Scripture Passage: 1 John 2:12-17
1. Do I Believe God? (vv12-14)
• Do I believe what God says about me?
• John is telling us things that already true because of what Jesus accomplished for us on the Cross
• We don’t need to look to any “secret” lifestyle for our hope
• If you have been born again and place all of your trust in Jesus Christ alone, what is true of you is that:
o Our sins are forgiven for His name’s sake
o We know Him who is from the beginning
o We have overcome the evil one
o We know God as our Father
o We are strong in Him, because of the message of Christ
o God’s Word abides in us and we overcome through His Word
2. Do I Believe the World? (vv15-17)
• The “world” is this present evil age and system that is set against God and under control of the evil one
• The “world” includes those desires and ways of thinking that have to do an unbiblical view
• The world grasps for self-fulfillment and seeks self-gratification
• Belief and practice are always tied together
• Love for God is completely incompatible with loving the world
• We are not to keep on loving the world
Reason #1 to not love the world: everything in it is not from God.
• There is a war of desires inside of us but God has overcome the world and we don't have to give into the world.
• We are tempted by the cravings of sinful man: the desires of the flesh
• The flesh pursues its own and desires its own pleasure
• Self-sufficient independence from God is the result of loving the flesh
• We're not to buy into the fleshly things - we've already been redeemed
• Nothing in the world can truly satisfy
Reason #2 to not love the world: its days are numbered.
There is no future in worldliness... literally. It is going away.
• The kingdom of God (kingdom of Light) has come and the beginning of the end of the world has already started.
• We've overcome the evil one and we have fellowship with God - why would we go back to the world?
• We are to stay in the vine and keep ourselves in the love of God
Potential Application Questions:
1. Why is it critical for us to understand our forgiveness and who we are in Jesus Christ?
2. Where do you find yourself believing the lies of the world – that the world can fulfill and satisfy you?
3. How is the world enticing you in regards to what you have, what you do, what you look at?
4. What things of the world do you get angry about when you don’t get them?
5. How does knowing who we are in Jesus Christ enable us to say no to the things & desires of the world?
6. How can we find our strength in God and His Word practically as we strive to bear good fruit?
7. How can we fight against the things of the world while avoiding the self-righteous trap of legalism?
