Online Bible Verses - 1 John Chapter 2: In the World, but not of it

1 John 2:15-16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Fatheris not in them.¹⁶For 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.

According to scripture, God created the world and called it good. Yet here we are told that being fond of it sets us apart from Him. That disconnect comes, and is described, in Genesis Ch 3. An originally perfect creation became corrupt when man chose to do things his way as opposed to God’s. What changed? If the Bible is a source of absolute truth, then everything changed. The result in 2011 is a mix retaining signature of the original along with compromised aspects. Take a look at our everyday lives to illustrate. We get up every day and go to work, in order to support ourselves and our families. Society operates within an economy. We have to buy food and pay a mortgage on our house. Vehicles are required for transportation. We must pay for medicine and care when ill. Although accepted as normality, these aspects of our daily lives were not part of God’s original intent. Turn back the clock before Genesis Ch 3, and consider the same aspects according to what was initially put in place. Work was not required, as the economy was quite simple: God provided for every need. Food was right there to eat and the diet was vegetarian: vegetables, fruits, nuts and the like. Death was non-existent. Man killed and consumed no flesh, nor did animals prey on each other. In the absence of death, disease was also a non-issue. Shelter as we know it not required, given a perfect climate. The plan was for nothing other than fellowship with God.

A walk through my typical day now brings a contradictory series of thoughts, sights and sounds, which I have gotten used to yet demand explanation. My morning run is characterized by a sense of closeness to God and His creative genius. I see stars still visible in the sky at 5 AM. Not too long after that, the horizon is outlined in red as the sun begins to rise into and then above it. At about that time, I can view colorful birds and hear their distinctive songs. Heading through the park yesterday, I found myself about 10 feet away from a white tailed deer. I stopped, and we just stared at each other for 30 seconds or so before she ran away. As I run and the air fills up my lungs, I get a sense of how awesome this machine of mine He designed is. All these wonderful things He made that my eyes can see, those eyes being more complex and refined than any camera or lens created by man.

Considering the same list of sights and sounds, we can also recognize within it a coexistent compromised state. I run on a right leg that has seen 4 operations. Knee cartilage no longer exists, and it holds an 18 inch titanium rod and 4 screws. Those eyes don’t see so well anymore, as a nerve in one of them is shot. Permanent double vision is the result. It was all designed perfectly, but this world now has a way of breaking us down little by little. We are in an unnatural state of constant decay. The deer ran away because she was scared of me. Consider what is said in Genesis Ch 9 verse 2:

“The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.”

I see enough in my first waking hour each day to prompt thought on why good and bad exist together. The remaining hours throw many more glaring examples my way.

Scripture tells us that a perfect union between God and His creation no longer exists. Thus, to be completely immersed in the world means we have pushed Him aside. Inviting Him to become the main driver in our lives opens up a means by which He provides a remedy. What formerly contradicted and confused can now align with a hope looking forward. What was originally intended and has since been corrupted is promised to be once and for all corrected. Next time you are watching something horrific being reported on cable news, consider a plausible explanation for why these things can be. The tunnel we have carved out has multiple routes. An addition to it, put in place via loving compensation by God, has Light at end.