1 John 2:15-16 English Standard Version
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
Love of the world here in the Greek is agapaō which is not the same as agapē which is the love of the Father. There are many different words for love in the Greek and it is not always easy to distinguish which one is meant where. How we understand what is said is important in how we respond to the scriptures written to us and for us.
Love of the world for me, and I ask anyone to seek their own understanding, means to prefer. Here is why I understand it this way, my perspective, not yours, not do I prefer that you should choose my understanding. Seek your own.
Coffee is bitter to me and I prefer to drink it with a creamer that will sweeten it. When I go to the store now I buy Italian sweet cream for myself and hazelnut for my wife and my sister-in-law. I prefer one over another. My choice, no big deal, so what? It harms no one.
I prefer my wife over any other woman on the face of the earth. It does no harm to the other women around me. If I should prefer another woman over my wife it would wound her and cause great harm to our relationship.
Paul includes desire of the flesh and eyes to accentuate the two different uses of the word love in the same sentence. They are different Greek words translated as love. God’s love is sometimes said to be a love feast which implies not only abundance but also variety. His banquet table offers up every tasty delight which will satisfy everyone no matter what they prefer.