When the elderly John commanded his spiritual children not to love the world in verse 15, the word he used for “love” is the imperative form of the word agape which refers to a “you’re my everything” kind of affection. By using this word, John was prohibiting the church from having this kind of affection for the world and the world’s stuff.
What is the harm in loving this world that God created? John explained that if believers have a “you mean everything to me” affection: for bodily stuff (health, comfort, sex), for what they see (earthly beauty in all its expressions), and for what they achieve (earthly reputation and success), then they cannot love God with a “you mean everything to me” affection. While bodies, beauty, and success point to God’s creativity, glory, and sovereignty, we must love God, not the created things that merely point to God (Rom. 1:21-22).
What benefit is there in loving God? All the worldly stuff we love rusts, rots, and fades away, but God endures forever. If God is our everything, His loves will become our loves and what means everything to Him will mean everything to us. Only then will our affections never be disappointed.
What does this “you mean everything to me” affection for God look like? Verse 17 says that the “one who does God’s will remains forever.” Evidence of one’s love for God is the doing of His will. This is because we allow what we love to control us. The one who loves like God loves will want like God wants, work like God works, and endure with God.
What means “everything” to your teen? Is the object of his or her “it’s my every-
thing” kind of affection going to end? Do they have a craving to know and do God’s will and impact eternity? How do you lead them to love like God loves and how do you make your love for God observable to them? Our teens will adopt our loves. . . whether or not our loves are for God and things that last.
Ministry, leadership, discipleship, the local church and the deep riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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