Jesus on Our Lips, But the World in Our Hearts

"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. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

-1 John 2:15-17 ESV

I almost fell on the floor when I read this statement from Ignatius, "Do not talk about Jesus Christ while you desire the world."[1]

Ignatius says this in his letter to the Roman church as he was being delivered up to death as a martyr for Jesus by being torn apart by wild animals. Apparently there were some powerful Christians that may have been able to sway the persecutors and prevent Ignatius from being killed.[2]

"Do not talk about Jesus Christ while you desire the world." Ignatius

How does Ignatius respond? He says this,

The ruler of this age wants to take me captive and corrupt my godly intentions. Therefore none of you who are present must help him. Instead take my side, that is, God's. Do not talk about Jesus Christ while you desire the world. Do not let envy dwell among you. And if upon my arrival I myself should appeal to you, do not be persuaded by me; believe instead these things that I am writing to you. For though I am still alive, I am passionately in love with death as I write to you. My passionate love has been crucified and there is no fire of material longing within me, but only water living and speaking in me, saying within me, "Come to the Father."[3]

In other words, he is saying, Satan wants me to avoid dying as a martyr so don't help him by delivering me out of martyrdom. In that context, he says, "Do not talk about Jesus Christ while you desire the world."[4]

After reading this I thought, "Would I say the same thing in that situation?" Also, I considered, "Do I really love the world while I speak about Jesus?"

In 1 John 2, John writes, "Do not love the world or the things in the world" (1 John 2:15a). He continues, "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15b). Ouch! So, don't love the world or the things in it, and if you do, you're not a Christian.

Wait, I thought God created the world and called it good? (Gen. 1). And I thought God loved the world? Isn't that why he sent the Son of God to die? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). So, God loves the world, but I shouldn't love the world?

Yes, these verses are true. And we should love the world as well in these good senses. What John is getting at in 1 John 2 when he says "do not love the world" is this: We should not love the fallen, temporary, and sinful aspects of the world. John goes on to define it as the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life (v. 16). He comments that these things are not from the Father (v. 16). Instead, we should do the will of God (v. 17).

The note in the ESV Study Bible on 1 John 2:15 states: "Do not love the world should not be read as an utter rejection of the world, for 'God . . . loved the world' (John 3:16). Rather, John warns against devotion to a world system that is opposed to God (cf. John 12:31; James 4:4; 1 John 5:19)."[5]

Early church writers seem to agree. For example, Bede says, "Those who love the world have nothing but the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. These few words describe every kind of wickedness which exists."[6]

So, circling back to Ignatius, there are times when we are faced with a choice. Will we choose the world or God? Will we follow the Satanic deceptions or God? Sometimes they are easy to spot, but other times they may be more difficult. In Ignatius's case the choice was a brutal death over life. It would be easy for us today to say, "God is opening a door for you to be delivered from death, Ignatius. Follow that path." He would say, "Do not talk about Jesus Christ while you desire the world."

Sometimes the path of God is not the comfortable path that looks successful in the eyes of the world. Sometimes even the church loves and rewards success in a worldly manner. Would Ignatius be considered a Christian success?

God's path is not always comfortable. It doesn't always appear successful. But . . . you won't regret taking the difficult path. It is the path that God has laid out for you. It is the path of faithfulness.

If God is calling you to do something for him, then follow him rather than the world. Let's all ask ourselves this question: "Is Jesus on my lips while the world is in my heart?" It may be convicting, but it's worth asking.

Surely, like me, you want to have Jesus both on your lips and in your heart.

End Notes:

[1] Ignatius, "The Letter of Ignatius to the Romans," The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, 3rd ed., trans. by Michael W. Holmes (Grand Rapids, MI: 2007), 233.

[2] Michael A. G. Haykin, Rediscovering the Church Fathers: Who They Were and How They Shaped the Church (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011), 40.

[3] Ignatius, "The Letter of Ignatius to the Romans," 233.

[4] Ibid.

[5] ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008), 2432.

[6] Ancient Faith Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2019), 1565.