1 John 2:15-17 (MSG)

15-17 Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

1 John 2:15-17 (MSG)

General Context Questions
Who wrote this? Who is or which groups of people are involved?
Was this written before, during, or after Jesus’ lifetime?
Is this a narrative, a parable, a praise, a suggestion, a command, an instruction, or something else?
Is there anything that stands out to you?
Did anything confuse you? Were there words or phrases that didn’t make sense?

Specific Questions

• What do you think the author means when he uses the word “world”? Is he referring to all creation, to humanity, or to something else altogether?
• Does not loving the world mean that we should have nothing to do with it? What should we do in relationship to the world?
• If wanting the things listed in this passage have “nothing to do with the Father”, what does have something to do with the Father?
• What do you think it is that God wants you to do?