1-3 John - 1st John 2:15-17 Separation from the World
1 John 2:15-17 · Bob Eckel · Mar 27, 2011
1, 2 & 3 John, No. 13
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/49262295565

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

All right, this was fun today. And these three verses that we're going to do today were verses that in the past I kind of thought I'd been there and done that, and ultimately in the setting of which we're Looking at 1 John, these verses, I think, take on a kind of new meaning to me, and I hopefully will be able to transmit that truth and enthusiasm to you today. So, let's begin by reading at verse 12, and we'll go down through 17.

I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his namesake. I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. And I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. And I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. And I have written unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you. And you've overcome the wicked one. Notice, by the way, in these last three verses, Satan comes up a lot. Because that's in part what we're going to be looking at today.

Verse 15, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, that he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. The big three, right? Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

Hmm. Boy, do I have any of that? All right, let's proceed. Remember, this is Sunday School, so bring up your issues and concerns as they come up. All right, verse 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. Wow. Cosmos world or world system.

Let's look how Schofield defines this. I thought this was good. This is quotation from Schofield. In the sense of the present world system, The ethically bad sense of the word refers to the order or arrangement under which Satan has organized the world of unbelieving mankind upon his cosmic principle of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure.

Let's look at some verses. Tom, Matthew 4, 8 and 9. Ingrid, John 12, 31. Donna, John 14, 30. Marilyn, John 18, 36. Pat, Ephesians 2, 2. Jack, Ephesians 6, 12. And Winnie, 1 John 5, 19. Okay, we'll come back to that in a few minutes. Ingrid? John 12, 31.

Now is the time for judgment on this world. Now the prince of this world will be driven out. John 14, 30. Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world.

If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews, but now my human is from another place. 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.

Okay, that's 612. I'll take Ephesians 612. 612, okay. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities. We know that we are of God and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Okay, we're talking about black and white here. We're talking about evil and good. We're talking about Christ in the world system. We're talking about us as believers versus a non-believing world system.

Contrast is impressive and as zealous as it can be. Schofield goes on to say, this world system is imposing and powerful with armies and fleets is often outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant, but seething with natural and commercial rivalries and ambitions, is upheld in every any real crisis only by armed force, and is dominated by satanic principles. Wow. I mean, this second paragraph, I think, really touches on the charades that the world puts on in terms of outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant. Keep in mind now... I live politically correct. Politically correct?

The world system, very different. Look at the verse though, do not love the world. So, what kind of love is this for the world system and its things that were commanded, imperative to avoid? Well, the Greek term is agapeo. Really? What do you make of this? We're told as believers not to love the world system as Christ loved us. How do we interpret this? Pretty strong love. What kind of love is this? Pretty strong. Is the believer capable of having this kind of love for the world system?

The text apparently says that we are. Well, that's what it says, Margaret. It says don't love the world system. This is the believers. How do we interpret this? Pat, this is meat, okay? This isn't milk. Let's look ahead. In the new man, this is the point I want to bring up. We can discuss this. In the new man, is this agape love for cosmos consistent with the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ within each one of us? Absolutely not.

Remember, 1 John is about fellowship. And what happens when we turn our attention to the world system? Is this fellowship with the Lord? Alright, let's carry the thought one step further. If not, then isn't this simply the continuing message to remain in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and avoid the alternative?

The old man, the sinful nature in all of us, loves the world system. I can love the world system within a couple of minutes. But what John is saying to us as believers That's not who you are. So the command to us is to live in the new nature by faith in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This isn't a legal deal. This is a fellowship deal. We are all capable in our Adamic nature to love the world system with unconditional love. I don't know about you.

I mean, boy, sometimes you can really get wrapped up in the things of the world, can't you? But that's not what tellership is all about. with who we are. Yeah, and again, that second paragraph by Schofield is perfect, isn't it? Just think about accomplishments and pride, and by the way, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and we're going to come back to that. Okay, so we've got all this outward religion and science and elegance and culture, all part of the world system.

What the verse says, don't go there. And when you go there, it's not who you are. I mean, we're one in Christ, and we're talking about fellowship. This is not a legal deal. Boy, if you put this on a legal framework, you're in trouble here, because you're constantly saying, gee, am I loving the world too much? No. When we love the world system, we have all the power in the world to do this. John says, the Spirit says, in the Lord Jesus Christ, that fellowship does not love the world system.

Everybody okay with this? I really think This is kind of a new view, but in context, in what we've been studying at First John, this is perfectly consistent with remaining, by faith, in the fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ and who we are in Him. Right? Thoughts? Yeah.

In 3.23, here in First John, there's a verse that says... Want to read it for us?

First John 3.23? Let me turn it over to you.

It says, and this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of the Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us the commandment. Okay, those two commandments. This is the will of God. He who does the will of God you're going to come to in these verses. Okay? And we need to know what that will is. And 323 gives us His will.

That's all I'm saying. Well, I'll add to that if I could, Roy. We didn't go back to verse 7 this morning because, you know, I just chose not to do that. But verses 7 through 11 deal with the New Commandment. Right. And the New Commandment is loving one another. 1 John 1 and all the fellowship that relates to 1 John 1, we in fact have the new commandment established for us in the new nature. The new commandment is that we love the brethren, love one another as we love ourselves, as He has loved us. That's all of a new nature, right? We're not going to be able to measure up to that love in anything other than the new man, the new creation that we all have.

So in a sense, Roy's taken us back there by looking ahead to 323. Well, the only reason I bring that up is that that's what you're talking about here. Love not the world, but love one another. That's the contrast, isn't it? I mean, isn't that what we're at here? Other thoughts about this? Here, Jack.

I can't remember where I read it, but some noted author about we aren't here as Christians to improve this old world. We are here to improve it. We are not here to improve the world. We're from a different kingdom. This idea of, if you will, liberal Christianity, where we're here to change the world to be a better place to live, just not part of the agenda.

Can anybody support that scripturally? That we're here to change a fallen world? Again, what I pointed out a few minutes ago, this is black and white. There's no gray zone here. The world system is not the heavenly kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, let's go on.

James 4.4, this is a nice verse. It really provides this contrast.

Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Is not the Adamic nature, the sinful nature, in fact, enmity with the world? I mean, we're not in the business of trying to improve how we are dealing with the world. We're here to examine the truth of the world that we're new creations in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we are enmity with the world. And when we love the world with an agape love, that's simply of the endemic nature.

We've fallen, if you will, out of fellowship. And remember, 1 John 1, 9, Jack, we profess our sins, right? It's not confessed. It's our profession of sin that we're falling out of fellowship. Lord, thank you for bringing me back. There's no payment of the sin that needs to be done anymore. We profess that we're, in fact, living in the pre-Adamic or pre-Christ nature and not living by grace, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now there's an important second part of this verse. If anyone loves the world, notice again the source of that love. The love of the Father is not in him.

And I point out to you After stating it's a third-class condition, present active adjunctive, that's a lot of subjunctive, that's a lot of stuff that says if, mean, when you do, or if you do. Not certain, but the likelihood is that you will do it. Anyway, the preposition here is in, not to. Why is that important?

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, rather than to him. It's us that breaks the fellowship, not the Lord. So, the act of loving the world in the power of the sinful nature of the flesh, in fact, is not the love of God. Right? They can't coexist. Yeah, again, this is oil and water. This is black and white. What if it said, to him? Then we're in trouble, aren't we?

If this said, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not to him, I mean, that would tend to make us think we're not saved, right? And the fact that it's not in him is meaning the act of loving the world, the agape, unconditional love for the world is not of the Lord Jesus Christ. In him is being in Christ.

This is inconsistent with that. Everybody okay with that? Prepositions are important in Scripture. And remember, in him is something like 150 times in Scripture, where for him is like three. In him is really who we are. And that in him love is not for the world system. that in him love is in and for and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Two natures again emphasized, I think, here. If anyone loves the world, this is not the love of the Father in him that's being manifested. This is somebody else here. Important always to realize the Adam nature is never going to get any better. In fact, it's revealed for who it really is.

Does anybody here have problems at times loving the world system? All the security blankets we have and all the things that relate to who we are and what the world system thinks of us? I'm sure we all do in some way. Keep in mind, the world system metrics, as believers, we all need to respond to, don't we, in terms of the way we perform, quote-unquote, in the world system. My job demands me to measure up as well as anybody else to my job description, as the world system does. I live in the world, but I'm not of it. I think that's really what we always need to be reminded of. This is a different a different system than the one he has for us, where our citizenship really resides.

All right, 1 John 2.16, for all that's in the world, the big three, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but of the world.

Lust, strong desires, vain cravings. I mean, we can go into specifics where we don't need to. I mean, the strong desires and vain cravings can come in a wide variety of forms, can't they? The big three, if you will. Can you describe the cosmos any better than this? Is there anything that's part of the world system that doesn't fall within these three domains of lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life? I can't think of anything that falls outside of these three. Let's look at these in a little bit more detail.

What's the lust of the flesh? Don't look at your handout please. Lust of the flesh, all right, no answers. How about that of the animal, the basics? fleshly needs. Now, we think of the flesh as a sinful nature. I think the lust of the eyes takes care of a lot of that. But anyway, I'm just raising the question, is this that of the animal?

And Satan's way of tempting or testing Christ to resolve his hunger. Keep in mind that was Christ tempted as we were tempted? A bit of a rabbit trail here, but hopefully I won't go down it too long. Was he tempted like we're tempted? Tom, yes. My needs is to do the will of God who sent me.

Do we know that the Greek term for tempted can also be interpreted tested? You know when I look at the temptation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the wilderness I'm thinking that he was tested to prove who he really was. Just as we as believers were tempted to sin and we can respond to the temptation by sinning. But isn't it neat when you're living above and you're living by faith from God's great grace, if we look at ourselves as being tested to prove who we really are, we're really living in the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tom? It makes me think, now this goes back a little way, but not too far for most of us here. I think just for approval means there is the power it's there in you by God's grace using by the way we've been here before but this isn't intellectualizing this when temptations come our way to sit here and think about you I'm going to try hard to be tested rather than I mean we're already losing the battle to some extent there when we view temptations as being tested, we're lifted up by that and they have no meaning or no bearing on our life. That's the new life manifested in each and every one of us.

So let's keep in mind, I don't believe Christ could have sinned, do you? If Christ could have sinned, then he was tempted like we are. But if in fact we interpret this as being tested, Christ is proving who he really is by these, quote, temptations. Let's look, yeah, Ingrid.

Hebrews 4.15 says, We have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet was without sin. Perfect. So he was tempted or he wasn't tempted in every way? Can he be tempted like we are if he could not sin? Yes.

There are two words for it here. Satan's way of tempting is that he wants to bring us to failure. God's way of tempting, using the word testing if you will, is to disprove. Satan always wants to disprove. Every time he tests, he wants to trip us up. to show the badness.

And I think in the Gospel accounts, the verb is best interpreted as tempted, rather than testing. There are other places where I think the verb tested. I don't have any trouble, though, paraphrasing Scripture to indicate that, I mean, if we believe Christ could have sinned, then the Hebrews verse we would interpret as saying he's tempted to sin like we are.

I don't think so. If he could have sinned, then my Lord isn't who I think he is. I don't know. Well, he was without sin, but the question is, could he have sinned? Well, we in 1 Peter, the other night, remember we looked at this, Peter witnessed him and reported he was without sin, and there are multiple verses that say that our Lord was without sin. But even in the Old Testament verses where it prophesies, it talks about that he was going to be without sin. So if they already knew he was going to be without sin, I don't think Alright, well we can discuss this the rest of the class, but the purpose here is just to indicate that this lust of the flesh was in a way of Satan saying to Christ, resolve your hunger.

Here's the verse in Luke 4.3. And the devil said to him, if you are the son of God, command that this stone become bread. Fleshly needs, if you will, those of the animal and the human and the biologic existence. People who are possibly unbelievers were saying among themselves, He doeth all things well.

We're not talking about somebody who can command a legion. We're not talking about somebody who could be like a Herod that bit a whole cheering section before he got the worm attack. You know, I would say this, and I'll add to your hasty conclusion of this whole topic.

If in fact Christ could have sinned, then the identification truths are entirely incorrect. Is that a reasonable statement? I mean, seriously, I think if we think the Lord Jesus Christ is tempted like we and could have in fact responded by turning the stone into bread, then we in fact, then we ought to be improving Adam to please God, right? Gail? If we say that he could have sinned, isn't that implying that, isn't that diminishing the Godhead and maybe implying that he had a sin nature?

Absolutely. And that he could have chosen to take on a sin nature at that point. And that's what I'm saying, the whole identification truce, things are all off then. Everything that Paul has written about, and we're using John to exemplify, it's all wrong. I just don't think we can believe that Christ had a sin nature. Remember, he took the sin of the entire world on himself. He didn't, in fact, take his own sin nature to the cross.

Again, maybe it's a challenge to all of us to go scripturally back this up. This is where I wanted to go today in saying testing versus tempting. I'm just thinking about the application of when we're tempted. The new man is testing. We're tempted to sin because we can't respond in the old nature.

All right, so anyway, this is, if you will, the lust of the flesh. The idea, I'm hungry, as Christ was, in turning a stone into bread. I mean, this is very graphic for the Lord and certainly not something we run into day in and day out. Being so hungry, we would want to turn the stone into bread. But nevertheless, it's the lust of the flesh. Lust of the eyes. Well, that one never quits. We could go on forever about this. I think it's the path through which outward things of the world, the riches, the pomp, the beauty, all engage us on a day-in and day-out basis.

And Satan, I think, clearly used this as another example of ways in which Christ was tested to prove who he really was. And here's where he showed him the kingdoms of the world in just a moment. And so verse 5 and 6 in Luke 4 says, Then the devil, taking him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to him, all this authority I'll give you and their glory for this has been delivered to me and I give it to whomever I wish. Notice Satan says, this is all mine, the kingdoms of the world. I'm going to show them to you lust of the eyes in terms of the power. It could be the pride of life too. I mean, it could be not just the lust of the eyes of things you own or rule, but in fact could be the pride of life also.

If you really examine it if you consider that as his own handiwork, with the agreement of the Holy Spirit, with the foreplanning with the Father, all three in agreement, that it is just not in his nature. It ain't in him. He couldn't have done it. No argument, no. Alright, the final life. JFB literally says this is arrogant assumption or vainglorious display.

I think we all suffer from this time in and time out. I mean, I remember a Bible study in our home. In fact, Donnie, you may have been there this many years ago where this issue came up with the many members who you well remember being part of the study. This whole issue.

What about being proud of your daughter who's performed well in a soccer match? Is that what we're talking about here? I mean, is there room for earthly pride in family members or spouses or people who work for you in terms of their accomplishments? Is that loving the world and the world system?

You know, we don't want to drill down here to specifics. We're talking about an atom nature who ultimately is proud of the world system and everything it operates. All vainglories, as Solomon would say, emptiness without merit. We're talking about an attitude. We're talking about an assumption. It's a nature of the atom nature to ultimately have pride in life. We as believers can have earthly pride in the accomplishments of our loved ones. This isn't agape of the world system. This is just human pride in a sense of accomplishment.

Okay? Everybody okay with that? All right, what does pride imply? Let's look at 1 Corinthians 4, 6 and 7. I love these verses and I think it's a perfect time for us to take a look at those. We're talking about some humbling text. Everybody there? 6 and 7, 1 Corinthians 4. Therefore, judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall every man have praise of God.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself into a polis for your sakes. that you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who makes you to differ from one another? And what have you done that you didn't receive? Now, if you did receive it, why do you glory as if you didn't receive it?" Boy! Don't take too much credit, everybody.

You think of the things of the world, the pride of life, and we think of what we think of. We think of good looks. We think of athletic ability. We think of perhaps musical skills. I mean, think of the things of the world. Intelligence, advanced degrees, all these things of the world are ours.

And what's Paul say here? Where'd it come from? Where'd it come from? There's no room for arrogance, or lack of humility. It's all from God. By the way, if you've not been given the best of looks, you can make yourself more attractive simply by grooming nice. The point is, it's all from God. We can do with what He gives us. If you've got an IQ of 160 and you don't graduate from high school, I guess you could be Bill Gates, he didn't graduate from college. But anyway, all that aside, the point is that we're given certain things by the Lord and He is making us accountable to bring glory to His name, no matter what our deck of cards looks like. We all differ one from another, but there's no pride of life here, because it's all of God. And we respond by faith when we're living according to His Word, and giving Him the glory for all things we do accomplish.

Right. Just a thought here. All three of these focus in ourselves, on self. Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life. This is self-focused, is that what you're saying? Again, this is not confessing being proud of your, you know, your family successes. I mean, I guess you could put it into the point of words and nature and it's really unconditional. I mean, that's not what we're talking about here. We're not talking about minute details. We're talking about a manifestation of this unconditional love for a system that rewards itself for what it is.

Luke 4.9, another part of this temptation of Lord Jesus Christ.

Then he brought him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, if you're the son of God, throw yourself down from here. Another example of, in fact, the temptation or testing of Christ to prove who he really is. The pride of life is, in fact, the ability to overcome those whims and wills that are presented to us by the world. There's an added warning and note of encouragement to us that Paul gives us.

This is just one example. Because, beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. The contrast. Christ versus the world. Black and white. We as new creations in Christ versus being out of fellowship and responsive to the old man that's been crucified. Black and white.

Galatians 5.17 For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Again, black and white. Spirit, flesh, world, Christ. New nature, old nature.

John 17, 14, I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Christ is actually praying or communicating with his heavenly father about you and me. It says there that we have been given to the Lord and that the world hated us because we're not of the world. just as I am not of the world. Again, the heavenly prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ about believers that were yet to be born and live. Is our business out there to make the world hate us? What do you think?

Well, it's by default. But it's also not our job to make the world love us. They're not going to love us. They may respect us depending on what your worldly accomplishments are. Yeah, that's their metric, isn't it? We're measured in the world system by the metrics of the world, not by who we are in Christ.

But yet, what are we saying here in terms of the world hating us because they first hated Him? It's the cross they hate. When they see the cross in us, If we walked our day-to-day walk and our view of our walk was that we want the world to hate us, where's that coming from anyway? What's exactly winning? Isn't that self-sourced? I'm going to walk around and make the world hate me because I'm a believer.

Wow. Talk about being out of fellowship. I think the John 17 there where it says they're not of the world. And where he says, I am not of the world. I think that speaks to source. We are sourced out of him. We used to be sourced out of the world. And I think that the darkness of the world system, and Satan and his cohorts, whoever, they recognize that, that our source is no longer there. is not likely to be revealed. So I think as we purpose ourselves to walk in the light, it's not the idea to make the world hate us. It's a life by faith.

I think that there are a lot of people that I work around who I've never shared the Lord Jesus Christ with, and there are many that I have. But those who have not heard me say anything about the Lord directly to them, the Spirit's not really opened doors there particularly. I think that I'm looked at at times like I'm from a different planet. I just kind of sense this, but there's no pride of life there. It's simply that it's clear that ultimately there's something different, I think, the way that people look at you.

I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't take any credit. The point is that I think that when we pay attention to our own walk, that walk's not of him. I'm only sharing that with you because I just sense that in the workplace. Language seems to, I mean, you know, but that could be prudishness or something too, you know. Again, there's no credit here that Adam gets for anything. It's who we are, and that walk is by faith. Well, I find that the intelligent, you know, kind of makes us, they think we're weak because we believe as we believe in something that we can't see. Faith, I mean, this is their view. Yeah, Vicki. At the same time, I think that Christ was love. God is love.

And if we show that love in the workplace, in the... My friends are in the workplace, they're gossiping about someone, and I say, gee, you know, she... Instead, I say something nice about the person. In the middle of the conversation, I'm not trying to be self-righteous, I'm trying to show love. And by example, and loving them too, I think they get a different picture of, gee, that's a good way to live life.

That's right. Well, that love is what we're called to, right? And that love is unconditional, which means it doesn't make any difference what anybody's doing or saying. Ultimately, that love for them never ends. That's Christlike love. That's not something you put on. That's something of who you are. Which comes with an effort, rather than to judge, to understand them. even in their lives, so they're the ones that are suffering. And you're a light unto darkness. Good. Other thoughts about this?

Okay, so the world hates us because they hate the word, they hate the cross, they hate the Lord Jesus Christ. And hate is a strong term, and ultimately they may not cognitively know they're hating it, But of their world system, their agape is for the world system and everything that it's worth. Yeah. Yeah, it just seems like maybe one reason that there's such this animosity is because our value system is not going to praise or recognize worldly accomplishments. Excellent. Good point. But the right attitude is to maybe, yeah that's fine, and not be insulting about degrading their accomplishments. Do you ever fall short of this, Vicki? Oh, yeah. Sure.

And what happens when we fall short? What do we do? What's our response as believers when we feel like we fall short of God's agape for us and for the world system through us? Well, mine is just to go back to the Lord. That's new to me. You understand what I'm trying to point out there with profess versus confess. We confess, sure we're sinners, we can confess that we've sinned. But the point is the sins have been paid for. So when we profess we're just saying, God I'm at a fellowship with you. In other words, we know our sins are forgiven, we acknowledge it, we move back into fellowship again.

It's a subtle thing. I think it's very important to think we're confessing, yes, but the verb can be equally acknowledged to be professed. We're professing that that's of a different nature. That's not a view. And Lord, thanks for bringing me back into fellowship. I mean, it's really a healthy view, I think. Doesn't make our sin any less, but it makes us recognize that sin has been eternally paid for. is when we make a mistake.

Have you made some of those? You know, you're in a workplace, and let's say you're in a leadership position, and you make a mistake. How do you address that? You know, I think the world system, even though they may hate us, and they may hate the cross, when we admit our mistakes in front of the world system, and confess them, if you will, or profess them to them, that there's a whole different view of who you are and what your walk's all about, in their view. Sometimes I think we... It's not the pride of life we're talking about here, but I think sometimes we... we're unwilling to humble ourselves by saying, let's say Pat, you're an unbeliever and I've said something very pejorative about you and I come to you and say, Pat, I was talking to Jill about you and I said some bad things. That's not who I am. I fell short of my faith and would you forgive me?

I think that carries a lot of weight in front of the world system. When we admit when we're wrong and the world system knows that the believer is not perfect in terms of his or her performance each and every day. We're perfect and complete in Christ, but we still carry this agape for the world capability in us and we fall short.

Thoughts about that? I think honesty is admirable and would be recognized. And ignoring our faults would be recognized as not being honest. trying to put the blame on someone else because I think the world no one wants to take accountability and responsibility so the first thing people start trying to do is well that really wasn't my job or that one you know I didn't really do that that was this other person and I think by accepting the responsibility right away that we made a mistake even if We don't say, that's not my fate. We don't even say that. Just the fact that we own up to it immediately and say, I made a mistake. That was a bad decision. I shouldn't have done that. I didn't look at all the facts or whatever the thing is. That's a new thing in the workplace. Oh, yeah. Very new. Vicki? Well, and going with all this, I mean, I think that when we behave this way, It's part of our witness. Sure. Sure. Behave in the way we just described. Absolutely. Good.

All right, verse 17, the last one for this morning. And the world is passing away in the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. And the worthlessness of earthly possessions will be made known. Let's start reading this because I think it's uplifting in terms of this world system. And if the bell goes off, we're going to finish the lesson and stop the reading. So Revelation 18, 11 through 19. And Roy, could you read this and speak up if you could? That'd be great. Roy's looking to think about what happened with Germany in 1923. Okay, I'm ready. Okay, read out. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her. For no man loveth their merchandise any more.

The merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet and all fine wood and all kinds of vessels of ivory of iron and of marble, and cinnamon, and incense, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and horses, chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusteth after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and sumptuous, are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas, that great city riches are come to nothing. And every ship master, and all the company in ships and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city? All these things that are part of the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and some of the lust of the flesh in terms of just the basic needs that we have, is all going to be done away with. The world system is going to end.

This is prophetic and it's end times, but nevertheless, this verse says actually that it's continuing to pass away right now. Matthew 24 says heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. Is passing away means it's already happening? So how might we describe the fact that the world system is already passing away?

How do you interpret that? Are we seeing all these kind of events of Revelation 18 being portrayed today? OK, Tom, any other thoughts about how we're really examining a world that's passing away right now? Extinct animals. So it's already happening, but we're not seeing it as graphically portrayed through our revelation, right?

And what we see now has always been seen by those living. You go back and look at things. Socrates wrote, he's going, oh, society's going. Just totally disintegrating and kids this and that. It's the same thing that we've been seeing. It's been happening and it still continues to happen.

It's not what Revelation is talking about. How about the scientific term entropy? You know what entropy is? Everything declines. Yeah, right. In a sense, I think that could be a broad interpretation here. The world system as the earthly system is ultimately decaying and being destroyed ultimately is a world system that ultimately will be destroyed as Revelation 18 points out. And who's doing it? And he who is doing, meaning those of us who in fact are are lusting after the world system and agaping unconditionally for the world system. That means right now and in fellowship with the world system. All right. Does the will of God abide in them? What's the will of God? Everybody, Christianity 101, what's the will of God? All able to accept the knowledge of the truth. I don't think so. Randy mentioned this last week. I had not seen the notes until this morning when I came in.

Here's the will of God. For whom he foreknew he predestined us to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. The will of God for all of us is to be conformed to his Son as believers. And you can put that on with a white dress or yellow pants. This could be worn in a wide variety of ways. But being conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ is the will of God for all of us. I don't think you can make it any simpler than that. How you do it. This isn't something you work at. This is something we put on by faith.

All right, so it says here that he who does the will of God abides forever, but if you're not, what's abiding forever is present active indicative. It starts now, it's factual, and probably has lots of influences in the future. The question of the class, and this is the last point I'll bring up here, are we talking about The one who does the will of God abides forever? Are we talking about his or her works? And the final question is, are these rewards? We can't believe that if in fact we have a love for the world system in the context of first John that we're unsafe.

So it says he who does the will of God abides forever is the will of God is ultimately manifested in the life so that what is done by his will and by his power lives forever. It has eternal merit. This is not the loss of salvation. Even though if you interpret the verse literally, well it says he who does the will of God abides forever. We know that the world's passing away in the lust of it, but he that does the world. It does say the opposite, does it? That if the love of the flesh And the love of the world system ultimately is the fact that you're going to be cast out eternally. But it does say that if we do the will of God, we abide forever. And again, the will of God is being conformed. And when we're conformed to the image of his son, what we do is an evidence of who we are.

Vicki, that love you're showing for people in the workplace, that's of the Lord. That has merit. That could be an eternal reward. We don't work for rewards. I think the rewards in heaven, and Mike does so well at this, as well as we know them here, and as much as we're conformed here, our rewards in heaven will be equal to that relationship we have here. Everybody will be satisfied. Everybody will be satisfied.

But yet, I think the life of Christ lived out, and when we abide in that love, ultimately, that is eternal merit. To God be the glory. Great things He has done, right? Did the bell ring? I can ignore anything if I want to. Tom, closest in prayer, please. Thank you for this lesson and for the giving of it by Dr. Eccles through your grace in Jesus' name. Amen.