“Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15-17).

Once again, in John’s classic fashion, we are faced with a paradoxical thought. We are told in John 3:16 God loves the world, and now we are told in 1 John 2:15-17 that we should not love the world.

What is going on? Is this one of the many errors our atheist friends say the Bible contains? Are we to believe God once loved this world, but after further consideration changed his mind and is now commanding us to refrain from loving it? What happened between the Gospel of John and the writing of 1 John that would explain this turnaround?

Let me begin by reassuring the reader that nothing is amiss here. God hasn’t done a double take, John isn’t engaging in double talk, the atheists are not right on this issue, and nothing happened between the writing of John and 1 John.

Our little paradoxical statement can be explained if we consider the following: (1) the meaning of the word “world”, (2) the context in which 1 John 2:15-17 is found, and (3) the necessity of the command.

Defining “World”
“World” is used over 102 times in the Johannine corpus. This fact alone highlights how important it is in his theology. Like the English word “cool,” the word “world” can have a variety of meanings, especially in John’s writings.

It can mean the physical created universe and humanity. Both of these concepts are found in John 1:10: “He was in the world (physical universe)…yet the world (humanity) did not know him”. It can also mean sinful humanity (John 3:19), and as is the case with 1 John 2:15-1, it can mean world systems that oppose God.

So, when John says in his gospel, “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16), he is referring to sinful humanity. His command for us to not love the “world” in 1 John 2:15-17 is referring to the systems of this world that oppose God. Therefore, John is not engaging in doublespeak. He is simply referring to two different meanings of the word “world.”

Context
Beginning in 1 John 2:7, John begins to focus on the abiding commandment to love each other in the midst of an ever-changing world. This sets the stage for the contrasting allegiances John is known for (Light/darkness, Christ/anti-Christ, Spirit/flesh). The contrast then is between love for God and our brother (1 John 2:1-11), and love for the world.

John tells believers to love God and others, but not to love the world. Notice John doesn’t say to hate the world. Rather, he says do not love the world. John doesn’t want us to hate the world systems because we have to live in them and advance the Gospel in them.

The call to not love the world isn’t a call to run and hide far away from civilization. The call to not love the world is a call to fix our minds and hearts solely on the great commandment: To love God with our whole being, and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).
It is a call to covenant fidelity in which our allegiance is to God and none other. It is a call to radical self-denial and love towards God, rather than a striving for the things of this world.

A Necessary Command
The command is needed because our “love o’meter” is often out-of-whack. Loving and pursuing God with all of our being often takes a back seat to the cares and affairs of this world.

John is not ignorant of the fact believers have practical concerns. He is not telling us to forsake buying a home or car. He is not telling us to give up vacations or the movies. He is certainly not indicating it’s wrong to buy and have nice things such as clothes, shoes, and other personal items. What John is saying here is much more profound.

John knows we serve a loving God who gives good gifts to his children. And because of this truth, we often end up loving the gifts more than the gift-giver. Thus John’s command is to love the gift-giver more than the gift. Why? Because the gifts will pass away. The only thing that will remain is the gift-giver.

Watchman Nee, noted Chinese Bible teacher and Christian leader, when commenting on 1 John 2:15-17, stated the matter in starker terms: “Ultimately, when we touch the things of the world, the question we must ask ourselves always is: ‘How is this thing affecting my relationship with the father?’ (Love Not the World).

This is a great question because it acknowledges the need to remain in the world, but it also acknowledges the priority of the Father.
May the Lord give you the wisdom and grace to ask this question as you walk the pilgrim’s way through this world.