and not for ours only but also
for the sins of the whole world hereby we do know that we know
him if we keep his commandments he that sayeth I know him and
keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not
in him but who saw keepeth his word in him barely is the love
of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him He that
saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even
as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment
unto you, but an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the
beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing
is true in him and in you, because the darkness is past and the
true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light
and hateth his brother is in darkness, even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth
in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in
darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness
hath blinded his eyes. I write unto you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write
unto you fathers, because ye have known him that is from the
beginning. I write unto you young men, because
ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children,
because ye have known the father. I have written unto you fathers,
because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have
written unto you young men, because ye are strong, and the word of
God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love
not the world, here's our text, verses 15 to 17. Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is
of the world. And the world passes away, and
the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth
forever. Now in our study so far, John
has bought forth Christ, evidently. He's bought him forth in chapter
1 before us. He's bought him forth before
us here in chapter 2. He's evidently bought Christ
before us. And this is all by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God. John does what every gospel preacher
does. John does what every gospel preacher
does. Every gospel preacher sets Christ
before their hearers. Every gospel preacher sets Christ
before their hearers. And it's evident that John's
done this. He's done this all through the
first chapter. He's done it through the second
chapter. He's brought forth also the contrast
between the true child of God born-again believer and the false
professor all the time continuing all the time while he's doing
that while he's contrasting the two all the time bringing forth
Christ and setting him before his hearers all the time again
same thing every gospel preacher does in chapter 2 in verse 1
he brings forth that Christ is the believers advocate and that
he is called again Jesus Christ the righteous. He brings out
again. See, he's bringing Christ and
setting Christ before the hearers of this epistle, even before
he's going to admonish them to certain things. Always you'll
see this pattern all through the scriptures. Christ is always
set forth. Paul, before he corrected the
Corinthians, set forth Christ. You read that whole first chapter,
he sets forth Christ before the Corinthians, before he even corrects
them. That's what he does. He just
sets forth Christ. Christ in Christ alone is the
only one who has been totally righteous before God. Thus he
is called here, Jesus Christ, the righteous. He's the only
one who's ever walked the top side of this earth as a totally
sinless man. A totally sinless man. We're
sinners in our thoughts, we're sinners in our words and deeds,
but Christ is the absolute, spotless, sinless Lamb of God. Perfect. in all ways, perfect before God
and perfect before man. My, he's perfect. He's the God-man
mediator. John then brings forth that the
believers, that Christ is a believers propitiation for all our sins,
for all the elect of all the ages. He's our atonement. Propitiation in the Greek means
atonement. He's our atonement. He's our
atonement. Then Paul bought forth brotherly
love or John. John brings forth brotherly love
before those he's writing to, which we know is the fruit of
the spirit. No man in our natural state. No man in our natural
state loves the people of God. No man in natural state loves
the father. But the believer in Christ loves
all the things of God, all the things of God. We love the gospel. We love God's
people. We love the word of God. We love
fellowshipping with the Lord's people. It's wonderful. It's
wonderful. And the benefit of Christ's blood
for the sinner is what full acceptance in Christ by the father. That's
a benefit of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's our propitiation. He's our atonement and his blood
was shed for us. for the forgiveness of sin. So
the benefit of Christ's blood for the sinner is full acceptance
by God in Christ based upon absolutely nothing in us. Nothing in us
at all. The forgiveness of all our sins,
a full pardon, not a partial pardon based upon what you do.
No, no, then it would not be full forgiveness. No, this forgiveness
in Christ is full, complete, and finished. Full, complete,
and finished. Just remember that. It's full,
complete, and finished. He's done it all. He's done it
all. And what a Savior we have. What
a great God we have. And John brings forth this precious
truth in this chapter in verse 12. In verse 12. which we as believers in Christ
should never ever forget. We should never ever forget this.
I write on to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven
for his name's sake. For what Christ did. Left to
ourselves, we can never have the forgiveness of sins, because
we can never offer that which God would accept. Because everything
we do is tainted with sin. Christ offers Himself up, the
sinless, spotless Lamb of God, in the place of His people. The
perfect man. The perfect sacrifice. And our
sins are forgiven, you and me, the scripture says here, you
for His name's sake. For Christ's sake. It's wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. Sinners
by nature and by practice have all their sins forgiven. Sinners
by nature and by practice have all their sins forgiven in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ. Now think of that. Think of that. We have all our sins forgiven
in and through Christ. Is that not a manifestation of
God's abundant mercy? That's a manifestation of God's
abundant mercy. It's a manifestation of God's
grace, beloved, towards us. Towards us. Because of the blood
and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ God's born-again blood-washed
people are forgiven for his name's sake That's what verse 12 says
for his name's sake doesn't say nothing about us. We're just
simply receivers, aren't we? Doesn't say nothing about what
we do. No, we're forgiven for his name's sake because of what
he's done because of what he's done Not for any merits in us
The people that he's writing to, they're the believers in
Christ. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are
forgiven you for His name's sake. There's no mention there of their
merit, because we have no merit. There's no mention of any work
that they could do, because no work we could do would be acceptable
to God, because everything we do is tainted with sin. But it
says very clearly, that they're forgiven for the sake of Christ. For the sake of Christ, because
of his blood, because of his sacrifice, because of his sacrifice,
all because he satisfied the law and justice of God in our
place fully and completely. Fully and completely. We are
forgiven in Christ by God. For his name's sake. Wonder of
wonders, Wonder of wonders is the salvation of a sinner in
Christ. Now, with that in our thoughts,
let's read verses set 15 to 17 again. Love, not the world, neither
the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the
love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the
world passes away. Just let that sit for a moment.
The world passes away. And the lusts thereof, but he
that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Now throughout this epistle,
John is bringing forth the difference between a true believer in Christ
and a false believer. He's been contrasting the love
which a believer has for God and the things of God and the
people of God with those who merely profess Christ and do
not possess that love. Here he brings forth a further
contrast. Again, we know he's speaking
to those whom he wrote to. In the verses just above this
one, he's writing to little children, meaning young believers, young
men, those who are strong in their faith, and the fathers,
those are people who've been in the gospel for a while. So
we see then that he's talking to all believers. All believers. All believers in all stages of
their Christian walk. John is going to bring forth
several reasons in these verses tonight why God's people should
not love the world. We see here in verse 15 that
to love the world is inconsistent with a love for God. To love
the world is inconsistent with a love for God. Look at verse
15. Love, not the world, neither
the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the
love of the father is not in him. Love, not the world, neither
the things that are in the world. If any man. Love the world, the
love of the father is not in turn, if you would, to Matthew
chapter six. A believer in Christ cannot love the world and love
God at the same time. It's it's it's impossible. A
believer in Christ cannot cannot love God and the world at the
same time. Matthew chapter six, we'll read
verses 19 to 24, and we see here that no man can serve two masters.
He will either love one or hate the other. you either love one
or hate the other. Matthew chapter 6 verses 19 to
24. Lay not up for yourselves treasure
upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves
break through and steal. Verse 20. But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure
is, there will your heart be also. Christ is our treasure,
beloved. We treasure Him above all things
in this world. Above all things in this world.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the
eye. therefore thine I be single thy
whole body shall be full of light but if thine I be evil the whole
body shall be full of darkness if therefore the light that is
in thee be darkness how great is that darkness no man can serve two masters
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he
will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God
and man. Now, with that in mind, let's
go back to our verse and and in chapter two, verse 15. And
let's read that with that in mind. No man can serve two masters.
We're to give all the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, beloved,
and to him alone. If man's affections are set upon
the things of this world, then the love of God is not in him. Look at verse 15 again, love,
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man loved the world, the love of the father is not in him. Now, we know that the believer
in Christ, we love our relatives and we love our friends. We love the fellowship that we
have one with another. We love that. With believers
in this world, but that But what's being bought forth here before
us is the fact that the believer does not love the world or the
things of the world above our great God. We don't love the
things of this world above our great God. There was a time when
we did. I know there was a time when I did. When I was all concerned
about just me. And now it's about the furtherance
of the gospel. It's about Christ. It's about our great God. That
is who we're concerned about now. The believer does not love the
world or the things of the world above God or the Lord Jesus Christ. We love our Lord. We love our
Lord. We do not love the world like
we did before the Lord saved us. Now we have a love for God. And the things of this world
now we know are just temporary. Just temporary. And they're all
going to perish. They're all going to perish.
But beloved, our God's eternal. He's the same yesterday, today
and forever. He's eternal. And one day we
who are the people of God will be with him and we'll be with
him for eternity. All because remember, for Christ's
sake, all because we're saved by for his namesake. And we're
going to praise him for eternity, for the great things he'd done
for us. We're going to give him all the glory and all the honor. When we think about that, it's
absolutely glorious. It's wonderful. And in thinking
that we will spend eternity with Christ forever, that when we
breathe our last breath, we're we're being the presence of the
Lord. That makes us not hold on to the things of the world
like we used to. We don't love the world like we were just passing
through beloved. We're just passing through. Have you ever thought that our
citizenship is in heaven? Turn, if you would, to Philippians
chapter 3. Our citizenship is in heaven. That's where our God is, beloved.
That's where our God is. That's where our Savior is. And
every born-again, blood-bought child of God longs to be in His
presence. longs to be in his presence Philippians
chapter 3 look at this in verse 20 for our conversation is in
heaven from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus
Christ for our conversation is in heaven from whence we look
for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ see the word conversation
there in verse 20 in the Greek That word is citizenship. For
our citizenship is in heaven. From whence also we look for
the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Beloved, our citizenship is in
glory. It's in glory. A citizen is a
person who legally belongs to a country. A citizen is a person
who legally belongs to the country, to a country, and has the rights
and protection of that country. The citizens adopt the culture
and practices of the nation or kingdom to which they belong.
Think of that in light of the fact that this world is no longer
our home. Our citizenship's in glory. We're citizens of glory, even
though we're living here right now. We're citizens of glory. Scripture says we seek a better
country. We seek a better country. And here the scriptures declare
that our citizenship is in heaven. In heaven. Our citizenship and our interests
are in heaven. where Christ is, where Christ
is. Therefore. We're not tied to
this world. We're not tied to this world,
we're just passing through. The scripture calls us strangers
and pilgrims. Why? Because our citizenship's
in heaven. Because we seek a better country
where our king is on the throne. And every blood-bought, born-again
believer will be there with a fraternity. It's marvelous. It's absolutely
marvelous. In Christ, we are the sons of
God. We're heirs of eternal glory.
And what do we do now? Well, we're on this earth. We
patiently wait for His return, or we patiently wait until He
calls us home. That's what we're waiting for. All we have, all our hope, is
in Christ, in Christ alone. Therefore, it's natural for us
to long to be with him, isn't it? If he's all our hope, if
he's all we have, then it's natural for us to long to be with him.
He's our heavenly bridegroom, beloved. We want to be with him. We want to be in his presence.
We want to be in the presence of the one who has completed
our salvation. who has purchased our eternal
souls by his own precious blood. We want to be with the one who
will one day complete the work which he's begun in us, beloved.
And when he completes that work, we're being glory. We're being
conformed to the image of Christ, beloved. Changing our vile bodies, he
will, and bringing us into glory where we'll be with him forever.
Forever. We'll be home. We'll be home. Oh, it'll be glorious. And we
will behold his sovereign majesty forever. Forever. Oh, all because of what he's
done. So the believer in Christ doesn't
take satisfaction or contentment in the things of this world or
make idols of the things of this world. No. And we do not prefer the things
of this world, the heavenly and spiritual things, do we? For
the blood washed saint of God. Our citizenship and our interests
are in the kingdom of God. Are in the kingdom of God. God's
family. Are our family. God's savior. Is our city. And the things of this world,
beloved. Will pass away. Will pass away. And God's people
prefer nothing in this world. Let's read verses 15 to 17 again. Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man loved the world, the
love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life is not of the father, but is of the world. And the
world passes away. and the lust thereof, but he
that doeth the will of God abideth forever. So we see that John
is building on what he has described so far as the love of God. When we're born again and the
love of God is in us, we love the brethren, as John bought
forth before us earlier in this chapter. And here he brings forth
that we who love God will not love the world. And if any man
does love the world, then the love of God is not in him. The world here is the world that
doesn't love God. Doesn't love God. The world here
is the world that doesn't know God. It's not interested in the things
of God. The world are those who are dead
in trespasses and sins, and they just live for this world. I know
I was there. Just live for this world. Getting
all that they can get, and that's all that really matters to them. Let's read verse 16, and we'll
see John address all that is in this world under three headings,
and keep in mind that the word lust in our text means that which
is coveted or desired in the Greek, that which is coveted
or desired, or that which captivates the desires of carnal men in
this world. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life is not of the father, but is of the world. Again, he addresses all that
is in the world under these three headings. the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life. Note first, but fourth,
is the lust of the flesh or the body. This includes all carnal
and sensual desires, unchaste thoughts, intemperance or excessiveness,
in all things, luxurious and wasteful living and the indulgence
of our fleshy appetites towards materialism and self-satisfaction. It's the opposite of contentment.
It's the opposite of contentment. The world wants more and more
and more, never satisfied. But God's people are content
just to trust and rest in Christ. We're thankful for what he gives
us, aren't we? We're thankful for what he gives us. Everything
he gives us, we're thankful for. And we're content. Next, John
brings forth the lusts of the eyes, desiring, this is desiring
unlawful or unspiritual things. This also covers one being covetous
after gold and silver and land and the possession of visible
things. Natural man sees things and they want them. They see
things and they want them. They seek them and they're not
satisfied until they have them. And they do not care at what
expense to people it comes at. As they look out for number one. That was a popular saying when
I was growing up. Look out for number one. That's of the world. Next, John brings forth the pride
of life. This is desiring ambition, or
honor, or worldly fame, the cheap places and the high seats. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
chapter 23, where we see a very vivid illustration of this. A
very vivid illustration of this. Again, the pride of life is desiring
ambition, honor, worldly fame, the cheap places, the high seats.
And again, this is what the Pharisees, this is what they sought after,
beloved. And it's brought forth by our master very clearly, by
our Lord. Look at Matthew 23, we'll read
verses 1 to 11. He's talking about the scribes
and the Pharisees. Then spake Jesus to the multitude
and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and Pharisees, they
sit in Moses' seats. Oh, over the people, looking
down. all therefore whatsoever they
bid you observe, that observe and do. But do not ye after their
works, for they say and do not. You notice that? You notice something
right there? These religious Pharisees were
telling people what they had to do, and they weren't even
doing it themselves. Sounds like religion nowadays
too, doesn't it? Nothing new under the sun, beloved.
Absolutely nothing new under the sun. Look at this. For they bind heavy burdens and
grievous to be born and lay them on man's shoulders, but they
themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. They're
hypocrites. They're the blind leading the
blind. They tell you things like this, you must be baptized to
be saved. Or they say, you must belong to a certain
church. Rome does that all the time, don't they? To be saved. They're the blind leading the
blind, beloved. They put these heavy burdens
on people. You're grievous to be born. Oh
my. But all the works they do, look
at this here, here's the exposure right here, beloved. For all
the works they do to be seen of man. Everything they do, they do to
be seen. God's people do things out of
service for our king, whether people see or not. They make broad their phylacteries
and enlarge the borders of their garments. Oh, they're robed in
all these these robes and everywhere they go, people. Well, that's
a holy man. You know, I remember one grace
preacher saying, and I love this. He says when a grace preacher's
out and about in the world, shopping with the wife or with the family,
they dress in a way that does not bring any attention to themselves.
You can't tell them different from anybody else. And that's
the truth. But see what the Pharisees do?
Oh, they're in all these robes. They want to be seen. They want
people to say, oh, look at this guy. Reminds you that people
wear collars on their necks, doesn't it? Oh, yeah, that's
all that is that's all that's just a show That's just a that's
just a sham My All their works they do to be
seen a man they make broad their factories and enlarge the borders
of their garments Love the uttermost rooms at the feast and the chief
seats in the synagogue's all they love to be recognized They
love to be exalted by man. They love it. They feed on it
beloved And greetings in the markets
and to be called a man rabbi rabbi all they love titles and Gospel preachers, we don't ever
like being called reverend, because there's only one who's reverend
and holy, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone. Gospel preachers, we're just
men saved by the grace of God. We're one beggar preaching to
other beggars where to find bread. That's what we are. But these
religious Pharisees, oh, they like the attention, they like
the They like to tell everybody what they've done. But be not ye called rabbi, for
one is your master, even in Christ, and all ye are brethren. You
see that? You see what that says? There's
one master. What are we? We're all brethren. Old Scott
Richardson said, I love this. He said, the ground at the foot
of the cross is level. We're all sinners saved by grace
It's level And look at this now. There's a whole sector religion
out there where they people go around calling the person father
in there and Call no man your father upon the earth for one
is your father which is in heaven neither be called masters for
one is your master even Christ and But he that is greatest among
you shall be your servant. God's people are to be servants. Servants. Don't ever seek the honor and
praise of men. Don't ever seek the honor and
praise of men. For these things are not of the
father, but of the world. Let's go back to 1st John chapter
2. 1st John chapter 2. And we see
again in verse 16 the lust of the flesh and the lust of the
eyes and the pride of life is not of the father, but is of
the world. It's of the world. Now let's
consider verse 17 in the light of what we've looked at so far
tonight. And the world passes away. And the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of
God abideth forever. Now the scripture, look at what
it declares here before us. The world passes away. The world passes away. Beloved,
there is nothing in this world, there is nothing in this world
and nothing that we see, nothing that we hear, and nothing that
we touch in this world that is not temporary. that is not temporary,
and it will all finally pass away. Nothing. That's what this
is saying. There's nothing in this world
that's not temporary. And the world passes away in
the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth
forever. This world, beloved, is as a
swift river which passes us by As we stand on the bank of a
river, you ever been at a you ever been at a swift river? There
used to be a real swift river in Oregon and you'd stand there
and those waters go by so fast. They just go by so fast. That's
what this world. Like a swift river. Like a swift
river. Passing quickly. Passing quickly
and this world passes away and the things of this world will
all pass away. They'll all pass away Verse continues again and
the lust thereof and the world passes away in the lust thereof
But he that do it the will of God abideth forever Again, the
word lust in this verse is the same Greek word that was used
in verse 16 and it means that which is coveted or desired and
Which is anything that can be coveted anything that can be
desired is going to pass away? Is going to pass away? that which captivates the desires
of sinful carnal men and Women in this world that which is most
precious and important that which is most valuable To to the people
of this world is all marked for destruction It's all marked for
destruction. And the world passes away in
the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth
forever. It's all marked for destruction.
So believers in Christ, what do we do? We seek first the kingdom
of God, don't we? We seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness. And when we seek first the kingdom
of God, when we seek first His righteousness, All the things
of the world just fade away. They lose their appeal. That's
why Paul told those Colossians, set your mind on things above.
Keep looking to Christ. Because everything we see here
is temporary. Everything. Everything. Next we see John at the end of
the verse setting forth the difference of living according to the course
will and inclination of this world Which he set forth in verses
15 and 16 and the believer in Christ who desires to do the
will of God And the world passes away and the lust thereof, but
he that doeth the will of God abided forever Again, the believer
seeks to live according to the divine will of God And the believer in Christ now
desires the things of God. Don't we? We desire the things
of God in contrast to the things of the world. You see the contrast
John's bringing forth here very clearly and very plainly. The
things of the world again have lost their appeal for the believer.
They've lost the hold that they once had upon us. And again,
we seek a better country, beloved. Why? Because we're just strangers
and pilgrims in this world. We just, we're almost at the
end of wintertime. In the dead of winter, when you
go out in a cold day and you breathe, and that vapor comes
out, beloved, the scripture says that's what our lives are like.
Just like that vapor, there for a second, then what? Just gone.
It's just gone. And the things of this world
are going to disappear like that one day, too. They're going to
be gone. Going to be gone. So for the born again, blood
washed believer, the saint of God, the love of God has now
been shed abroad in our hearts and the things which we once
loved, the things of this world. We don't desire like we used
to. And the things which we once hated, the things of God, now
we love, now we love them. We love the things of God. The believer in Christ desires
to be in the presence of the Lord. We're closed with this
verse from Psalm 17, verse 15. As for me, let's see if this
is for you, too. This is wonderful. As for me. As for me. I will behold thy face and righteous.
I shall be satisfied when I awake with my likeness. when we're
in glory. I'll read it again. Psalm 1715. As for me, I will behold thy
face in righteousness, clothed in the perfect, spotless righteousness
of Christ in glory only because of what Christ has done. I shall
be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. Heavenly Father, we thank you
again for allowing us to come together and look into thy word,
oh Lord. Oh, you're so gracious to your people. You're so wonderful
to us, oh Lord. And we thank you that you allowed
us to have the time to look into thy word. And oh, how we've been
turned to you, Lord Jesus, to look to thee and thee alone.
We don't love the world like we once used to. Now we love
you and the things of God. Glory to you and honor and praise
to you is only you can make the difference. Only you have made
us to differ from any other. Glory to your name in Jesus name.
Amen. Let's close tonight.