In chapter 1 of Worldliness, Mahaney challenges us concerning the familiar passage, 1 John 2:15-17. The following post is a summary of this chapter. 
Mahaney begins by referencing Thomas Jefferson, who took his Bible and cut out sections that did not agree with his world view. Jefferson basically created his own Bible that he was comfortable with. Obviously we don’t have that luxery, but do we do this in practice by simply glossing over texts that we have problems with? 1 John 2:15-17 seems to be one of those texts, although it is familiar, it is easy to ignore.
“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 pride in possessions—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 2:15-17 ESV)
There are several reasons that we may ignore such a passage.
1. Perhaps we aren’t sure what it is saying. Does that mean we can’t watch a particular movie, or listen to a particular style of music? Is wasting time online watching YouTube clips a form of worldliness? Does this text have an impact on the kind of clothes that I should be buying and wearing? Can our clothes be too trendy, or too revealing? Maybe we’re confused about what this text actually says, or maybe we just don’t want to hear what it has to say, because we think it may be some legalistic standard. Maybe you think these issues are private, and that no one should intrude on this discussion.
2. Perhaps you don’t think this text applies to you. Maybe you believe yourself to be a strong Christian, that has never committed any “serious” sin. So this text is more like a check-up for you. “Of course I don’t love the world!” we say to ourselves. Perhaps we have some cream cheese on our faces that we just can’t quite seem to see.
Also, if we don’t ignore the passage, we can very easily load it up with qualifications. This helps us distance ourselves from the text, in an effort to carry out that same idea, that this text doesn’t apply to me.
But we can’t do this. We can’t ignore this text or explain it away. It is right there for us to see. It is God’s Word. When we ignore it, we put ourselves in a particular position of risk in light of worldliness. In fact, as Mahaney points out, we even see an example of this in the Bible. His name is Demas.
Demas is mentioned in Colossians and Philemon as a fellow worker with Paul. Surely if he is with Paul, seeking to establish and strengthen churches then his is a good solid Christian right? Surely he is one of those who would say that this text does not apply to him, but to others who are engaged in “serious” worldly sins. But this is not the case, for we see in 2 Timothy 4:10, “For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.” (ESV). Demas was in love with the present world, and he fell away. How exactly it happened we don’t know, but we could image that it happened slowly. And eventually the loves and desires for the world took the place of the love and desire for Christ, and Demas was gone.
This calls us to look within to examine our love for the Savior. Do you love Him, or do you appear to love Him. Mahaney states, “Sadly, Christians are largely unaware of the peril. Because we have ignored verses such as 1 John 2:15, we’ve become completely desensitzed to the clear and present danger of worldliness.” So please be aware. This Text is a warning for you, no matter where you are on your Christian journey.
