Christians Not of This World

Do Not Love the World

1 John 2:15–17 (NIV): "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

When John talks about the world (κόσμος), he is referring to the system of human existence regarding earthly joys, cares, and sufferings.  John tells us to not love (ἀγαπάω) the world, which means to have high satisfaction or pleasure regarding earthly desires.  He even goes on to say that if anyone loves the world that God's love is not in them (Arndt, et. al., 2000).

In the next sentence, John goes on to describle things of the world.  The first one he talks about is lust (ἐπιθυμία), which is a desire for something forbidden or excessive.  When he talks about flesh (σαρκός) he is referring to the various actions and expressions of the physical body.  John is telling us to not desire excessively the various expressions/actions of our bodies.  John also talks about the eye (ὀφθαλμός) which has to do with an organ of sense perception (Arndt, et. al., 2000).  Barclay states, "It is the spirit which can see nothing without wishing to acquire it and which, having acquired it, flaunts it. It is the spirit which believes that happiness is to be found in the things that money can buy and the eye can see; it has no values other than the material" (Barclay, W., 2002, pp. 64-66).  The final aspect in this sentence is where John talks about pride of life.  Pride (ἀλαζονεία) has to do with one's possessions and life (βίος) has to do with worldly resources/goods needed to maintain life.  John tells us that we should not have special admiration with one's own worldly possessions (Arndt, et. al., 2000).  He says that lust of the flesh and eyes along with pride do not come from God but come from the world.  

The last ideas of this passage have to do with the worldly desires and the will of God.  John said that the world-everything that belongs to it appears that which is hostile to God-will pass away (παράγω) in a sense that the darkness will go out of existence.  The will (θέλημα)-what one wishes to bring about by the activity of others and assigns a task-of God done by a person will live forever (Arndt, et. al., 2000).  Paul states, "It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body  in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6).  Sanctified (ἁγιασμός) is the state of becoming more holy and to have personal dedication to the interests of God (Arndt, et. al., 2000).  He goes on to say, "For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life" (1 Thessalonians 4:7).  He is contrasting being impure (ἀκαθαρσία)-having to do with moral corruption-and living a holy life that is pleasing to God (Arndt, et. al., 2000).  

Citizens of Heaven

Philippians 3:18–20 (NIV): "For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul is telling the church at Philippi that many live as enemies (ἐχθρός)-pertaining to hate and being hostile- towards the cross of Christ.  He goes on to say that the destiny (τέλος)-goal at which a movement is directed or outcome-is destruction (ἀπώλεια)-which means annilihation and ruin.  Their god is their stomach (κοιλία), or belly, which has to do with their appetite.  In other words, these people have an appetite for themselves.  Their glory (δόξα)-prestige and fame-is their shame (αἰσχύνη), which is an experience of disgrace that comes to someone (Arndt, et. al., 2000).

Paul contrasts this with Christians and that their citizenship (πολίτευμα)-or commonwealth-is in heaven (Arndt, et. al., 2000).  This is something that the church of Philippi could understand since Philippi was a Roman colony in Paul's time.  In these colonies, citizens (mostly soldiers) who served their time became citizens.  Paul is basically saying, "Just as the Roman colonists never forget that they belong to Rome, you must never forget that you are citizens of heaven; and your conduct must match your citizenship" (Barclay, W., 2003, pp. 79-81).  Paul goes on to say that we wait with eagerness to be with Jesus.  

References

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 854). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Barclay, W. (2002). The Life in which there is No Future. In The letters of John and Jude (3rd ed., pp. 64–66). essay, Westminster John Knox Press. 

Holy Bible, NIV (2011).  Zondervan.  Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Barclay, W. (2003).  Dwellers on Earth but Citizens of Heaven.  In The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians (3rd ed, pp. 79-81).  essay, Westminister John Knox Press.