Bible Studies for Life
By Jim Barnette, Ph.D. Samford University and Brookwood Baptist Church, Mountain Brook
When Materialism Consumes
(1 John 2:12–17; 3:16–18)
Christ-followers are those who know and love God. (2:12–14)
In chapter 2, John has already addressed his readers as little children (v. 1), as beloved (v. 7) and as brothers and sisters (vv. 10–11). Now he addresses three groups: children, parents and young people. These three groups are addressed “because” they have behaved in a commendable way. Many suggest that since all of the qualities that John mentions ought to be found in all believers, it is best to regard the division as a stylistic one. As C.H. Dodd notes, “All Christians are by God’s grace children in innocence and dependence on the heavenly Father, young men in strength, and fathers in experience.”
John points out that his readers have forgiveness of sins, knowledge of God, the word of God abiding in them and victory over the evil one. They are a people whose sins have been forgiven; they have fulfilled the call to genuine confession of sins (see 1:9), and now they know the joy of forgiveness. This forgiveness is granted “on account of His name,” a phrase that directs us back to what John has said about the blood of Jesus and His role as advocate and offering for sin (1:7; 2:1).
Loving the things of the world is the opposite of loving God. (2:15–17)
Here John uses one of his signature techniques of emphasizing a word (“world”) by repeating it.
John admonishes the readers: “Do not love the world.” Some might see a contradiction with “God so loved the world” in John 3:16. But that passage refers to God’s saving love for people, whereas here John is concerned with people who set their hearts on worldliness.
John does not equivocate here: love of God and love of the world are mutually exclusive. In no way can the created world replace the Creator as the source of identity, meaning and purpose. Everything created is transitory, as is the appetite for it. Three appetites specified in verse 16 are “the lust of the flesh,” “the lust of the eyes” and “the pride of life.” It is worth comparing these three appetites with those which led Eve to disobey God (see Gen. 3:6).
Loving God is reflected in our attitude toward our possessions. (3:16–18)
We can “know love” in the specifically Christian sense only because of what Jesus did for us at the cross where “He laid down His life for us.” Since believers owe their lives to Christ who died for us, they in turn are called “to lay down” their lives for their “brothers and sisters.” In many parts of the world martyrdom is a rare event. However, there are more available, repeatable and practical expressions of love that must be carried out — including to share one’s goods with those in need.
When it comes to generosity talk is cheap. By the actual sharing of our resources with others we exude the love of God that lies within us and our lives are enriched.
If we want to experience and savor the love of God in our hearts, we must love others, even to the point of sacrifice. Being indifferent to the needs of others means robbing ourselves of having even more of God’s love in our hearts. In a sense, then, loving others as Christ loves us is a matter of love or death. Let us choose love!
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