1 John 2:15–17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

John says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world.” He is not talking about appreciating the wonder of creation and the beauty of the heavens, the majestic mountains, the vast oceans and all the fantastic things God has given us to enjoy. Those are good things. When John admonishes us not to love the world, this is first commandment stuff. John writes about loving the sinful world, where Satan is in control and working against Jesus and His kingdom. John is warning us not to make the world or anything in it the most important thing in your life, putting it in the position God should occupy.

Then he writes “the man who does the will of God lives forever.” And what does that mean? It is best to let Scripture answer that question.

John 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

John 6:40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The will of God, the “work” He requires is faith. It is not our actions or behavior that save us. It is trusting in God and what He did for us in Christ. Knowing that He lived without sin for us, paid the penalty our sins deserved with His death, and conquered death with His resurrection is what gives us confidence and the certainty of forgiveness, life and salvation.

There are many wonderful and beautiful things in this world. But they are fleeting. They will not last. We have had several reminders of that recently in our family. On Friday I officiated at a graveside service for my niece Lauren, my brother’s daughter, who died last month of a drug overdose. As we were driving to that service, we got word that another niece, Sydney, the daughter of Cheryl’s brother, who has been fighting cancer was hospitalized. She got to meet Jesus face to face on Saturday. They were both in their early thirties. They had both professed faith in Jesus. Our hope is based on God’s promise: “The man [or woman] who does the will of the God lives forever.”

Thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.