I John 2:12-17
The Love that God hates – part 1
Would you open your Bibles to…
1Jo. 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.
Intro
√ The love that God hates
John is known as the…
"Apostle of love"
…you can't help but notice that John's focus, both in his gospel and his letters, is love.
He speaks of "love" 36 times in 1st John alone!
So, it may surprise you to find that John tells us that there is a love that God hates!
What love does God hate?
Back to our opening scripture…
1Jo. 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.
God hates the love for this world!
He hates it because it is a love for that which is not of God. A love that is focused on anything and everything that is not of God.
Ex. Hospital tour
A child asked a nurse why they washed their hands so much. The nurse responded…
"because we love health, and hate germs!"
So it is with God. There are things that He wants us to love and things that He wants us to hate.
Ps. 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil!
So, here in 1st John 2:12-17 we find that there is a love, which God hates…
…it's the love of this world!
John gives us four reasons that we should not love the world…
Because of what the world is
Because of what a Christian is
Because of what the world does to us
Because of where the world is going
Ap. it's very important that we understand why it is that God doesn't want us to love the world so that we will not be caught by Satan's lure and turn from the love of God to embrace this world
So, let's look at
this love that God hates!
Because of what the world is (vs. 15)
√ The world…
Let's begin by defining what the Bible means by "the world".
Ex. The Bible uses the word "world" to mean different things depending upon the context in which it is used.
The physical world
Acts 17:24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.
That is, the physical planet we live on.
The human world
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
That is, the people who live in this world.
The world system
Look at vs. 15 of our text…
1Jo. 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.
That is, the invisible spiritual system which is opposed to God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
We use the word "world" in this sense on a daily basis in our own life.
Ex. The News
"A word from the world of baseball"
Obviously we're not referring to a different planet, or some other continent. Rather, we're speaking of the invisible "system" that keeps baseball going.
The organizational system to establish games
A set of rules and ideas that govern the sport
The group of athletes who participate
Activities - from games to merchandise
All of it makes up a "world" system that is invisible to the non-baseball fanatic, but it very definitely exists.
√ The world system
John uses the word "world" in vs. 15 to describe the invisible, but very real spiritual system that opposes God and His message of Salvation in Jesus Christ.
It is the opposite of all that is good and godly and is run by Satan himself!
1Jo. 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
The devil is called the ruler, or prince of this world (John 12:31 & Eph. 2:2) and he runs an organization of demons who work to influence people and policy to advance his cause and to oppose God.
Who belongs to this world system? Satan and demons for sure, but it also includes…
…the unsaved!
Just as the Holy Spirit uses people to accomplish God’s will on earth…
…so the devil uses unsaved people to do his will on earth!
The Bible calls them “children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:1-2), or “children of the world” (Luke 16:8).
Whether they realize it or not people who are not saved are under the influence of the devil and help to advance his evil purposes.
Note Paul’s instruction…
Eph. 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
So, the unsaved are people who belong to this world and are under the spiritual influence of its ungodly system.
√ What about the Christian?
The unsaved person could very easily point out that the Christian lives in this world…
…wouldn’t that make us “children of the world” too!
Not at all! The reason is that while it is true we live in this physical world, we no longer belong to the spiritual world system!
Jesus said to His disciples…
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
So, a Christian is in
the world, but not of the world!
We are citizens of the Kingdom of God who are pilgrims in this world. The world is not our home, nor is it any longer our natural environment!
Ap. You’re not in your natural habitat!
Don’t you ever feel like you don’t fit in? Or, that the world is a hostile place for Christians?
Ex. Space walk
Human beings are not made for the environment of space. To take a walk outside of a space station or a rocket requires special equipment.
Space suit to protect you from the extreme temperatures.
Positive pressure to protect you from the vacuum of space.
Helmet with oxygen supply and antiglare shield.
Without the right equipment you’d be dead because space is not the natural environment of humans!
So too with the Christian! This world is not our natural environment so God has given us special “gear” that we can survive in this world system.
The Word to feed our soul
The Holy Spirit to lead & protect us
Prayer to keep us in contact with God
Fellowship to encourage and sharpen us
Without the right equipment we simply can’t make it!
May I encourage you to use what God has given us to survive in this hostile environment?
Your spiritual health depends upon it!
So, the Christian should not love this world system because of what it is.
Because of what a Christian is (vs. 12-14)
1Jo. 2:12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
1Jo. 2:13 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 wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
1Jo. 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
√ The Christian
The second reason we should not love the world is because of what a Christian is!
A child of God!
John uses an unusual writing style in verses 12-14, almost poetic, to remind us that we are now members of God’s family…
Note that John tells us that he is writing to:
Little children
Fathers
Young men
…all members of God’s family by fact of the New Birth.
Therefore we should not love the “father” of the world system because we have a new heavenly Father!
√ The growing Christian
We’re also reminded that there are different maturity levels within any local church.
“little children” – vs. 12
“born ones”
All of us are “little children” in the sense that we are all members of God’s family because we’ve been born again by our faith in Jesus Christ.
“little children” – vs. 13
“immature ones”
This is a different Greek word and John uses it to describe those who are new to their faith in Jesus. They know the basics, but are spiritually immature and still need to grow.
“young men”
John tells us that these are they who have conquered the devil! They are growing in their maturity and having a real impact in the world for Christ.
Note how they defeat Satan…vs. 14
“I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.”
By the Word of God! It’s the only weapon we have to overcome the devil!
Ex. Jesus in the wilderness temptation
The only offensive weapon listed in Ephesians 6…
“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” - vs. 17
So, the “young men” are those people in the fellowship who are maturing in their faith through their knowledge of God’s Word.
“fathers”
These of course are those believers in the church who are mature in their faith. They are those who help oversee the spiritual health of the people and help others to grow through the teaching of God’s Word.
Ap. We’re called to grow!
Walking forward at a crusade, or raising your hand at church to receive the Lord is only the beginning of our Christian walk – that’s the “baby” stage!
We can’t stay in that spiritual condition! Just as we mature physically and emotionally we are supposed to mature spiritually!
God wants us to grow us from “little children” into “young” men and women of faith and then to complete maturity as a “father” or “mother” in Christ!
Why is it so important for a Christian to grow?
Because a growing – maturing Christian is not as vulnerable to falling in love with the world system.
The reason? The world no longer appeals to the mature believer!
Ex. Playing with my Matchbox cars
It was acceptable when I was a little boy, but you’d probably think it a bit strange if I spent all my free time…
“Zoom zooming!”
…the time came for me to grow up and put my toys away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child,
I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
If you find yourself still falling for the same tricks of the devil that you did when you first became a Christian…
…it means that you haven’t been growing.
You will only grow spiritually and thus be able to overcome the devil if you eat a well-rounded spiritual diet!
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Regular Bible study - teaching
Fellowship
Communion
Prayer
We need each one to grow into maturity in Christ.
Close
√ There’s a love that God hates!
The love of the world
John tells us that we shouldn’t love the world…
Because of what the world is
Because of what a Christian is
Because of what the world does to us
Because of where the world is going
We’ll look at the last two next week.
· You can only LOVE ONE – God Or the world. If you try to love both you’ll find yourself dissatisfied, frustrated, and constantly struggling in your Christian experience.
Ask God to give you a NEW heart today!