness: “the lust of the flesh,” “the lust of the eyes,” and “the boastful pride of life.” “Lust of the flesh” encompasses sinful desires that originate from our physical nature – cravings for sensual pleasures and bodily gratifications that are outside of God’s will. “Lust of the eyes” refers to the sinful desires fueled by what we see – coveting possessions, status, or anything that appeals to our visual senses and breeds discontent. “Boastful pride of life” describes the arrogance and self-reliance that stems from worldly achievements, possessions, or status, leading us to find our security in temporal things rather than in God.
Notably, John doesn’t list overt sins like murder or adultery here. Instead, he, like Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21–48), addresses the root desires and attitudes that precede sinful actions. It’s about recognizing that these underlying desires – the temptations themselves – are worldly and not from God. While temptation isn’t sin itself (Jesus was tempted, Hebrews 4:15), indulging in these lusts and allowing them to control us aligns us with the world and distances us from the Father.
Verse 17: The Eternal Perspective
Verse 17 provides the crucial application and motivation: “The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.” This verse answers the question: Why does resisting worldliness matter? Because worldly things are temporary and fleeting, while God and His promises are eternal.
Investing too heavily in the temporary world is a misplaced investment of our time and energy. The sinful desires the world promotes, and what the world deems valuable, are all transient. In contrast, God is eternal and unchanging. Engaging with sin, even in thought, pales in comparison to the immeasurable expanse of eternity with God.
The phrase “the one who does the will of God” in the second half of verse 17 is not a condition for earning eternal life through works. As established earlier, 1 John is written to believers who already possess eternal life through faith. Here, “doing the will of God” is about living in accordance with God’s revealed will, which, as John clarifies elsewhere, is to believe in Jesus: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40 ESV).
Therefore, 1 John 2:17 is a reminder to believers to align their lives with their eternal destiny. It’s a call to prioritize the eternal over the temporal, to focus on God’s will and kingdom rather than being consumed by the fleeting desires of the world.
Conclusion: Choosing Eternal Focus
1 John 2:15-17 is not a condemnation but an invitation for believers to examine their hearts and priorities. It’s a call to self-reflection: Where does our love truly lie? Are we more captivated by the passing world or the eternal God?
Enjoying God’s creation isn’t inherently wrong, and desiring things isn’t always sinful. However, when worldly pursuits and desires overshadow our relationship with God, it’s time to re-evaluate. We cannot serve two masters. Let us choose to set our hearts and minds on the eternal, living lives that reflect our faith and love for the Father, rather than being entangled by the fleeting allure of the world.
Andrew Longmire
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Andrew is the Associate Pastor at Oakridge Bible Chapel. He grew up in a Christian home, and spent time serving in churches of varying sizes and denominations before landing at Oakridge with his wife in 2017. He likes to verbally process theological issues he finds challenging and is always ready to learn something new. He has a passion for teaching the Bible, and seeking to explain confusing passages in a clear way, preferably with a good illustration or two.
