Day 17  What does the world have to offer?  I John 2:16

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

As we learned yesterday, the world has much to offer that is appealing to the flesh.  Everywhere we look, the destructive offers of the world are out there. 

In this verse we see the sum of the evil things in the world; the following are the objects of sin in the world, or about which wicked men are conversant; these are the carnal or fleshly, visible to the eye, and belong to this vain life, or serve to fill with pride and vanity.  These are the main things, which men that love the world most highly value and esteem:

The Lust of the Flesh: by which is meant, that part of us which lusts against the Spirit; and wars against the soul.   These fleshly lusts are many, and are also called worldly lusts.   These lust of uncleanness  include all unchaste desires, thoughts, words, and actions, also fornication, adultery, and others, and are all unnatural lusts; which make up a considerable part of the all that is in the world.  Also including intemperance in eating and drinking, gluttony and drunkenness, excess of wine, rioting, and all the sensual pleasures of life, by which the carnal mind, and the lusts of it, are gratified; whereby the soul is destroyed, the body is dishonored.

The Lust of the eyes: Those looks after unlawful objects, lascivious looks, eyes full of adultery, and whereby adultery is committed; (see Mt 5:28); a sinful curiosity of seeing vain sights, with which the eye of man is never satisfied, (Ec 1:8); and against which the psalmist prays, (Ps 119:37), or rather the sin of covetousness, the objects of which are visible things, as gold, silver, houses, lands, and possessions, with which riches the eyes of men are never satisfied, and which sin is drawn forth and longed for by the lust of the eyes.  The eye is the gateway of the heart.

The Pride of Life:  An ambition of honor, of high titles, as in the Scribes and Pharisees, (Mt 23:6,7), or of grand living.  The word signifies not so much life as living; living in a luxurious, and pompous manner, in rich diet, costly apparel, having fine seats, palaces, and stately buildings; all which is but vanity and vexation of spirit; see (Ec 2:1,3-8,11).  Every age has some peculiar things in which the pride of it appears.

Is not of the Father:  God the Father, is not the author of sin, nor is it agreeable to his will.  Those things which are desired and lusted after might be of God, but the lust itself is not.

It is of the world:  These lusts of the world, are of men and is agreeable to their carnal minds; and is a reason why things of this world are not to be loved by believers.  We are not of it, but chosen and called out of it; and besides, all these things are mean, base, vile, and contemptible, and are very much unworthy of our love and affection.

So to answer the question “What does the world have to offer?”  If it is contrary to the things of God – then the answer is nothing!  With regard to eternity – nothing!

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.”