Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Bible Study (1 John 2:15-17 ESV)






              (1 John 2:15-17 ESV) 
"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. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."


These are verses that should be memorized and repeated DAILY!   Man is depraved and wicked and do not have a problem at all making idols for ourselves:

"Every one of us is, even from his mother's womb, a master craftsman of idols."
John Calvin



Verse 15 says "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."


The world hates truth, hates righteousness and hates God. When Adam sinned he ushered death and the fall into the world (Romans 5:12). We have talked before about the doctrine of total depravity and that all men by nature are children of wrath (Ephesians 2) and are hostile towards God (Romans 7).

Because of this the natural man does not receive the spiritual truths that Christians hold precious 
(1 Corinthians 2:14).  Because God has regenerated us we now have a love for the things of God.





Sadly there are many wolves in sheep's clothing that actually encourage their members to desire the things of the world.  They believe Jesus died to make you financially wealthy and healthy. 
This is commonly known as "Word of Faith" theology and it is blasphemous and an enemy of the Gospel.
(Please follow this link for more info on this theology (http://www.equip.org/category/word-faith-movement/)


Verse 16 "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world"

Regenerate man has God the Holy Spirit in Him guiding him and directing him and the unregenerate man can not help but walk out the desires of the flesh

(Galatians 5:17-21 ESV)
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.



We see the eyes and desires of the flesh love those things God hates. This is why one can not love the things of the world, because they are completly opposed to the things of God

James 4:4 says to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God.  Being a Christian means you are giving up all material gains and wants to follow the Master. It means that the most precious possession you have is Jesus Christ, NOT worldly possessions.

                (Matthew 10:34-39 ESV) 
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Wh
oever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.



Verse 17 "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."




The world, the universe, everything is decaying. Everything you own now will one day be in the dump and junk. How foolish to love and make idols out of possessions and created things rather than the Creator who made you.


Possessions can not save you. One day we will all stand before Christ, and when asked why they should be allowed in Heaven their pocket book and possessions can not save them.  The call to follow Jesus is to lose your life for His sake and not be a slave to selfish sinful desires.  


This can be overcome through the power of God the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and when He does we see the fruits of the Spirit rather than those of the flesh.






       
(Galatians 5:22-25 ESV) 
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."


To overcome the love of worldly things we must live a life that is dominated by the Holy Spirit. We must be saturated in His word and obedient to His word.  I know this is a struggle and I struggle everyday to not feed my sinful desires and I do fail. But when we do, we repent and yield to the Spirit of God.

Think on these truths friends. We all struggle with these issues friends and it is part of the sanctification process. God has not left us helpless but has left us the Holy Spirit whom in-dwells us.











No comments:

Post a Comment