Do not love the world
Or its many things,
But seek to love God
And the hope He brings.
The lust of the flesh,
The lust of the eyes,
And the pride of life
Is what the world cries.
Our world is dying
With its sin and lust,
So, live in God’s truth.
He’s worthy of trust.
The man who obeys
God’s will for his life
Lives forevermore,
Overcoming strife.
So, children abide
In Christ who appears.
Have confidence, sure,
Free of doubts and fears.
When He comes again
Do not be ashamed,
For He is righteous.
God’s word has proclaimed.
Practice righteousness
And be born of Him.
Become His loved child,
Be filled to the brim,
Filled to overflow
With love, such favor.
Tell the world about
God’s Son, your Savior.
1 John 2:15-17,28-29
We love the world that we live in. That is, the natural part that reflects the love and care of God. The breathtaking beauty that He has created is not what this verse in 1 John is referring to. John is writing about being attached to our corrupt and evil part of our society. It refers to our culture that rebels against God and focuses on self and materialism. Sin can be listed under three categories: the lust of the flesh (physical and self-indulgent pleasures), the lust of the eyes (an obsession of acquiring possessions) and the pride of life (arrogance and an unhealthy focus on status). John wants the followers of Jesus to put Him first, focus on serving others, and find our value in our relationship with God rather than earthly wealth or status. That is being a child of God. Are you?
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." John 5:13
I visited the Basilica of St. John in Ephesus, Turkey in 2002. . It is considered to be the final resting place of Saint John, where a simple tomb marks the location where he is believed to have been buried. The Basilica of Saint John is a grand structure built in the 6th century to honor the saint and is thought to house some of his relics. The first letter of John was most likely written in Ephesus.
Early church history gives credible evidence that John relocated to Ephesus, where he spent the last years of his life. Around 90–95 AD, he authored the Letters of John to address false teachings circulating among the early Christian communities in the surrounding region.