1 John 2:15
Verse
Context
Do Not Love the World
14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
Sermons







Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Love not the world - Though these several classes were so well acquainted with Divine things, and had all tasted the powers of the world to come: yet so apt are men to be drawn aside by sensible things, that the Holy Spirit saw it necessary to caution these against the love of the world, the inordinate desire of earthly things. Covetousness is the predominant vice of old age: Ye fathers, love not the world. The things which are in the world, its profits, pleasures, and honors, have the strongest allurements for youth; therefore, ye young men, little children, and babes, love not the things of this world. Let those hearts abide faithful to God who have taken him for their portion. The love of the Father is not in him - The love of God and the love of earthly things are incompatible. If you give place to the love of the world, the love of God cannot dwell in you; and if you have not his love, you can have no peace, no holiness, no heaven.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Love not the world--that lieth in the wicked one (Jo1 5:19), whom ye young men have overcome. Having once for all, through faith, overcome the world (Jo1 4:4; Jo1 5:4), carry forward the conquest by not loving it. "The world" here means "man, and man's world" [ALFORD], in his and its state as fallen from God. "God loved [with the love of compassion] the world," and we should feel the same kind of love for the fallen world; but we are not to love the world with congeniality and sympathy in its alienation from God; we cannot have this latter kind of love for the God-estranged world, and yet have also "the love of the Father in" us. neither--Greek, "nor yet." A man might deny in general that he loved the world, while keenly following some one of THE THINGS IN IT: its riches, honors, or pleasures; this clause prevents him escaping from conviction. any man--therefore the warning, though primarily addressed to the young, applies to all. love of--that is, towards "the Father." The two, God and the (sinful) world, are so opposed, that both cannot be congenially loved at once.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Love not the world,.... The habitable earth, the world in which men live; this is not to be loved by saints, as if it was their habitation, where they are always to be, and so loath to remove from it, seeing they are but sojourners, and pilgrims, and strangers here; this is not their rest, nor dwellingplace, their continuing city, or proper country, that is heaven. Nor should they love the men of the world, who are as they came into it, are of it, and mind the things of it, and lie in wickedness, and are wicked men; for though these are to be loved, as men, as fellow creatures, and their good, both spiritual and temporal, is to be sought, and good is to be done to them, as much as lies in our power, both with respect to soul and body; yet their company is not to be chosen, and preferred to the saints, but to be shunned and avoided, as disagreeable and dangerous; their evil conversation, and wicked communications, are not to be loved, but abhorred, and their works of darkness are to be reproved; nor are their ways to be imitated, and their customs followed, or their manners to be conformed unto: neither the things that are in the world; good men that are in the world, though they are not of the world, are to be loved; and the kingdom of Christ, though it is not of the world, yet it is in the world, and is to be regarded and promoted to the uttermost; and there are the natural and civil things of the world, called this world's goods, which may be loved within due bounds, and used in a proper manner, though they are not to be loved inordinately and abused. This is the character of worldly men; so the Jews call such, , "such that love world" (g). Near relations and friends in the world, and the blessings of life, may be loved and enjoyed in their way, but not above God and Christ, or so as to take up satisfaction and contentment in them, to make idols of them, and put trust and confidence in them, and prefer them to spiritual and heavenly things, and be so taken with them, as to be unconcerned for, and careless about the other; but the evil things of the world, or at least the evil use of them, and affection for them, are here intended, as appears from the following verse. Now it is chiefly with respect to the fathers, and young men, that this exhortation is given; and the repetition of what is said to them before is made, to introduce this; which is exceeding suitable to their age and characters. Old men are apt to be covetous, and love the world and worldly things, just when they are going out of it, and about to leave them; and young men are apt to be carried away with lust, vanity, ambition, and pride: and therefore, from each of these, the apostle dissuades, from the following arguments, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; that is, "the love of God", as the Alexandrian copy and the Ethiopic version read; who is the Father of Christ, and of all the elect in him; and who is indeed, by creation, the Father of all men, the Father of spirits, of the souls of men, and of angels, and the Father of mercies and of lights, and by the love of him is meant, either the love with which he loves his people, and which being shed abroad in the heart, attracts the soul to himself, and causes it to love him above the world, and all things in it; and such an one esteems of it, and an interest in it, more than life, and all the enjoyments of it, and is by it loosened to the world, and sets light by it, and can part with all good things in it, and suffer all evil things cheerfully, under the constraints and influence of this love; so that it is a clear case, that when the affections of men are set upon the world, and they are glued to the things of it, their hearts are not warmed with a sense of the love of God, or, that is not sensibly in them, or shed abroad in their hearts: or else by the love of God is meant love to God, which is inconsistent with the love of the world, or with such an inordinate love of mammon, as to serve it; for a man may as soon serve two masters, as serve God and mammon, which he can never do truly, faithfully, and affectionately; and which also is not consistent with friendship with the men of the world, or a conversation and fellowship with them in things that are evil, whether superstition or profaneness; see Mat 6:24. (g) Kimchi in Psal. xlix. 9. Ben Melech in ib. ver. 14.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:15-17 The world is a morally evil system that is under the influence of Satan and is opposed to God and to Christ’s Kingdom on this earth (2:16; 3:1; 4:4; 5:19; John 12:31; 15:18; Eph 6:11-12; Jas 4:4). The world appeals to people’s fleshly desires and thereby diverts them from God. Those who are from this world need God to redeem them from it.
1 John 2:15
Do Not Love the World
14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(So Great a Salvation) Not Loving the World
By Paris Reidhead8.8K43:41Worldliness1JN 2:15In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of examining one's attitude towards the world. He encourages individuals to reflect on whom they seek to please and where their happiness comes from. The commandment to "love not the world" is supported by verses 16 and 17, which highlight the desires of the eye as part of what is in the world. The speaker also discusses the grace of God that brings salvation, emphasizing that it teaches everyone the same thing regardless of their background or culture.
Resurection Power of Jesus
By Leonard Ravenhill6.7K1:19:54Resurrection LifeMAT 6:33JHN 20:29ACT 1:3ROM 8:281CO 15:31JN 2:15REV 1:9In this sermon, the speaker discusses the reign of Jesus Christ and the blessings that come with it. He emphasizes that Jesus will reign from shore to shore and that in his kingdom, prisoners will be set free and the weary will find eternal rest. The speaker also mentions the joy of eternity and suggests that sinners may benefit from witnessing the judgment of others. He concludes by urging viewers to subscribe to Last Days Ministries for further teachings and resources.
Shocking Youth Message Stuns Hearers
By Paul Washer5.4K1:03:561SA 6:19MAT 6:33MAT 7:13MAT 7:16ACT 17:302TI 3:161JN 2:15In this sermon, the preacher questions why so many people claim to have encountered Jesus Christ but are not permanently changed. He emphasizes the importance of genuine transformation and warns against repeatedly rededicating one's life without true fruit-bearing. The preacher highlights the need to bear good fruit and warns that those who do not bear fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. He concludes by urging the audience to build their lives on the rock of Jesus' teachings and not on the shifting sands of the world.
The Christian in This World
By Vance Havner5.3K30:28Holy CharacterMAT 6:33JHN 17:6JHN 18:36ROM 12:22CO 6:17PHP 3:201JN 2:15In this sermon, the speaker shares his experience of attending an old-fashioned Methodist camp meeting where they were singing and praising God. He highlights the importance of gravitating towards what truly lures us and where we belong in our hearts. The speaker explains the difference between the world that God loves, which refers to lost souls, and the world that we are warned not to love, which refers to the sinful aspects of the world. He emphasizes that as Christians, we have been saved out of the world to go back into the world and win people over to Christ. The main message is that our purpose in this world is to be a light in the darkness and to tell the world goodbye, leaving behind everything that is wrong.
(1 John #13) the Exclusiveness of True Love
By J. Glyn Owen3.5K36:29Love1JN 2:15In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of loving the world as people, but not loving the world as an organization that goes against God's will. The command is to not love the world or the things in the world. The essence of this command is explained as the desire to impress others and seek their approval, rather than living a life that glorifies God. The speaker challenges the audience to examine their motives and actions, urging them to withdraw their love for the world in order to truly love the Father and His children.
Portraits of Christ
By C.H. Spurgeon3.1K44:19MAT 16:24ROM 8:292CO 3:18GAL 6:14PHP 3:10COL 3:101JN 2:15In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of Christians being conformed to the image of Christ. He highlights that Christ's nature and character should be reflected in the lives of believers. The preacher also emphasizes the significance of Christ's cross, stating that it is inseparable from understanding who Christ is. He encourages Christians to bear their own crosses and follow Christ's example. The sermon concludes with the preacher discussing the ultimate reward for believers who are conformed to Christ's image, including sitting at his right hand and receiving the Father's approval and delight.
Cross Talk Show 1 - Part 1
By K.P. Yohannan2.9K08:33MAT 6:21MAT 6:24MRK 8:36LUK 16:10ROM 10:14ROM 10:171CO 9:161TI 6:101JN 2:15This sermon emphasizes the importance of sharing the gospel with those who have not heard, highlighting the need for believers to submit their will and resources to God, be good stewards, and make sacrifices for the Kingdom. It challenges listeners to evaluate their love for the world and to prioritize the eternal over the temporary, especially in the small things that may hinder their fruitfulness for God's kingdom.
(Evidence of Eternal Life - Part 4) Not Loving the World
By Paris Reidhead2.6K46:201JN 2:15This sermon delves into the concept of not loving the world and its temptations, emphasizing the need to prioritize love for God over worldly desires. It explores the dangers of seeking happiness and fulfillment from the world, highlighting the impermanence of worldly pleasures compared to the eternal nature of abiding in God's will. The sermon underscores the importance of choosing to please God over seeking approval or joy from the world, drawing a clear distinction between loving God and loving the world.
(Genesis) Genesis 8:1-19
By J. Vernon McGee2.6K17:40GenesisGEN 8:1MAT 28:192PE 3:31JN 2:15In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of spreading the word of God and winning souls for Christ. He compares believers to both ravens and doves, highlighting the need to choose the nature that aligns with God's will. The dove represents a love for the things of God and finding rest in Christ, while the raven symbolizes a love for the world and its pleasures. The preacher urges believers to live in their new nature and not be swayed by the temptations of the world. He also references the story of Noah's ark and the struggle between the old and new nature within believers.
Ten Shekels and a Shirt - Part 1
By Paris Reidhead2.4K09:57JDG 17:6PRO 14:12MAT 6:24JAS 4:41JN 2:15This sermon delves into the story of Micah in Judges 17, exploring the consequences of mixing worldly practices with worship of God, the dangers of compromising one's faith for personal gain, and the importance of seeking God's will rather than doing what seems right in our own eyes. It highlights the need for true devotion and obedience to God, even in the midst of societal pressures and temptations.
Be Not Conformed to the World
By William Fitch2.2K37:42MAT 5:13JHN 17:14ROM 12:2JAS 4:42PE 1:41JN 2:15In this sermon, the preacher discusses the conflict between the Church and the world. He emphasizes that the Church is called to be different from the world and not conform to its ways. The preacher references Jesus' teachings, stating that there will always be hostility between good and evil, and that the Church will face increasing opposition. He also mentions the story of the pilgrims in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" as an example of how the Church should stand out from the world. The preacher concludes by quoting St. Paul's exhortation to not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by renewing the mind.
Come, Buy, and Eat (Compilation)
By Compilations2.1K19:57CompilationISA 55:2MAL 3:3MAT 9:2MAT 25:35LUK 4:18JHN 12:48ROM 12:2GAL 2:20GAL 5:161JN 2:41JN 2:15REV 3:11In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for believers to forsake their wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts. He urges them not to conform to the ways of the world but to be transformed by renewing their minds through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. The preacher also highlights the importance of obedience to God's teachings and the free gift of grace that believers have received. He encourages believers to demonstrate their faith through acts of love and service, both physically and spiritually, by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and ministering to those in prison. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the power of Jesus Christ to deliver and set free those who are oppressed and captive, offering forgiveness and new life.
Losing the Love for Jesus Christ and Compromising With the World (Clip)
By David Wilkerson2.0K04:45MAT 6:24ROM 12:2JAS 4:41JN 2:151JN 2:17This sermon emphasizes the importance of maintaining love for Jesus Christ above all else, highlighting how the pursuit of selfish desires and worldly attachments can lead to turning away from God. The speaker warns against becoming an enemy of God by prioritizing worldly pleasures over a relationship with Jesus, stressing that love for the world diminishes love for Jesus. The message addresses issues of adultery, idolatry, and the dangers of replacing love for God with love for worldly things.
Shocking Sins of Sodom and the American Church (Clip)
By Steve Hill1.9K05:55LEV 18:222CH 7:14PRO 16:18EZK 16:49MAT 5:3LUK 14:26JHN 6:531JN 2:15This sermon addresses the sins of pride, indulgence, neglect of the poor, and abominations committed before God, drawing parallels between the behaviors of Sodom and Gomorrah and the current state of America. The speaker highlights the moral decay and abominable acts witnessed in society, emphasizing the need for repentance and a return to God's ways.
Building on Basics
By Colin Anderson1.5K47:27Spiritual GrowthPSA 92:10PRO 9:101JN 1:51JN 2:151JN 3:41JN 3:8REV 2:18In this sermon, the speaker discusses a situation where his son had to appeal to his superiors due to problems with an essay. The speaker questions whether anyone in the school is concerned about ethics and righteousness. He emphasizes the need for repentance and confessing sins to have forgiveness and cleansing. The speaker also references the Apostle John's clear statements about sin and righteousness, urging the audience to live in a black and white world where moral issues are precise and clear.
The American Gospel vs the True Gospel
By Shane Idleman1.4K45:17MAT 5:6MAT 16:24LUK 6:22ACT 3:19ROM 12:2GAL 6:14JAS 4:41JN 2:15This sermon emphasizes the need for true revival, challenging the church to surrender all to God and embrace the transformative power of the gospel. It contrasts the American gospel with the true gospel, highlighting the call to repentance, denial of self, and the radical change that comes from following Christ. The speaker addresses the discomfort and challenges that revival brings, urging the congregation to consider if they truly desire God's transformative work in their lives.
Living in an Upside Down World
By Zac Poonen1.4K1:01:49MAT 8:5MAT 8:10JHN 14:301JN 2:151JN 5:4This sermon emphasizes the need for Christians to live differently from the world, following Jesus' example and values. It highlights the importance of faith in overcoming the world's temptations and challenges, focusing on living with compassion for others and humility before God. The message encourages believers to have faith that Jesus can solve every problem and to live with heaven's values, surprising God with their faith and commitment to living according to His word.
How Our Joy Can Be Full - Part 1
By Zac Poonen1.3K09:00JHN 17:31JN 1:11JN 1:51JN 2:151JN 4:71JN 5:41JN 5:20This sermon focuses on the significance of the first letter of John in the New Testament, emphasizing its importance due to being written by John at the age of 95 after years of observing various churches and believers. Despite the prevalent confusion in Christendom, John's message remains relevant, highlighting the deep truths of life and fellowship with God. He stresses the eternal life found in Jesus Christ and warns against idolatry, urging believers to guard themselves from worshiping anything other than the true God.
Marks of True Children of God - Part 2
By William MacDonald1.2K42:29Children Of GodHEB 10:251JN 2:151JN 3:101JN 3:17In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a mother who was willing to give both of her kidneys to save her son's life. The preacher emphasizes the importance of love and having a servant's spirit. They highlight the need to listen to the lessons that love teaches us and the difficulty of expressing love. The sermon also discusses the test of love and how it is a characteristic of a true believer who loves God.
Knowing Him
By Anton Bosch1.2K41:41MAT 10:37LUK 14:331CO 1:18GAL 2:20PHP 3:7JAS 4:41JN 2:15REV 2:4This sermon delves into the profound message from Philippians chapter 3, emphasizing the need to prioritize knowing Christ above all else. Paul's example of counting everything as loss compared to the excellence of knowing Jesus challenges listeners to evaluate their values and willingness to sacrifice for a deeper relationship with Christ. The sermon highlights the danger of valuing worldly things over knowing Jesus intimately, urging a shift in priorities towards a genuine, experiential knowledge of Christ that transforms lives.
How Our Joy Can Be Full - Part 6
By Zac Poonen1.1K07:05PRO 3:11MAT 7:21EPH 6:1COL 3:20JAS 1:221JN 1:91JN 2:11JN 2:31JN 2:15This sermon emphasizes the importance of confessing our sins honestly before God, acknowledging our faults and seeking forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the righteous advocate who paid the price for our sins. It highlights the need to keep God's commandments out of love for Him, as disobedience stems from not truly knowing and trusting God's wisdom and protection. The message also warns against loving the world, which can lead to a diminishing love for God and hinder spiritual growth.
Battle of the Mind 2
By Anton Bosch1.1K49:52MindMAT 6:33ROM 12:22CO 10:1GAL 1:3EPH 4:27JAS 4:41JN 2:15The video discusses the power of television and multimedia in delivering messages to our senses. It emphasizes that television and movies have a strong impact because they engage both our visual and auditory senses simultaneously. However, the speaker warns that not all messages conveyed through these mediums align with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He cautions against allowing worldly influences to enter our minds and reinforce negative thought patterns. The speaker encourages Christians to remain separate from the world and to rely on the Word of God to break down strongholds.
Jesus Is the Light of the World - Part 2
By Joshua Daniel1.1K08:46MAT 16:24LUK 9:23JHN 8:12PHP 3:71JN 2:15This sermon emphasizes the importance of denying oneself and not being centered on worldly desires, particularly the love of money. It challenges individuals to examine their ambitions, mindset, and values in relation to following Jesus and carrying the cross. The message highlights the need to identify as children of Jesus Christ, removing any cultural or personal hindrances that may prevent a full commitment to Christ.
How Our Joy Can Be Full - Part 7
By Zac Poonen1.1K06:56JHN 8:32GAL 6:71JN 2:15This sermon emphasizes the importance of discernment and maintaining sensitivity to sin by prioritizing time spent reading the Bible over worldly distractions like movies and TV shows. It warns against the dangers of covetousness, the lust of the flesh, eyes, and the pride of life, which can lead to deception by false preachers. The message urges believers to focus on doing the will of God, staying sensitive to sin, and avoiding the spirit of the world to be prepared for eternity.
The Spirit of Egypt - Part 3
By Joshua Daniel1.0K09:171JN 2:15This sermon addresses the corrupt influences of the world, such as the allure of sinful entertainment, false prophecies, and misplaced trust in earthly resources. It emphasizes the need to discern and reject the spirit of Egypt, symbolizing worldly values and distractions that hinder true faith and devotion to God. The speaker warns against seeking validation and guidance from sources that do not align with God's spirit, urging listeners to flee from such influences and focus on building a strong, faithful relationship with God.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Love not the world - Though these several classes were so well acquainted with Divine things, and had all tasted the powers of the world to come: yet so apt are men to be drawn aside by sensible things, that the Holy Spirit saw it necessary to caution these against the love of the world, the inordinate desire of earthly things. Covetousness is the predominant vice of old age: Ye fathers, love not the world. The things which are in the world, its profits, pleasures, and honors, have the strongest allurements for youth; therefore, ye young men, little children, and babes, love not the things of this world. Let those hearts abide faithful to God who have taken him for their portion. The love of the Father is not in him - The love of God and the love of earthly things are incompatible. If you give place to the love of the world, the love of God cannot dwell in you; and if you have not his love, you can have no peace, no holiness, no heaven.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Love not the world--that lieth in the wicked one (Jo1 5:19), whom ye young men have overcome. Having once for all, through faith, overcome the world (Jo1 4:4; Jo1 5:4), carry forward the conquest by not loving it. "The world" here means "man, and man's world" [ALFORD], in his and its state as fallen from God. "God loved [with the love of compassion] the world," and we should feel the same kind of love for the fallen world; but we are not to love the world with congeniality and sympathy in its alienation from God; we cannot have this latter kind of love for the God-estranged world, and yet have also "the love of the Father in" us. neither--Greek, "nor yet." A man might deny in general that he loved the world, while keenly following some one of THE THINGS IN IT: its riches, honors, or pleasures; this clause prevents him escaping from conviction. any man--therefore the warning, though primarily addressed to the young, applies to all. love of--that is, towards "the Father." The two, God and the (sinful) world, are so opposed, that both cannot be congenially loved at once.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Love not the world,.... The habitable earth, the world in which men live; this is not to be loved by saints, as if it was their habitation, where they are always to be, and so loath to remove from it, seeing they are but sojourners, and pilgrims, and strangers here; this is not their rest, nor dwellingplace, their continuing city, or proper country, that is heaven. Nor should they love the men of the world, who are as they came into it, are of it, and mind the things of it, and lie in wickedness, and are wicked men; for though these are to be loved, as men, as fellow creatures, and their good, both spiritual and temporal, is to be sought, and good is to be done to them, as much as lies in our power, both with respect to soul and body; yet their company is not to be chosen, and preferred to the saints, but to be shunned and avoided, as disagreeable and dangerous; their evil conversation, and wicked communications, are not to be loved, but abhorred, and their works of darkness are to be reproved; nor are their ways to be imitated, and their customs followed, or their manners to be conformed unto: neither the things that are in the world; good men that are in the world, though they are not of the world, are to be loved; and the kingdom of Christ, though it is not of the world, yet it is in the world, and is to be regarded and promoted to the uttermost; and there are the natural and civil things of the world, called this world's goods, which may be loved within due bounds, and used in a proper manner, though they are not to be loved inordinately and abused. This is the character of worldly men; so the Jews call such, , "such that love world" (g). Near relations and friends in the world, and the blessings of life, may be loved and enjoyed in their way, but not above God and Christ, or so as to take up satisfaction and contentment in them, to make idols of them, and put trust and confidence in them, and prefer them to spiritual and heavenly things, and be so taken with them, as to be unconcerned for, and careless about the other; but the evil things of the world, or at least the evil use of them, and affection for them, are here intended, as appears from the following verse. Now it is chiefly with respect to the fathers, and young men, that this exhortation is given; and the repetition of what is said to them before is made, to introduce this; which is exceeding suitable to their age and characters. Old men are apt to be covetous, and love the world and worldly things, just when they are going out of it, and about to leave them; and young men are apt to be carried away with lust, vanity, ambition, and pride: and therefore, from each of these, the apostle dissuades, from the following arguments, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; that is, "the love of God", as the Alexandrian copy and the Ethiopic version read; who is the Father of Christ, and of all the elect in him; and who is indeed, by creation, the Father of all men, the Father of spirits, of the souls of men, and of angels, and the Father of mercies and of lights, and by the love of him is meant, either the love with which he loves his people, and which being shed abroad in the heart, attracts the soul to himself, and causes it to love him above the world, and all things in it; and such an one esteems of it, and an interest in it, more than life, and all the enjoyments of it, and is by it loosened to the world, and sets light by it, and can part with all good things in it, and suffer all evil things cheerfully, under the constraints and influence of this love; so that it is a clear case, that when the affections of men are set upon the world, and they are glued to the things of it, their hearts are not warmed with a sense of the love of God, or, that is not sensibly in them, or shed abroad in their hearts: or else by the love of God is meant love to God, which is inconsistent with the love of the world, or with such an inordinate love of mammon, as to serve it; for a man may as soon serve two masters, as serve God and mammon, which he can never do truly, faithfully, and affectionately; and which also is not consistent with friendship with the men of the world, or a conversation and fellowship with them in things that are evil, whether superstition or profaneness; see Mat 6:24. (g) Kimchi in Psal. xlix. 9. Ben Melech in ib. ver. 14.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:15-17 The world is a morally evil system that is under the influence of Satan and is opposed to God and to Christ’s Kingdom on this earth (2:16; 3:1; 4:4; 5:19; John 12:31; 15:18; Eph 6:11-12; Jas 4:4). The world appeals to people’s fleshly desires and thereby diverts them from God. Those who are from this world need God to redeem them from it.