DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD: PART II - 1 JOHN 2:16-17

Verses 16-17: 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. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

John continues his train of thought from verse 15, simply put, that those who love the world do not have a personal love for God the Father because they have been distracted by “the things in the world”—the details of life. Now John itemizes the specific patterns of sinfulness: lusts of the flesh and eyes and the boastful pride of life. This is what energizes the believer’s love for “the things in the world.” John states as an absolute fact that these patterns of sinfulness do not have their origin “from the Father.” For James proclaimed that God is holy and “does not tempt anyone” (James 1:13b), and then he correctly holds exactly who is responsible for sin:

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (James 1:14)

Lust of the Flesh

At the outset, let us not be confused with the word ‘lust.’ Dr. Kenneth Wuest observes that “the present day usage confines its meaning to an immoral desire.”1 But the Greek expresses the word in a broader sense than the English, suggesting a strong desire or craving that could be for something good or evil. Here John uses it to refer to evil desires and appetites where “the thought of satisfaction gives pleasure and that of non-satisfaction gives pain.”2

John defines lusts in two categories: flesh and eyes. They are interrelated and indicative of inordinate desires and cravings. The “lusts of the flesh” are descriptive of external sins acted out; while the “lusts of the eyes” are internal sins responding to cravings of what is seen. Both have their origin from the believer’s old sin nature which the Apostle Paul defines as the “old self” (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9). Dr. Ryrie explains what the old self is:

All that a person is before salvation, which is made “old” by reason of the presence of the new life in Christ. Though separated from its power, its presence has not been eradicated; therefore, we are exhorted to lay it aside (Ephesians 4:22).3

The fact that the old self is never eradicated causes spiritual tension for the believer. Paul explains this as the believer’s inner struggle to do good or to practice evil (Romans 7:14-25). Believers should carefully study the Apostle Paul’s list of the deeds of the flesh in Galatians 5:16-21 to avoid involvement in these activities and to avail themselves of His grace provision to “equip you in every good thing to do His will” (Hebrews 13:21a). The equipping must be sound Biblical teaching in order to overcome the inner struggle of the flesh.

Lust of the Eyes

R.C.H. Lenski describes the lust of the eyes to include “the lust that reaches out beyond what a person can actually get a hold of in his sinning. The lustful eyes rove afar for sinful pleasure.”4 There are two examples of this from the Old Testament regarding Eve and King David. Eve saw with her eyes that the forbidden tree was good, a delight to the eyes and desirable (Genesis 3:6) and proceeded to sin. King David saw with his eyes, Bathsheba, a very beautiful woman bathing and he pursued her for his sexual gratification. He eventually had her husband killed in battle hoping to conceal his sin (2 Samuel 11:2ff). During Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, He discussed how the eyes are the gateway to the sin of adultery:

 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

Do we take pleasure in viewing things that are immoral? In our age of technology we are overwhelmed with rampant pornography and provocatively dressed entertainers.  As believers, we should be mindful of what our eyes are looking at and ask ourselves if this is “from the Father”?  The Psalmist offers us some sound advice for what we should pray:

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. (Psalm 119:37ESV)

Boastful Pride of Life

This phrase, the boastful pride of life, is descriptive of the arrogant person who brags about what he possesses and does. The word “life” here refers to the details of life namely food, shelter, clothing, entertainment, travel, etc. Again, we must honestly ask ourselves if we are guilty of being a braggart of life’s good fortune. To needlessly boast about the details of life which we have been blessed with and then add “Isn’t God wonderful?” This is phony and it would be better to say nothing at all.

However, Scripture outlines what we should boast about: 

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23–24)

Additionally, the Apostle Paul stated:

 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. (Romans 15:17)

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

We need to imitate Paul and only boast in “things pertaining to God” for that we can be assured is “from the Father.”

It’s All Passing Away

John instructs us of the fact that the lusts he has pointed out are passing away, just as the world is passing away by the will of the Father. John knows this from having heard Our Lord state this on two occasions: the Sermon on the Mount and the Olivet Discourse.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35; cf. 5:18)

He also recorded in the book of Revelation:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. (Revelation 21:1)

The Apostle Peter described this event in vivid detail: “the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10)

Since the world is passing away, according to Peter we ought to be the sort of people that live holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:11b). For John regards those who live this type of life are those who are doing the will of God, and they will live forever. So, what this essentially means is that doing the will of God is the exact opposite of loving the world5 and being preoccupied with things—the details of life.

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[1] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 13.127.

[2] Büchsel, F. (1964–). ἐπιθυμία. In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich, Eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 3.171.

[3] Ryrie, C. C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 update. Chicago: Moody Press, p. 1799 note.

[4] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.426.

[5] Ryrie, p. 1994 note.

 

© 2024 David M. Rossi