Regardless of what the world would have us believe, there are no gray areas when it comes to committing oneself to God. John reinforces this time after time. You are either with God or the devil. You are either walking in the light or your not. You either have life or you don't. Verse 15 of this chapter is another instance of John stating this idea very plainly.
The world in this verse means man and man's world. Just as God, "so loved the world" we as Christians should feel love and compassion for the fallen world. However, we are not to sympathize with its alienation from God. We cannot agree with the ways of the world and still have, "the love of the Father" in us. It's a classic either/or situation.
The reason we're not to love the world and be a part of the sinful world is given to us in verse 16. It's no accident that all three examples of sin given in this verse are the same ways in which Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. (See Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-12) All sin can be categorized into one of the three categories listed in this verse.
King David (2 Samuel 11:2) and Achan (Joshua 7:21) fell due to the lust of the eyes. Pride was Satan's sin. Eve (Genesis 3:6) allowed all three of these categories get the best of her. Of course there are countless other examples given in Scripture.
We are reminded at the end of this verse that these things don't come from the Father. Remember John just a few verses previously called the readers of this letter, "little children". If we're born of God we turn to God. Those born of the world and of their, "father the devil" turn to the world.
The final verse of this passage reminds us that the world even now is passing away. Those that are doing the will of God are obviously loving; loving God and loving each other. Remember those that do God's will has, "riches, honor and life". (Proverbs 22:4)
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