30 December 2023
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.
From 1 John 2:12-17, NRSV
In advising his readers not to love the world, John was not thinking of the world created by God but of the secular world and its values. He was warning against the pursuit of “wordliness” and love of the material things that goes with this. John was aware of the ways in which people were taken up by love of physical and material pleasures to the extent that these could dominate their lives and replace their love of God and divine values. In our increasingly materialistic and pleasure driven world, John’s words of warning perhaps carry an even greater sense of urgency.
- What do you suppose John meant in saying that the world was “passing away”?
- How can Christians live in this world without becoming “of” it?
Pray for the grace to prioritise and work for the values of God’s kingdom.
