Message from Scripture: 8/12/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is 1 John 2:15: “ 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.”

 

To the casual reader, this admonition from John seems to be in conflict with the attitude of God, when Jesus said, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). There is no disagreement in the two, as Scripture is speaking of loving in two different ways.

 

God loves the world, meaning the people of the world, with a love that desires the best for everyone, which is why He sent His Son into the world, that through His sacrifice the opportunity for eternal life would be available to everyone. Peter puts it this way; “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

 

When John speaks of the love of the world, he is thinking of loving worldliness, of the lusts and desires of the flesh, of sinful attitudes and conduct, which only will condemn us. Paul speaks of this to the church in Ephesus; “We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also” (Eph. 2:2-3).

 

We as children of God are called to love others, but not their sins. We want to encourage others to find the beauty of life in Christ, by leaving behind the sins of the flesh which only condemn. Our lives should be a testimony of God’s grace and forgiveness, not of the sinfulness of the world and the judgment it brings.

 

Today, let’s go out and serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not reflecting sin but righteousness, truth instead of error. Let’s help others find eternal life. God bless.

 

Robert