“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).
The third pathway John mentions by which the world tries to capture the believer’s mind is the boastful pride of life. This is the sin of thinking you stand by your own power, gifts, or talents. Think of the words of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:30, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” And to our shame, this same sinful attitude is often found in the church. Covetousness, lack of godly stewardship, waste and misuse of God’s gifts, lack of giving God the first fruits, and serving God with our time, talents, and treasures are the sinful pride of life. Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” That is why we read in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
What about you? Are you walking contrary to the ways of this world? Are you living as a pilgrim and stranger on the earth? Do you love God, or do you love the world? If you love God, it will be your daily prayer that He takes the worldly desires from you and gives you daily strength to obey His will for His glory. John wrote in 1 John 2:17, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” In other words, if you live for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life you will lose everything. Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). John is saying that if anyone has an uncontrollable love for the things of this world, then they do not love God. A Christian cannot live in a habitual, unbroken lifestyle pattern of conformity to the world. Yes, Christians struggle with remaining indwelling sin and fight against it all this life long, but a Christian is not a “worldling.” Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” The strength to deny worldliness is not our own strength, but the strength of Christ in us through true faith, which motivates the believer to love God and hate the world.
Do you live for yourself and work for the idols you have erected in your life, or do you live for God and seek to obey His will? John says, “The one who does the will of God abides forever.” This is not salvation by obedience. Yes, those who do the will of God abide forever, but they only do the will of God because the Holy Spirit has graciously translated them out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of Christ. Believers are those who do the will of God and abide forever because by true faith in Jesus Christ they have overcome the world. “And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). Therefore, let those who confess Christ continually strive to walk in the will of our gracious heavenly Father for the sake of Jesus Christ, who alone deserves all the glory, honor, and praise! Amen!
Tuesday Encouragement: April 14, 2026
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
