Day 24: 40 Day Love Challenge

Day 24: 40 Day Love Challenge

Day 24: The world is passing away, and all the things that people want in the world are passing away. But whoever does what God wants will live forever. (1 John 2:17).

Change is always inevitable and all the things that are desires of people in the earthly realm are dying off as well. However whoever does what God wants will live forever

What Does 1 John 2:17 Mean? ►

The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:17(NASB)

Verse Thoughts

Man’s viewpoint of the world is very different from God’s perspective. Man likes to think that everything is going to continue on as it has in bygone days, but God has purposed that the world with all it passions and lusts is passing away and will one day be folded-up like a blanket.

The world is indeed passing away and its seasonal fading and fall are replaced when new-growth springs up – as a perpetual reminder that the heaven and earth is finite but will one day be replaced with a new heaven and a new earth, which should become our prime viewpoint.

Similarly the vain pursuits of this world and the deceptive pleasures of the life we once ‘enjoyed’, will perish in our memories with the ever-increasing march of time as we discover them to be passing vanities.

The wise man does not endeavour to grab hold of what he cannot keep but clings to that which will continue into the eternal ages to come and the virtuous woman does not seek to satisfy her passing fancies but looks to discover the will of God and to develop His wider perspective.

The riches and poverty, pleasures and passion, beauty and bitterness, fame and shame of this perishing world are transitory, but the things of the Lord are permanent, pure, good, secure and of everlasting worth. The lust of the flesh and the pride of life are futile and false, but the things of God will last forever. His love will never fail, His promises are everlasting, and His truth will endure throughout all generations.

Let us beware, for the passing cravings of this life can subtly allure us away from God’s permanent path of purity and His secure way of wisdom, rather let us set out hearts on the things of God, for the one that looks away from the world to Jesus, will never be disappointed

Source: https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/1-john-2-17

What does 1 John 2:17 mean?

Verse 17 concludes John’s condemnation of worldly thinking. John notes that this world is temporary. The world is temporary for each person, since every person dies. The physical earth is also temporary, since God will make a new earth in the end (Revelation 21—22). As a result, the desires of this world are also temporary. Believers are to resist evil desires, following the example of Jesus (Matthew 4:1–11).

This is the only place where the apostle John mentions the “will of God.” However, this phrase has a rich usage in the New Testament. Jesus stated, “For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:35). Romans 8:27 notes, “the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 12:2 adds, “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God.” Doing God’s will or desires is to be the goal of the believer.

Doing God’s will cannot save us, of course—no good works can overcome our sin. We are saved by Christ’s sacrifice, when we put our trusting faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8–9). However, a natural outcome of salvation is a desire to do God’s will (Ephesians 2:10). This is a hallmark of the believer, and only the believer will live with God forever. More immediately, John is explaining that a life lived in fellowship with God will go on forever, while earthly things will someday be gone.

Context Summary

First John 2:15–17 is a warning from John about un-Christian attitudes. Other portions of this chapter discuss how behavior provides evidence of fellowship with God. Here, John explains that thoughts and desires do the same thing. Since these are temptations, it is possible for a true Christian to stumble into them. However, habitually displaying these is a cause for concern. Loving “the world” is defined here as physical lusts, lusts in one’s thoughts, and arrogant pride.

Chapter Context

Chapter 2 explains the fellowship Christians have with God. Christ is our advocate, even when we sin. Christians are not to love things of the world, or to love the world. Instead, we are to live, love, and act like Christ. False teachers, and those who deny Jesus are called ”liars.” Those who demonstrate a Christ-like behavior are ”born of” God