Skip to main content

The Pride of Life

"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. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15)

When I was growing up, I was often confronted with these verses. My Sunday School teachers, pastors and parents warned me often against the love the world and fleshly desires. Indeed, I have carried these verses close to my heart. Despite the serious warning against fleshly desires, I was deeply encouraged by the news that this 'world is passing away.' My experience of this world has often been dark (though I certainly wouldn't dare compare my own suffering with those in other parts of the world, or those who lived in different times, and many more). To be told that all that is wrong in the world is passing away was such a relief, even as a child. We were reminded often that Jesus is preparing a new home for us - one without darkness.

However, if I'm looking at just these three verses, it's definitely easy to despair, especially when 'the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life overcome me.  It's easy to have a works salvation view of life.  It's easy to start believing, especially as a child, that if I succeed in not succumbing to my flesh or my eyes or my pride, and do the will of God, I would be saved!  Certainly, in my youth, I 'worked' hard for that promise of salvation.  But, the reality is that I am steeped in 'the desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes and pride of life!'  Every day, there I am, succumbing to all three of these in so many ways. Therefore, I'm doomed!

But the apostle John writes with such love and compassion.  Context is so important! He starts this very chapter with these gracious words: 

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2).

What beautiful words, for sinners like me!  I have an ADVOCATE.  Let's wrap our minds around that! I have One who defends me and pleads my cause before the Father!  Indeed, an advocate that PAID the price for my many sins.  It's not up to my 'works' to be saved!  Christ has accomplished that salvation for me! Jesus Christ alone has saved me.  

It's taken time and life to truly understand these verses.  The gospel of the Reformers has been preached to me over and over again, but I didn't know how much I kept seeking to accomplish my own salvation.  I was so deceived!  Indeed, I still can be!  But, finally, I think I'm starting to really appreciate the heart of the gospel.  As I earnestly seek to do the will of God, it is not to win God's favour!  I seek to do the will of God because God has already showed favour to me, through the work of Christ on the cross!  It's God's love for me that compels me! As I love God, and seek His face, I am transformed.  His love propels my obedience.  Abiding in God opens my eyes to my love of the world, but abiding in God also helps me to love rightly.  I come to see that what the world has on offer is actually not desirable at all!  Whatever was distorted in me to believe that the desires of the flesh were better than God begins to be healed.  My eyes are not blind anymore.  Abiding in God helps me to see that 'the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining' (1 John 2:8).  God Himself helps me to love Him and obey Him.  All true pleasure is bound up in God!  


The Pride of Life Exposed:

The school of suffering has particularly taught me how ensnared I was in the 'pride of life.'  As a child, I really didn't understand what the 'pride of life' even was!  I could sort of get my head around 'desires of the flesh and desires of the eyes.'  I could resonate with some of the examples my Sunday School teachers gave me, such as coveting candy/toys or idolizing a pop star.  But I didn't understand 'pride of life'.

As I have suffered, I have learned what I actually expected out of life.  What I did not get in life, what I could not control in life has revealed how truly distorted my heart really was.  When my health failed, and I could not pursue the career or hobbies or even ministry opportunities I wanted, I was angry.  When we struggled financially, and I could not afford plentiful vacations and a house, I was angry.  When my mind broke, and I couldn't even control my sanity, I was angry.  Angry at God.  I spent years in quiet, white hot anger towards God for not allowing me to 'live'!  Yes, I thought a 'real' and full life was bound up in getting the things I wanted: health, sweet relationships, prosperity, leisure, happiness, sanity and control.  I didn't even realize these were the things I wanted out of life until I couldn't get them.  I confess, I felt entitled to these things.  After all, growing up in North America has taught me to pursue with all my might the 'American Dream' of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'  When life became uncomfortable, when dreams were squashed, and I barely had control over my next minute, let alone my future ambitions, I felt lost.  I felt inhuman.  I felt like a failure.  

Don't get me wrong! Hopes and dreams, strength and faithful pursuits in life are good things.  However, contrary to some Christian thought, these are not the things that God promises.  At least, not necessarily in this life, on this fading world.  We are encouraged to pray for peaceful lives (1 Tim 2:2).  But we are also warned repeatedly to expect suffering.  In fact, Jesus tells us that he has not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword (Matthew 10:34).  Jesus brings those who believe in Him, peace with God!  But this world is passing away!  In fact, here in Matthew 10, Jesus goes onto promise that there will be a "man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household."  There will be persecution.  There will be turbulent times.  This is what we should expect.

I didn't realise it, but I had set my hopes on those comfortable and successful things in life, not in God!  I failed to understand that there is still fullness of life, without 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness', if I have God.  I failed to understand that this world is fading away (including success, health, and all the other things we aim for in this world).  All of this, here on earth, is fading away!  I failed to keep my eyes on the life to come: eternal life in Christ.  We have a very physical future in the new heavens and new earth, with bodies, sights and sounds, and endless possibilities to accomplish the things we cannot accomplish here on this perishing earth.  And we have a profoundly wonderful Saviour to worship for eternity.  The mysteries of Christ run so deep that we will always have new things to learn about Him.  He is incomparable.

So?  What about my life here on this fading planet?  Jesus calls me take up my cross and follow Him.  If I do not, He says I am not worthy of Him.  And then He promises something wonderful.  Jesus says: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Mt 10:39).  Wow.  Losing my life, losing my dreams, losing my health, losing my sanity, it's not for nothing! As I lose these things for Christ's sake, He promises that I will find my life - my eternal life in Him!  The cost is high.  For some Christians, the cost is their very lives.  But the cost is WORTH it!  We gain our incomparable Christ as King!  He is even now establishing His reign on the new heavens and new earth!  What was I actually entitled to, when I was in quiet, hot anger against God?  I was entitled to judgment, God's wrath, and hell!  That's a thought to ponder a while!  All my rage and entitlement that I had in my 'pride of life' was entirely misplaced and wrong.  Suffering and losses have brought me face to face with God, and like Job, I am in dust in ashes (Job 42:1-6).  I repent.  

For most of my life, I assumed my greatest struggles were with 'the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes.'  But God has humbled me.  Yes, those are both deep struggles!  But my greatest struggle is the 'pride of life.'  

Oh, what mercy!  Oh, what grace! I have an ADVOCATE!  If I boast in anything, may it only ever be this, that Christ has paid the cost for my sins and pride, and He has done the same for you if you confess your sins and believe on Him.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Spiritual Battle for My Soul (learn from my near disastrous path to darkness):

After my dear, sweet friend was murdered, I got very lost. I nearly lost my soul.  I pursued a terrifying road to hell.   Grief is always intense, a drowning sensation, an end that is impossible to accept. But in this instance, grief was mingled with profound betrayal. The murderer was also my friend. He was a pastor. I was part of his wedding party. We served in ministry together. He was one of the first to encourage my own relationship with Sony. He was like a little brother. When he was sick, I made soup for him. We laughed together, we sang together, we lived next door to one another. I always had some concerns about him, and he knew it. He often found me glaring at him for this or that childish behaviour. But we laughed about that too. I was protective of the girls, and he knew it. He was part of my main friend group. And he betrayed all of us. All of us…and most of all, her and his own baby. In this case, grief was mingled with confusion. I thought he wa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is the Word 'Woke' Helpful in our Engagement with Others?

I’ve always been taught the importance of words and their meanings. I remember my Dad expressing frustration when I flippantly used the word ‘awesome’ as a teenager. This particular word has a glorious meaning, a meaning that my Dad cherished. And my use of the word made it meaningless! He was offended because ‘awesome’ is how God is described. His desire for me was to preserve this word for God, who is holy.  For my dad, awesome meant: “Arousing or inspiring awe; that fills someone with reverential fear, wonder, or respect.” (Oxford English Dictionary) For me, as a teenager, I used the word awesome to describe even the most mundane things. If someone spilled their drink all over their white shirt, I might sarcastically remark: ‘Well, isn’t that awesome?’ Or if someone belched really loudly, I might have said: ‘Awesome!’ I used the word 'awesome' constantly as a teen, but I rarely used this word in the way it was intended to be used.  I confess, I still sometimes use the word ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Plight of Christendom in this Unsettled Moment

I have engaged in more political conversations over the last few months than I have ever done in my life. I keep asking myself ‘why?’. I am not really a political creature. Sadly, I understand more about American politics than I do Canadian politics. I lived in the States for a little while, and I learned a lot more than I expected. People are more political in the States, and I learned by listening to others in discussion. I don’t have as many of these conversations here in Canada. I confess, as a Canadian, I don’t usually know who or what I am voting for when I vote. My life is spent in other spaces. I do a quick glance at the platforms, and I vote. I often don’t watch any of the debates. Life is overwhelming, and trying to figure out what is happening in politics is often something I would not normally prioritize. I suspect most of my friends function like this too. So why am I engaging this so much right now? It started because this year I did want to know who I am vot...
Post a Comment
Read more