Studies in 1st John: Deep Desire # 2

“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 lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). What are the desires of your heart? What do you get excited about? Is it sports? Education? Money? What takes up most of your time? What do you talk about more than anything else?
John says that the world of sin, of darkness, of the evil one is antagonistic to a right relationship with the Father. The world contaminates us and that relationship. What is this world John speaks of?
First, there is the lust of the flesh. The word lust is used here in a bad sense. It signifies something that is forbidden. “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves” (Romans 1:24). These are the passions of the flesh (2 Peter 2:18). John is not speaking about our need for water, food, or shelter; these are normal and natural. He means desires that are fulfilled in sinful ways. James speaks to this by saying: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (1:14-15).
The lust of the eyes suggest that we might yield to temptation from things we see. Jesus said: “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). We might “see” and then be attracted to the flesh, to pride, greed, covetousness—the list goes on.
The pride of life needs some definition. Pride can mean arrogance, boastfulness, or ostentatiousness. John is saying that we can get caught up in this life—in the pursuit of this life whatever those pursuits might be—because we think that is what life is really about. “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17). We seek the goods of this world (money, cars, houses, etc.) and then boast about it. Why? Because for us, these things are important. They show what kind of heart we really have. Rather than giving thanks to God for all that we have, we boast and act as if it is because of our own doing, our own power, that we have what we have.
Again, what is your heart’s desire? How you answer speaks volumes about who you really are. Randy Harshbarger