True Light Shines

If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.

But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.

In his exhortation to the believers, John said, I am writing to you who are:

• God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. 
• Mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. 
• Young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one   

Again he said, I have written to you who are:

• God’s children because you know the Father. 
• Mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. 
• Young in the faith because you are strong. 

God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one. Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

The world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

The pride of life can be defined as anything that is “of the world,” meaning anything that leads to arrogance, ostentation, pride in self, presumption, and boasting. John makes it clear that anything that produces the pride of life comes from a love of the world and “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

The first example of the temptation of the pride of life occurs in the Garden of Eden, where Eve was tempted by the serpent to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve perceived that the fruit was “good for food,” “pleasing to the eye,” and “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Genesis 3:6).

She coveted the fruit in three ways:

1. "Lust of the Flesh" - It was appealing to her appetite. The desire for that which satisfies any of the physical needs. 
2. Lust of the Eyes" - The fruit was also pleasing or delightful to the eye, that which we see and desire to own or possess. 
3. "Pride of life" - Eve perceived that the fruit would make her wise, giving her a wisdom beyond her own. 

Part of Satan’s lie was that eating the fruit would make her “like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). But what Satan really wanted was her soul. His job is to kill steal and to destroy the relationship the man has with God; and sadly he is still at work in the world doing just that today.

This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. If your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life (Psalm 62:10). But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. [1John 2:9-17 In context paraphrased]