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[331.82 --> 335.36] and eventually institutionalized in a culture
[335.36 --> 339.76] corrupted by the twin sins of rebellion against God
[339.76 --> 342.68] and the redefinition of good and evil.
[342.68 --> 346.76] So yeah, I'll let that sink in for a bit.
[347.42 --> 349.00] Because I have to wrestle with this.
[349.18 --> 349.66] I agree.
[350.02 --> 353.42] This is what it means when John mentions the world,
[353.56 --> 355.28] a normalized pattern of sin.
[356.02 --> 360.00] In simpler ways, it is when a lot of sinful people,
[360.08 --> 361.12] and we are all sinful,
[361.44 --> 363.82] a lot of sinful broken people get together
[363.82 --> 366.88] and we take our flesh,
[367.06 --> 368.14] so our sinful natures,
[368.42 --> 369.92] our disordered desires,
[370.46 --> 372.76] come together and normalize it
[372.76 --> 374.78] as if that's the norm.
[375.46 --> 378.64] And it becomes what was wrong,
[378.78 --> 379.76] biblically speaking,
[380.20 --> 383.02] now becomes totally normal and acceptable,
[383.52 --> 384.40] and further yet,
[384.62 --> 388.10] it becomes the new standard of right or wrong,
[388.42 --> 390.46] which is supposed to be in God's hands.
[390.46 --> 394.60] It is to replace God with something else
[394.60 --> 396.74] as the ultimate source of truth,
[397.10 --> 401.42] further, as the ultimate source of life and happiness,
[401.64 --> 402.56] as we have it.
[402.98 --> 404.92] To replace God with something else
[404.92 --> 406.02] to define that,
[406.36 --> 408.34] life and happiness and truth.
[409.66 --> 413.34] And so notice that when John writes this letter for us,
[413.66 --> 414.68] for God's people,
[415.02 --> 416.08] it's not an encouragement.
[416.08 --> 420.58] This letter and this passage specifically is a command.
[421.40 --> 425.14] Do not love the world or anything in it.
[425.80 --> 426.48] It's a command.
[427.90 --> 428.90] And so keep in mind,
[429.34 --> 430.62] I invite you to keep in mind
[430.62 --> 433.16] the definition of the world that we just discussed.
[433.90 --> 435.38] Something that replaces God.
[436.18 --> 437.74] Something that replaces Him
[437.74 --> 440.14] as our ultimate source of happiness and truth.
[440.14 --> 442.46] And we take it from His hands
[442.46 --> 445.38] and we try to judge what is right or wrong
[445.38 --> 447.52] instead of letting God do that.
[448.32 --> 449.38] So that's the world.
[450.42 --> 451.56] And then John says,
[451.70 --> 452.36] don't love it.
[453.34 --> 454.70] So I have to stop and think,
[454.80 --> 457.66] what does John mean by loving the world?
[458.36 --> 459.06] What do you mean,
[459.26 --> 460.34] love the world?
[461.50 --> 464.32] And the word that he specifically uses
[464.32 --> 466.40] is the Greek agape love.
[466.96 --> 469.24] It's not just any of the other loves.
[469.24 --> 469.94] When he says,
[470.28 --> 471.60] do not love the world,
[472.02 --> 472.46] he says,
[472.58 --> 474.08] do not agape the world.
[474.48 --> 475.30] And ironically,
[475.96 --> 477.10] this word agape
[477.10 --> 479.34] is the word that's used
[479.34 --> 482.24] to describe God's love for us.
[483.66 --> 485.72] To describe God's
[485.72 --> 486.46] total,
[487.00 --> 487.50] holistic,
[487.94 --> 488.84] agape love
[488.84 --> 489.96] for His people.
[490.96 --> 492.86] And what John is saying then is,
[493.28 --> 494.28] don't agape,
[494.60 --> 496.64] a total commitment
[496.64 --> 497.62] commitment and loyalty
[497.62 --> 499.80] to something or someone,
[500.04 --> 502.12] don't do that to the world,
[502.46 --> 503.98] is what John is telling us.
[505.28 --> 507.40] Not just lovey-dovey feelings,
[508.04 --> 508.44] but again,
[508.74 --> 509.28] a total,
[509.74 --> 510.76] holistic commitment
[510.76 --> 511.44] and loyalty
[511.44 --> 512.66] to someone or something.
[513.22 --> 513.62] Therefore,
[514.10 --> 515.30] if you then
[515.30 --> 515.88] agape
[515.88 --> 516.76] the world,
[517.56 --> 519.04] there is no way
[519.04 --> 521.02] for you to truly love God.
[521.02 --> 524.98] John is simply stating fact
[524.98 --> 526.26] and is informing us
[526.26 --> 527.06] of what is.
[527.76 --> 528.82] If you really
[528.82 --> 529.42] holistically
[529.42 --> 531.46] devote yourself
[531.46 --> 532.28] to the world,
[532.82 --> 534.06] you cannot have
[534.06 --> 535.30] that same devotion
[535.30 --> 536.24] to God.
[536.58 --> 537.72] He's naming reality.
[538.10 --> 539.40] Because the truth
[539.40 --> 540.28] of the matter is,
[540.60 --> 542.32] you cannot serve