In the text found in 1
John 2:12-17 , the apostle John warns mature men and
young men of three lusts:
· The
lust of the flesh ( Genesis 3:6 ;
cf. Joshua
7:21 – “saw that the tree was good for
food“) — the insatiable appetite to indulge in pleasures that inflame the flesh
but never satisfy (Numbers 11).
· The
lust of the eyes ( Genesis 3:6 ;
cf. Joshua
7:21 ) – “it was pleasant to the eyes“) —
wandering eyes that continually want more riches
and possessions, but always remain covetous ( Acts
5:1-10 ).
· The
pride of life ( Genesis 3:6 ;
cf. Joshua
7:21 ) – “a tree desirable to make one
wise“) — the vain mind that thirsts for man’s applause. But the glory
evaporates quickly ( Acts
12:20-23 ).
These three lusts are damaging to those
who engage in them as well as the victims they leave in their destructive path.
Additionally, these lustful desires can never fully satisfy , because
they are temporary ( Hebrews
11:24-25 ESV ).
True and lasting satisfaction, is found
only when we give our affections [mind] to spiritual and eternal things ( Colossians
3:1-4 ) — to a right relationship with our
heavenly Father ( 2
Corinthians 6:16-18 ) and with those He has created in His
image ( Genesis 1:26-27 ;
cf. Ecclesiastes 7:29 ;
Ephesians
4:24 ; James
3:9 ).
Let us remember that “The world is
passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides
forever” ( 1 John 2:17 ).