Friday, December 3, 2010

1 John 2:11-17

12 I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
14 I write to you, dear children, 
 because you know the Father. 
I write to you, fathers, 
 because you know him who is from the beginning. 
I write to you, young men, 
 because you are strong, 
 and the word of God lives in you, 
 and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Questions to consider:
  • What is the Christian experience of the people to whom John writes?
  • How does love for the world in verses 15-17 differ from the love in verses 7-11?
  • List examples of the three kinds of lust mentioned. To what extent are any present in your life? What will you do about it?
  • How can you tell if you love God?
Possibilities for prayer:

The last verse of this passage kind of helps us put our choices and desires in perspective, doesn’t it? John tells us fairly clearly that the world and its desires pass away, so we should probably be prioritizing things of a heavenly nature. Let’s ask to be able to see life with a heavenly perspective, prioritizing our desires and choices with eyes that see the grand plan and understand the way that things of the earth are not permanent.