Do you feel as though you do not know where you are headed?
[This message is part of a series through the book of 1 John, entitled "Salvific Assurance Through Testimony," preached by Pastor Senter].
How many times have you thought, “If I could just get to that next job; if I could just get that car; if I could just get into that group, if I were just recognized or respected by a certain association…” How about, “If I could just have that one rifle, or that one dress, or even that woman or man?” How often have we been smitten with a thought, a temptation that focused upon the things that surround us, or that we yearn to see or find? This is our admonition today, we must focus upon things eternal, the things temporal will not last, and they will disappear.
We have been studying through 1st John. We took a breather in the 2nd chapter, verses 12-14, and now we are back into this compelling testimony of Christ and how our testimony needs to be pure in the world to focus attention on our Savior and His work in us. We pick up now reading chapter 2 verses 15-17.
This theme is replete throughout the Bible. Man cannot serve two masters, God and mammon. Man can only have one wife; adultery is destructive and evil. God admonishes man to faithfulness in many “one things” or “singular things” like your wife, master, family, church, and God. There are many “ones” in man’s life, and in this case, the one thing we are to focus upon is God. There is talk of the other one thing in this passage though, that is the world. That one thing is the cause of all our problems. If not for the world, we would not have temptation. If not for the world, we would not have sin. If not for the world we currently live in, there would be no death, sadness, sickness, or old age. This world has many negatives. The greatest negative that this world has is the allure to pull us increasingly into it and away from God. We can love the world, serve the world, and attempt to call ourselves Christians, but this passage makes some things about that type of life very clear. If you try to do that, you are not of God, nor do you have eternal life. Together we will look at “If you live for and of the world, you are not for or of Christ,” and consider “We believe we can live in and of the world in conjunction with Christ, but we cannot.”
Think about this passage common-sensically. The word for “world” is used six times in these short verses. The word for “desire” or “lust” is used three times, and the word for selfless love is used with a negative connotation. Consider what you require in your life. One thing that strikes me is that I first delivered this message to fire fighters in Spartanburg, South Carolina. In the military, we had the same question confronting us all the time, but it never really sinks in. Police officers also have this consideration. “Why can’t you trust anyone who is addicted to cocaine to work for you?” Why can’t that person work just as well and efficiently, in fact because of the effects of the drug, faster and get more things done, than an individual that is not on cocaine? What is it about cocaine addicts that bother you? Can’t you see they need a job to afford the habit? They need to make money to live just like every other Joe on the street. Have some compassion then, give them a job. Just because they come to work high as a kite should not mean anything to you. We are supposed to be tolerant, right?
The problem is that you and I both know that the pull of that addiction is so strong that they are driven to do horrible things just to get that next fix. They will steal form you, lie to you, and do extra and illegal things on the side just to get enough money to get high. You know that the demon that possesses them is so deeply rooted in them that they cannot serve you well. This demon is demonstrated in the Greek word for lust. Look with me at Mark 4:19 and we will see this in action. These people simply cannot serve two masters. This is the world and Christ. In the case of this illustration, the World is the cocaine and Christ is the work supervisor. You cannot be addicted to the world and serve God. Today we will consider people, the worldly, without God, their enmity, hostility, or angst against God, and because of their status, the inability to envision God.
First we should consider that the worldly are very much without God, they are incapable of any relationship with Him, and their entire life is at odds with Him.
I. The worldly are without God (verse 15).
One might first wonder, what kind of love is John talking about here. Well, it is the “agape” love that is so heavily discussed in our scriptures. This kind of love is the unconditional love. That is why the illustration is so important. This love will do anything for what it is focused upon. We also want to consider the word for “world”. What does this mean, is it just the earth or is it deeper than that? We also want to put a Fatherless life into perspective. I have some very specific and personal experiences associated with a fatherless life. I grew up without a father, either of this world, or ours in Heaven. Finally, what does it mean to be in this situation, without a father, without specifically, The Father of Love and Life? Therefore, without further delay, we will begin looking at the worldly ones.
A. The world is loveless
This is that unconditional love, it is not an emotion but unreserved, undeserved, and unabashed. This love is not just one of internal or emotional dedication; it is committed unto the uttermost. This love is not displayed in big things, not just a desire to be together, but in an unrelenting driving force to commune with the object of this love. Make no mistake; it is the object that is the focus here. The object is the focus, not the emotive movement, acts, or events. If someone concentrated on the events at hand, they would not have this kind of love, for it is then that one considers what they do to show that love. No, the object is the focus, and it is because of the object that one loves. The world does not know this. In the world individuals do things to show their love.
God says we love, and therefore we do things. The world’s view of love is worldly; this is where the word ”kosmos” is so important. We get “cosmetics” and “cosmology” from the word. It has an indication of bringing order from chaos. It can be used to describe the entirety of creation. It can be used to indicate simply that which is on the surface of the world, or that, which is below the heavens and the sky, yet on the earth. It also connotes the people who inhabit the surface of the earth and what they do outside of the will of God. In this final connotation, we find the meaning of our context.
The world’s view of love takes women to extremes where their devotion to a man, not even their husband, is so strong that they would push their car with two children strapped into their car seats in the back, into a river. This is done in the name of love–a desire to be with someone–and the act therefore is a demonstration of that love. God says, “if you love me, keep my commandments”. He does not say, your love is keeping My commandments. It is not the commandments that are the focus. They are important; but the love one feels drives one to keep those commandments. One does not keep commandments to love. One loves, therefore they seek to keep those commandments.
Are you striving to do something to prove love, when all you need to do is love them? The things that the object of the love needs will be revealed to you. If you love, truly, in the “agape” fashion, this love will reveal itself. Your efforts are inconsequential.
Why is it so difficult to understand and grasp the totality of true self-giving and dedicated love to Christ Jesus. Why is a love for God so foreign to the world?
B. The world is under control of Satan
Let’s look at 1 John 5:19. As we read this, and as we go through our studies in 1 John, we will learn that the things of the world are foreign to those who love God, truly, and completely. This is why, to many of us, this is difficult to grasp. For those reading who do not truly know Christ as Savior, it is difficult for you to grasp, because you have been and are still of the world. You think you know what love is about. However, the truth is no one outside of Christ knows what true love is. Satan says, “You can do anything you want, I will not judge you. I will not put any restrictions upon you. I love you because I set you free.” What the deceiver, Satan, does not tell you is that freedom is not born of him or his ways. True freedom from all things lies in a focus that is eternal, a focus that does not look at the things of earth for its fulfillment. True freedom, true salvation therefore lies in one who will live eternally. True freedom, true salvation lies with one who will live in eternal life, not abide in eternal death. At the great judgment, Satan will be placed in eternal torment. His existence will continue forever, but he will be separated from God, he will suffer this death of separation eternally.
Here is food for thought, and I do not mean to indicate we should attempt to convert Satan, but consider this. We should pity Satan. We actually should pray for his eyes to be opened. He is probably jealous of you and I. Think about it, Satan does not know what it is like to be separated from God. He has the freedom to travel from and to heaven. He communes with the likes of the Archangel Michael, and he reports to God just as the angels do. Consider Job 1:6 where Satan went before God with the sons of God. He does not know what it is like to be you or me. He is under the illusion that he is actually free, when he will be forever tormented. Pity him, but never, brethren, never underestimate him. I am not advocating a soft spot in your heart for him, only that you should love your enemies.
The world is under the control of a very dark force. Do not give in to this dark force, look for the light of God, and seek the things of God for His glory. This, this is love eternal. Not that you do for eternity, but you do because of eternal promises fulfilled by One who first loved you.
When we then consider that the world has no light to offer, nothing eternal anyway, we must consider the position of the world with reference to Scripture.
C. The world is in darkness
John is the apostle of love, but he is also the apostle of light. Remember John displays more opposing elements than any other scripture writer does. In this case, we see the darkness of the world set against the light of God. Look at John 1:5 and 12:46 . As we see in 1:5 the Word that is Jesus Christ, is the Light and in chapter 12, we find Christ testifying of Himself as Light. God came as light into the world so we do not stay in darkness. You do not need to stay in the darkness, bound to this world, lost and wandering, wondering what your eternal focus is; wondering where you are and where you are going. Think about the diving illustration again. There is so much instruction in it. If someone comes along with a light, and you are without one, you are saved. Now, we should add a little twist to this. You are on an Antarctic dive below the ice. It is dark, you have no light, and it is at night. This is your world. Now, you know you have limited air, just as you have a limited lifespan here on earth. You know you have no control over the air; it is finite, defined by someone else. Someone comes along and says, “Swim with me, I will give you air to escape, and give you light to see.” This is Christ Jesus. He just saved you and takes you out of your world under the ice up and out to freedom.
Christ is here right now presenting the light to you, giving you that way out. All you have to do is accept His offer. Accept it now, escape the darkness.
It is worse than this simple example though. The world is not just in darkness, God has cursed it and permitted Satan free reign.
D. The world is under divine judgment
Brothers and sisters in Christ who have given yourself to Him, I am not addressing you now. For those who do not or have not dedicated themselves to Him, do you feel the pressure of God upon your life? Is there an expectation that something is missing? Do you feel as though you do not know where you are headed? Have you ever asked yourself what the purpose of your life is? Do you wonder why you are even here? These thoughts are produced in darkness, a lack of vision for yourself in this world. This dread that you might miss this in your life is born from the judgment this world is undergoing at all times. You are equally suffering this judgment.
Why you might ask, since Christ walked the earth and suffered bodily, if He was God why did not He save Himself? Why didn’t He provide for His own salvation? We will answer these questions in the next post.
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