“Ten signs that you love the world”
Note: This is a summary of commentary from R. Kent Hughes and was given at our Wednesday night bible study on 1 John 2:15-17. We walk verse by verse through 1 John every Wednesday, at 7 pm, at Dry Run Baptist Church-Georgetown, Kentucky.
1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)
[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. [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. [17] And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
The ‘world’ that John warns us not to love, is not the people on earth (Notice John 3:16 where God loves the world). The ‘world’ is referring to our fallen humanity’s organized system, and it’s principles and practices, such as culture and attitudes. This is not saying that Christians might fall into worldliness for a time and slip into sin. It is saying that, if your whole life is constantly defined by this world’s systems and practices, you cannot possibly have the love of God in you, and are—by very definition—not a child of His. To put it plainly, genuine Christians are those who do not chase whole-heartedly after everything that this world has to offer.
What follows are 10 convicting statements to consider when checking our own hearts to see if we are genuine Christians. Also, these are ten ways that we—as Christians—need to stop loving the world.
1. When the world (or any object in it) engrosses our thoughts to such a degree that it excludes serious reflection on the things of God, we love the world.
2. When the world is our constant associate, the last companion of our thoughts at night, and the first when we awaken in the morning, we love the world.
3. When the things of the world engross most of our conversation, we love the world.
4. If we are unwilling to part with worldly possessions when need be, or give anything up to God’s purposes, we love the world.
5. When we are discontent with our portion of the world’s goods, it proclaims—criminally—that we love the world.
6. If we are secretly grieving, because we are not blessed with every earthly convenience or delight that others possess, we love the world.
7. If we are not entirely willing that God should govern His own world and distribute His own gifts, as He pleases and to whom He pleases, we love the world.
8. If we pursue the world’s systems with greater zeal, and enjoy it with higher relish, than we do serving God and enjoying His favor, we love the world.
9. If we pride ourselves in earthly distinctions, expecting great deference and resenting the least slight from others, we love the world.
10. When we seek to acquire or retain its objects in a wrongful manner or by unwarrantable means, we love the world.