Msg #2406 The Audience, The Command

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

The Apostle John has a unique way of addressing his target audience in 1John 2:12-17. His message is “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (vr.15). For his audience John addresses two ends of the spectrum and then the middle. The “little children” end uses two words “infant-darlings”, that have been forgiven (vr.12), and “childlings, stepping to maturity”, who know the Father (vr.13). On the other end of the spectrum, to fathers, John both writes, and has written (present and past tenses), because “you have known (past tense) him that is from the beginning” (vr.13,14). Men do not really mature until they are fathers, having reared children. Grey-heads with grandchildren know some things about their heavenly Father, that others have not, perhaps even cannot, fully comprehended. John's primary aim however, is young men. He writes, and has written, because they are, and are to be, overcomers. They are strong, and the word of God abides in them. For all this audience of born again believers, for the categorical divides John puts them in, and for the reasons stated, John says “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (vr.15). That love of the world, exposed as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, caused man's initial fall: Genesis 3:6 speaks of “good for food”, “pleasant to the eyes”, and “to make one wise”. Even Satan's fall is connected into this pride problem, as revealed in Isa.14:12-17, and Ezek.28:12-19. Love not the world, nor its addictions, pull down its strong holds (2Cor.10:4), and overcome the wicked one.“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1John.5:4).

An Essay for week #6, Feb 11, 2024

Israel Pilgrimage Journal www.GSBaptistChurch.com/israel22

Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs240211.mp3

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