WALKING IN THE LIGHT: RENOUNCING WORLDLINESS Lesson 5 for the 1st of August, 2009 WALKING IN THE LIGHT: RENOUNCING WORLDLINESS

“I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John, 2: 12-14

To the church in general John presents shows six reasons to write his letter: To the church in general Because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name [Jesus’ name]. Because you have known the Father. To the fathers Because you know/have known him who is from the beginning [Jesus Christ] To youth Because you have overcome the evil one. Because you are strong. Because the word of God lives in you.

John writes his epistle to believers because they have known Jesus and the Father, and they have received forgiveness of sins. Thanks to that, they have enough strength to live a victorious life in Christ.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John, 2: 15

WHICH IS THE WORLD WE DON’T HAVE TO LOVE? The philosophy of the heathen, unaware of God and hostile to God crowd. Worldly matters that move us away from God.

The sentence “Do not love the world”, can be translated as: “Stop loving” or “Don’t keep loving” the world. Stop loving the sinful world doesn’t involve stopping loving the sinner; Christians have to introduce Jesus to the sinner and to love him as God does.

“No-one can serve two masters.” Matthew, 6: 24 If we love the world, we cannot love God.

Even if we don’t love God, God still loves us. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans, 5: 8

“For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-- comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John, 2: 16

PROBLEMS WITH THE WORLD The lust of the flesh The expression “the lust of the flesh” involves everything that lead us to a self satisfaction that contradicts God’s will. “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans, 7: 14-15

PROBLEMS WITH THE WORLD The lust of the eyes The expression “the lust of the eyes” refers to the mental sinful pleasure that is stimulated by eyesight. Some people who wouldn’t commit a flagrant sin feel a deep desire of reading about that sin, or looking it at pictures or watching it on a screen. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis, 3: 6

PROBLEMS WITH THE WORLD The pride of life The expression “the pride of life” involves boastfulness, ostentation, pride… Some people are improperly proud of their job; others are proud of their possessions, their beauty or their children.

DIVINE SOLUTION “This is what the Lord says: «Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, or the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches. But let him who boasts, boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight» ─declares the Lord─” Jeremiah, 9: 23-24

“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives for ever.” 1 John, 2: 17

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke, 9: 25) “those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians, 7: 31) “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians, 4: 18)

“Those who love the world, love temporary things; things that identify with death and sin, that will inevitably perish with them. As the world and its sinfulness passes away, those who love sin disappear, too. But those who love the Eternal God, his Eternal Kingdom and his everlasting right principles, will remain forever” SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, on 1 John, 2: 17

Is it worth “gaining” this world and losing eternal life?