When Love is Mutually Exclusive
by Rev. Kirby Williams
John explains that love for the world and love for the Father are mutually exclusive.
Text: 1John 2:15
Date: 11/15/2026, the Evening service.
Series: "Evenfall; Sunday Evening Worship" Part 49
Description:
After pausing in his discussion of what it means to be a Christian to encourage his readers by reminding them of some of the fundamentals, John continues with fresh injunctions and tests as to the validity of the Christian life. Specifically, in these verses Paul is going to make the point that love of the world and love of God cannot exist together. So we all should look to ourselves to make sure the love of the world is not seeping into our Christian life through the relentless barrages of the culture. And secondly that we learn to identify that those (especially church leaders) who love the world cannot at the same time love the Father-- for these loves are mutually exclusive
View:
Options:
I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, 1John 2:15.
A. Context
B. Do not love the world.
1. Overview.
2. The injunction.
a. Looking at the words.
i. The meaning of the word "love", 1John 2:10.
1) To take pleasure in, 2Tim. 4:10.
2) To have a deep desire for, Luke 11:43.
ii. The meaning of the word "world", 1John 2:2; Luke 9:25.
iii. The meaning of "things of the world".
b. Probing John's meaning.
i. What John does not mean.
1) Asceticism
2) Partial avoidance.
ii. What John does mean.
1) "Worldliness" is a mindset, 1John 2:16.
2) Returning to the Garden.
3) From darkness to Light, Eph. 2:1-6.
4) Especially applied to other religions and philosophies.
3. The first reason not to love the world.
a. Looking at the words.
i. Noticing the "if-then" statement, John 14:15.
ii. Analyzing the condition, 1John 2:1.
iii. Analyzing the consequent.
1) The person does not love God, John 14:21; James 4:4; Matt. 6:24.
2) The person is non-regenerate.
III. Conclusion
