1 John 2:16
Verse
Context
Do Not Love the World
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.17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
Sermons







Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For all that is in the world - All that it can boast of, all that it can promise, is only sensual, transient gratification, and even this promise it cannot fulfill; so that its warmest votaries can complain loudest of their disappointment. The lust of the flesh - Sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious viands, and the like. Lust of the eyes - Inordinate desires after finery of every kind, gaudy dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipage, trappings, and decorations of all sorts. Pride of life - Hunting after honors, titles, and pedigrees; boasting of ancestry, family connections, great offices, honorable acquaintance, and the like. Is not of the Father - Nothing of these inordinate attachments either comes from or leads to God. They are of this world; here they begin, flourish, and end. They deprave the mind, divert it from Divine pursuits, and render it utterly incapable of spiritual enjoyments.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
all that is in the world--can be classed under one or other of the three; the world contains these and no more. lust of the flesh--that is, the lust which has its seat and source in our lower animal nature. Satan tried this temptation the first on Christ: Luk 4:3, "Command this stone that it be made bread." Youth is especially liable to fleshly lusts. lust of the eyes--the avenue through which outward things of the world, riches, pomp, and beauty, inflame us. Satan tried this temptation on Christ when he showed Him the kingdoms of the world in a moment. By the lust of the eyes David (Sa2 11:2) and Achan fell (Jos 7:21). Compare David's prayer, Psa 119:37; Job's resolve, Psa 31:1; Mat 5:28. The only good of worldly riches to the possessor is the beholding them with the eyes. Compare Luk 14:18, "I must go and SEE it." pride of life--literally, "arrogant assumption": vainglorious display. Pride was Satan's sin whereby he fell and forms the link between the two foes of man, the world (answering to "the lust of the eyes") and the devil (as "the lust of the flesh" is the third foe). Satan tried this temptation on Christ in setting Him on the temple pinnacle that, in spiritual pride and presumption, on the ground of His Father's care, He should cast Himself down. The same three foes appear in the three classes of soil on which the divine seed falls: the wayside hearers, the devil; the thorns, the world; the rocky undersoil, the flesh (Mat 13:18-23; Mar 4:3-8). The world's awful antitrinity, the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," similarly is presented in Satan's temptation of Eve: "When she saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise," Gen 3:6 (one manifestation of "the pride of life," the desire to know above what God has revealed, Col 2:8, the pride of unsanctified knowledge). of--does not spring from "the Father" (used in relation to the preceding "little children," Jo1 2:12, or "little sons"). He who is born of God alone turns to God; he who is of the world turns to the world; the sources of love to God and love to the world, are irreconcilably distinct.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For all that is in the world,.... This is the sum of the evil things in the world; or these following are the objects of sin in the world, or about which wicked men are conversant; even such as are carnal or grateful to the flesh, visible to the eye, and belong to this vain life, or serve to fill with pride and vanity; or these are the main things, which men that love the world most highly value and esteem: the lust of the flesh; by which is meant, not lust in general, or concupiscence, the corruption of nature, which is the fountain of all sin, or indwelling sin, the flesh, or that corrupt principle which lusts against the Spirit; nor the various lusts of the flesh, fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, and which are many, and are also called worldly lusts; but some particular one, "a lust of the body", as the Syriac version reads; either the lust of uncleanness, which includes all unchaste desires, thoughts, words, and actions, fornication, adultery, rape, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts; and which make up a considerable part of the all that is in the world: or else intemperance in eating and drinking, gluttony and drunkenness, excess of wine, surfeitings, rioting, and revellings, and all the sensual pleasures of life, by which the carnal mind, and the lusts of it, are gratified; whereby the soul is destroyed, the body is dishonoured, and a wound, dishonour, and reproach brought on the character, not to be removed; for which reasons the world, and the things of it, are not to be loved: the next follows, the lust of the eyes: after unlawful objects, and may design unchaste and lascivious looks, eyes full of adultery, and whereby adultery is committed; see Mat 5:28; but then this falls in with the other, unless that be confined to intemperance; rather then this may intend a sinful curiosity of seeing vain sights, and shows, with which the eye of man is never satisfied, Ecc 1:8; and against which the psalmist prays, Psa 119:37, or rather the sin of covetousness is here designed, the objects of which are visible things, as gold, silver, houses, lands, and possessions, with which riches the eyes of men are never satisfied, and which sin is drawn forth and cherished by the eyes; and indeed a covetous man has little more satisfaction than the beholding his substance with his eyes, and in which he takes much sinful pleasure; see Ecc 4:8; and what a poor vain empty thing is this! therefore, love not the world, since this is a principal thing in it: as is also the pride of life; by which seems to be meant, ambition of honour, of chief places and high titles, as in the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat 23:6, or of grand living, for the word signifies not so much life as living; living in a sumptuous, gay, luxurious, and pompous manner, in rich diet, costly apparel, having fine seats, palaces, and stately buildings, and numerous attendance; all which is but vanity and vexation of spirit; see Ecc 2:1. The Syriac and Arabic versions read, "the pride of the age"; and every age has some peculiar things in which the pride of it appears. Now neither of these is of the Father; of God the Father, as the Ethiopic version reads; the things which are desired and lusted after are of God, but not the lust itself; God is not the author of sin, nor is it agreeable to his will: but is of the world; of the men of it, and agreeable to their carnal minds; and is a reason why things of the world are not to be loved by the saints, who are not of it, but chosen and called out of it; and besides, all these things are mean, base, vile, and contemptible, and unworthy of their love and affection.
1 John 2:16
Do Not Love the World
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.17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
The Great Sin (Reading)
By C.S. Lewis23K00:00Audio BooksMAT 6:33ROM 12:3PHP 2:32TI 3:4JAS 4:61JN 2:16In this sermon, the speaker addresses the issue of pride and conceit in the Christian life. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing our need for repentance and seeking the Lord. The speaker references C.S. Lewis and quotes various Bible verses to highlight the dangers of pride and the importance of humility. He poses three important questions for self-reflection and encourages listeners to regularly examine their Christian walk. The sermon concludes with a reminder to be dependent on Jesus and to humble ourselves before Him.
(So Great a Salvation) Overcoming the World
By Paris Reidhead7.3K45:05OvercomingMAT 6:33ROM 6:141CO 10:12JAS 1:121PE 5:81JN 2:16In this sermon, the speaker recounts an encounter with a young man at a retreat center. The young man expresses his desire to have victory in his life but admits that he often fails to do what he knows is right. The speaker then delves into the concept of overcoming the world and emphasizes the importance of believing in Jesus as the Son of God. He explains that anything that makes us feel that God's commandments are burdensome is considered part of the world. The speaker concludes by encouraging listeners to use the evidences of the new birth to help others and trust in the work of the Holy Spirit.
Satan's Steps in Temptation
By Dwight Pentecost2.4K41:091SA 15:22MAT 4:7LUK 4:13ROM 13:14GAL 5:161JN 2:16In this sermon, the preacher discusses the steps of temptation that led David to disgrace and how Satan uses these same steps to lead individuals away from God's will. The preacher emphasizes that Satan can only appeal to the fleshly, selfish, and prideful nature within us. The sermon also highlights the importance of understanding the nature of temptation and using the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to resist it. The preacher concludes by offering Jesus Christ as the savior who can break sin's bondage and make individuals children of God, but emphasizes the need for personal acceptance of Christ.
2 Chronicles 24:1-15
By Kevin Turner97154:382CH 24:2MAT 6:33LUK 24:321JN 2:16In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing God as the creator and ourselves as His creation. He shares a personal experience from his trip to Kenya that served as a turning point for him. The speaker encourages the audience to open their Bibles to 2 Chronicles 24 and shares his goal of leaving a lasting impact on their hearts rather than being remembered by name. He challenges the listeners to heed the word of the Lord and allow Him to restore them, regardless of their past experiences or struggles. The sermon concludes with a powerful message about the choice to either burn for God now or face the consequences later, highlighting the reality of hell and God's love for His people.
Crucified Unto Me
By Watchman Nee1The Cross of ChristSeparation from the WorldGEN 2:15MAT 11:18JHN 15:19ROM 6:6GAL 6:14COL 2:201JN 2:16REV 17:3REV 18:2REV 21:10Watchman Nee emphasizes the necessity of separation from the world and dedication to God as foundational principles of Christian living. He illustrates the stark contrast between Babylon, representing worldly values, and the New Jerusalem, symbolizing holiness and divine purpose. Nee argues that true understanding and revelation of God's plan require a spiritual ascent, urging believers to build a moral barrier against worldly influences. He highlights that the Cross of Christ signifies the world's judgment and calls Christians to recognize their crucifixion to the world and the world's crucifixion to them. Ultimately, he asserts that spiritual deliverance comes from seeing the world as doomed and aligning oneself with God's eternal purpose.
The Lord's Prayer
By Thomas Watson1The Power of PrayerDeliverance from EvilPSA 106:35MAT 6:13MRK 7:21JHN 10:28GAL 1:4HEB 12:10JAS 1:271PE 5:81JN 2:16REV 3:19Thomas Watson expounds on 'The Lord's Prayer,' particularly the petition 'Deliver us from evil,' emphasizing the need for divine protection from the evils of the world, our own hearts, and the devil. He illustrates how the world is defiling, ensnaring, deadening, and vexing, urging believers to seek deliverance from its temptations and troubles. Watson also highlights the importance of recognizing the heart as a source of sin and the necessity of prayer for strength against Satan's schemes. He concludes by reminding the congregation of the eternal consequences of sin and the need for God's grace to overcome it.
Make God's Will Our Will
By A.W. Tozer0ACT 17:30ROM 12:22CO 5:17GAL 5:19EPH 4:221TH 5:22TIT 3:31PE 1:141JN 2:16John Lillie and J Vernon McGee emphasize the importance of believers not conforming to the patterns of this world but allowing God to transform their minds from within. Peter exhorts believers to reject their former evil practices and not be molded by the corrupting influences of society, urging them to live holy lives in obedience to God. The verb 'conformed' in Romans 12:2 conveys the idea of ceasing an action already in progress, emphasizing the need for believers to continually resist being shaped by worldly influences. Believers are called to make a conscious choice daily to refuse to be squeezed into the mold of a corrupt society and instead be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
Strife and Sedition
By Clement of Rome0GEN 3:6PRO 14:30ROM 1:21JAS 3:161JN 2:16Clement of Rome speaks about the downfall of honor and happiness due to envy, strife, and disobedience. He highlights how righteousness and peace have departed as people abandon the fear of God and follow their own wicked desires, leading to unrighteousness and envy that brought death into the world.
Of Rules to Find Out Covetousness
By William Gouge0ECC 5:12ISA 5:8JER 22:17MAT 6:19LUK 12:19LUK 14:181JN 2:16William Gouge preaches on the dangers of covetousness, providing seven directions to help identify and avoid this sin. He emphasizes the importance of examining one's inward desires, preferences, means of acquiring wealth, satisfaction levels, effects of desiring riches, hoarding wealth, and manner of spending as indicators of covetousness.
Epistle 381
By George Fox0Godly ParentingModerationJOB 28:28PSA 34:11PRO 22:6ISA 5:2ISA 5:11ROM 2:231CO 10:311TI 4:41JN 2:16JUD 1:12REV 11:18George Fox emphasizes the responsibility of vintners and innkeepers to ensure that they serve alcohol only in moderation, promoting health and gratitude towards God's creations. He warns against the dangers of excessive drinking and the spiritual consequences of neglecting God's work, urging all to live soberly and in the fear of God. Additionally, he calls on Christian families to raise their children in a godly manner, avoiding worldly temptations and fostering a life that honors God, which ultimately leads to blessings for families and communities.
Epistle 250
By George Fox0Spiritual ModestyWorldly FashionsMAT 6:251CO 2:121CO 6:21TI 6:71TI 6:171PE 1:141PE 3:41JN 2:16George Fox emphasizes the importance of avoiding the vain fashions of the world, urging believers to focus on modesty and sobriety in their appearance and lifestyle. He warns that chasing after worldly trends can lead one away from a solid life in unity with God, and encourages a life that prioritizes spiritual over material concerns. Fox calls for a rejection of the spirit of the world, advocating for a focus on the hidden man of the heart and the eternal riches found in God. He reminds the faithful to live as pilgrims and strangers, valuing their heavenly inheritance over earthly possessions.
The Path That Pride Leads To
By David Wilkerson0PrideHumility1SA 9:251SA 10:8PSA 10:4PRO 11:2PRO 16:18ISA 2:11LUK 14:11JAS 4:61JN 2:16REV 3:10David Wilkerson emphasizes the destructive nature of pride, which is at the forefront of what God detests. He illustrates how pride leads to impatience and disobedience, using King Saul's failure to wait for God's direction as a cautionary example. Wilkerson contrasts pride with humility, defining true humility as complete dependence on God and His timing. He reassures believers of God's promise to protect those who remain faithful and patient in their trials. The sermon calls for self-examination to recognize and combat the pride that can hinder spiritual growth.
Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life
By Thomas a Kempis0PSA 38:18MAT 16:241CO 10:13GAL 5:171JN 2:16Thomas a Kempis reflects on the struggles of a disciple who confesses his weaknesses, battles temptations, and laments the constant conflicts between the flesh and the spirit. He questions the nature of life filled with troubles, miseries, and snares, yet acknowledges the allure of worldly desires that lead to love and hatred of the world. Kempis contrasts the pleasures of the world with the internal delight of virtue and the sweetness of God, urging a life of renunciation and holy discipline.
The Combination of the Soul and the Flesh
By Watchman Nee0Spiritual GrowthThe Struggle Between Flesh and SpiritROM 6:14ROM 7:151CO 15:222CO 5:17GAL 5:17EPH 2:1PHP 3:18COL 3:5JAS 1:141JN 2:16Watchman Nee explores the intricate relationship between the soul and the flesh, emphasizing that the flesh represents our sinful nature while the soul embodies our life. He explains that before salvation, the soul was driven by the flesh, leading to a life of sin. Upon receiving Christ, believers gain a new life and nature, resulting in an internal struggle between the old sinful nature and the new divine nature. This conflict can lead to instability in a believer's life, but understanding the crucifixion of the flesh allows for victory over sin. Ultimately, Nee warns that even as believers may feel spiritually advanced, they can still be trapped in a soulish state, needing continual growth in their faith.
Epistle 244
By George Fox0PRO 4:18PRO 20:27LUK 15:8ROM 8:61CO 14:33GAL 5:131TI 6:41JN 2:161JN 4:8JUD 1:7REV 21:27George Fox preaches about the importance of staying true to the pure power of the Lord God and His truth, emphasizing the need to cleanse our hearts from impurities and disobedience to enter into God's kingdom. He warns against allowing wrong understanding, liberty, and defilement to take root in our hearts, urging believers to join to the pure immortal power of God. Fox also cautions against strife, fornication, pride, and conceitedness, encouraging believers to keep their bodies and minds pure vessels for the mercies of God.
Consumer Christianity
By Dave Hunt0GEN 3:1LUK 7:36PHP 3:192PE 1:31JN 2:16Dave Hunt addresses the issue of consumer Christianity, which focuses on building the kingdom of God or attracting individuals to Christianity through methods that appeal to the flesh, rather than God's ways. He highlights how consumerism in churches today involves applying business principles and marketing strategies, leading to a shallow understanding of biblical Christianity and spiritual destruction. Hunt emphasizes the dangers of compromising biblical truths for the sake of church growth and warns against the subtle shift towards consumer Christianity that dilutes the gospel message and misleads individuals seeking true salvation.
That White Devil!
By Thomas Brooks0PrideSpiritual VigilancePRO 16:18MAT 6:1MAT 23:12LUK 10:20ROM 12:3GAL 6:3PHP 2:3JAS 4:61PE 5:51JN 2:16Thomas Brooks emphasizes the constant presence of pride, hypocrisy, and vainglory—referred to as the 'white devil'—that can accompany Christians even while they engage in righteous acts. He points out that while the disciples were empowered to heal and cast out demons, they were reminded by Jesus not to take pride in their abilities. Brooks warns that these 'white devils' can undermine the sincerity of a believer's actions, suggesting that every duty performed is shadowed by these lurking temptations. The sermon serves as a call to vigilance against these internal struggles that can taint our spiritual endeavors.
Epistle 154
By George Fox0Spiritual WarfareChastityISA 61:10HAB 1:3PHP 3:141TI 3:9JAS 1:27JAS 3:15JAS 4:12PE 2:141JN 2:16REV 19:9George Fox emphasizes the importance of living a chaste and pure life, warning against the dangers of lust and unchasteness that lead to strife and contention. He encourages believers to remain in the truth and light of God, which fosters unity and peace among the family of God. Fox highlights that the lusts of the flesh are contrary to spiritual fellowship and can lead one away from God, urging the faithful to keep their hearts and eyes pure. He calls for a life adorned with holiness, which is essential for true communion with Christ, the Lamb. Ultimately, Fox reminds his listeners that true peace and dominion come from living in accordance with God's spirit and power.
On Getting Out of Ruts
By Hieromonk Damascene0MAT 16:24JHN 16:33EPH 4:13JAS 4:41JN 2:16Hieromonk Damascene emphasizes the hindrances to spiritual transformation, pointing out that our egos and passions often prevent us from growing into the fullness of Christ. He highlights how our favorite sins and passions become obstacles that we are reluctant to give up, but with Christ's help, we can overcome them. The preacher challenges the congregation to reflect on their desires and question whether they are willing to abandon their sinful pleasures for an authentic life in Christ.
The Wicked Through Pride Refuse to Seek God.
By Edward Payson0PSA 10:4PSA 138:6PRO 8:13PRO 16:18ISA 57:15MAT 23:12PHP 2:3JAS 4:61PE 5:51JN 2:16Edward Payson preaches about the wicked's unwillingness to seek after God due to the pride of their hearts, which hinders them from pursuing knowledge, favor, likeness, and communion with God. The sermon emphasizes that salvation is solely by God's grace, highlighting the wicked's self-destructive nature and the folly of pride that leads to ignorance and separation from God. Payson urges self-examination among the audience, challenging them to seek God diligently through studying scriptures, prayer, and pursuing communion with Him.
The Great Deceiver
By A.W. Tozer0Spiritual WarfareDeceptionPRO 16:18MAT 4:1ROM 7:152CO 11:14GAL 5:17EPH 6:112TI 3:5JAS 4:71PE 5:81JN 2:16A.W. Tozer emphasizes the cunning nature of the Devil as a master strategist who employs both sin and virtue to lead believers astray. He warns that while many fall into sin, the more insidious tactic is using our virtues against us, which can weaken the community of believers. Tozer draws parallels between Satan's tactics and subversive political groups that manipulate laws for their own gain, highlighting the need for vigilance in spiritual warfare. He reminds us that the fallen heart can be complicit in these deceptions, making it crucial to remain aware of both external and internal threats. Ultimately, Tozer calls for a deeper understanding of the enemy's strategies to fortify our defenses against spiritual attacks.
The Benefits of an Early Piety. (Eccles 12:1)
By George Whitefield0LUK 8:14ROM 12:1ROM 13:142TI 2:4JAS 1:151JN 2:161JN 3:17The sermon focuses on the distinction between 'bios' and 'zoe' in the Bible, highlighting how 'bios' refers to everyday life, necessities, means of subsistence, and worldly pursuits, while 'zoe' signifies the fullness of life given by God to believers, transforming their inner being and behavior. The preacher delves into various Bible verses to explain how the pursuit of worldly goods, pleasures, and pride can lead one astray from God's purpose, urging believers to prioritize their dedication to Christ and avoid being drawn away by the lusts of the flesh, eyes, and the pride of life.
The Creation and Fall of Man
By Olin Alfred Curtis0GEN 1:27GEN 2:7GEN 3:6ROM 3:23ROM 5:8ROM 5:12EPH 2:10JAS 1:141JN 2:16Olin Alfred Curtis delves into the certainty of God's existence and the distressing sight of a world seemingly disconnected from its Creator, leading to a profound mystery beyond human solution. He explores the biblical account of creation and the fall of man, emphasizing the myth as a necessary stage in human development and a preparation for understanding Christian truths. Curtis highlights the significance of man being created in the image of God and the divine purpose of establishing a racial brotherhood of moral persons. He discusses the motive of creation as rooted in moral love and the principle of self-expression, leading to the ultimate purpose of expressing God's inner life through mankind.
On Sin
By Richard Baxter0PRO 6:16PRO 14:12EZK 18:20ROM 3:23ROM 6:231CO 6:18GAL 5:19JAS 4:171JN 1:91JN 2:16Richard Baxter, a Puritan preacher, delves into the great sinfulness of sin, emphasizing the intrinsic evil of sin itself and its various implications. He highlights how sin is a violation of God's perfect law, a denial of His authority, and a contempt of His wisdom, goodness, and holiness. Baxter also explains how sin leads to a practical atheism, idolatry, and a disregard for God's mercy, love, and grace. Ultimately, sin is portrayed as a moral destruction that affects not only the individual soul but also the entire creation, disrupting the harmony and order of the world.
Epistle 249
By George Fox0DEU 30:12JOB 1:21ISA 26:3JHN 1:3ROM 16:20PHP 4:111TI 6:17HEB 2:141JN 2:16REV 19:13George Fox preaches about the importance of keeping our minds stayed upon the Lord to experience perfect peace that comes from God. He emphasizes that imperfect peace comes from focusing on worldly things rather than on the Creator. Using examples from Job's life, Fox illustrates the significance of retaining peace by keeping our minds on the Lord even in times of trials and loss. He urges people to learn from Christ, the light and truth, to find contentment in all circumstances and not to trust in temporary riches but in the living God for an everlasting inheritance.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For all that is in the world - All that it can boast of, all that it can promise, is only sensual, transient gratification, and even this promise it cannot fulfill; so that its warmest votaries can complain loudest of their disappointment. The lust of the flesh - Sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious viands, and the like. Lust of the eyes - Inordinate desires after finery of every kind, gaudy dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipage, trappings, and decorations of all sorts. Pride of life - Hunting after honors, titles, and pedigrees; boasting of ancestry, family connections, great offices, honorable acquaintance, and the like. Is not of the Father - Nothing of these inordinate attachments either comes from or leads to God. They are of this world; here they begin, flourish, and end. They deprave the mind, divert it from Divine pursuits, and render it utterly incapable of spiritual enjoyments.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
all that is in the world--can be classed under one or other of the three; the world contains these and no more. lust of the flesh--that is, the lust which has its seat and source in our lower animal nature. Satan tried this temptation the first on Christ: Luk 4:3, "Command this stone that it be made bread." Youth is especially liable to fleshly lusts. lust of the eyes--the avenue through which outward things of the world, riches, pomp, and beauty, inflame us. Satan tried this temptation on Christ when he showed Him the kingdoms of the world in a moment. By the lust of the eyes David (Sa2 11:2) and Achan fell (Jos 7:21). Compare David's prayer, Psa 119:37; Job's resolve, Psa 31:1; Mat 5:28. The only good of worldly riches to the possessor is the beholding them with the eyes. Compare Luk 14:18, "I must go and SEE it." pride of life--literally, "arrogant assumption": vainglorious display. Pride was Satan's sin whereby he fell and forms the link between the two foes of man, the world (answering to "the lust of the eyes") and the devil (as "the lust of the flesh" is the third foe). Satan tried this temptation on Christ in setting Him on the temple pinnacle that, in spiritual pride and presumption, on the ground of His Father's care, He should cast Himself down. The same three foes appear in the three classes of soil on which the divine seed falls: the wayside hearers, the devil; the thorns, the world; the rocky undersoil, the flesh (Mat 13:18-23; Mar 4:3-8). The world's awful antitrinity, the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," similarly is presented in Satan's temptation of Eve: "When she saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise," Gen 3:6 (one manifestation of "the pride of life," the desire to know above what God has revealed, Col 2:8, the pride of unsanctified knowledge). of--does not spring from "the Father" (used in relation to the preceding "little children," Jo1 2:12, or "little sons"). He who is born of God alone turns to God; he who is of the world turns to the world; the sources of love to God and love to the world, are irreconcilably distinct.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For all that is in the world,.... This is the sum of the evil things in the world; or these following are the objects of sin in the world, or about which wicked men are conversant; even such as are carnal or grateful to the flesh, visible to the eye, and belong to this vain life, or serve to fill with pride and vanity; or these are the main things, which men that love the world most highly value and esteem: the lust of the flesh; by which is meant, not lust in general, or concupiscence, the corruption of nature, which is the fountain of all sin, or indwelling sin, the flesh, or that corrupt principle which lusts against the Spirit; nor the various lusts of the flesh, fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, and which are many, and are also called worldly lusts; but some particular one, "a lust of the body", as the Syriac version reads; either the lust of uncleanness, which includes all unchaste desires, thoughts, words, and actions, fornication, adultery, rape, incest, sodomy, and all unnatural lusts; and which make up a considerable part of the all that is in the world: or else intemperance in eating and drinking, gluttony and drunkenness, excess of wine, surfeitings, rioting, and revellings, and all the sensual pleasures of life, by which the carnal mind, and the lusts of it, are gratified; whereby the soul is destroyed, the body is dishonoured, and a wound, dishonour, and reproach brought on the character, not to be removed; for which reasons the world, and the things of it, are not to be loved: the next follows, the lust of the eyes: after unlawful objects, and may design unchaste and lascivious looks, eyes full of adultery, and whereby adultery is committed; see Mat 5:28; but then this falls in with the other, unless that be confined to intemperance; rather then this may intend a sinful curiosity of seeing vain sights, and shows, with which the eye of man is never satisfied, Ecc 1:8; and against which the psalmist prays, Psa 119:37, or rather the sin of covetousness is here designed, the objects of which are visible things, as gold, silver, houses, lands, and possessions, with which riches the eyes of men are never satisfied, and which sin is drawn forth and cherished by the eyes; and indeed a covetous man has little more satisfaction than the beholding his substance with his eyes, and in which he takes much sinful pleasure; see Ecc 4:8; and what a poor vain empty thing is this! therefore, love not the world, since this is a principal thing in it: as is also the pride of life; by which seems to be meant, ambition of honour, of chief places and high titles, as in the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat 23:6, or of grand living, for the word signifies not so much life as living; living in a sumptuous, gay, luxurious, and pompous manner, in rich diet, costly apparel, having fine seats, palaces, and stately buildings, and numerous attendance; all which is but vanity and vexation of spirit; see Ecc 2:1. The Syriac and Arabic versions read, "the pride of the age"; and every age has some peculiar things in which the pride of it appears. Now neither of these is of the Father; of God the Father, as the Ethiopic version reads; the things which are desired and lusted after are of God, but not the lust itself; God is not the author of sin, nor is it agreeable to his will: but is of the world; of the men of it, and agreeable to their carnal minds; and is a reason why things of the world are not to be loved by the saints, who are not of it, but chosen and called out of it; and besides, all these things are mean, base, vile, and contemptible, and unworthy of their love and affection.