There is no way around it, the Bible presents us with a dualistic worldview. We are continually presented with two paths, two choices, two loves.  Middle ground is hard to come by in Scripture. As the Didache says in it’s opening: “There are only two paths; one leads to life and the other to death and there is a world of difference between the two.”  This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 John 2:12-17, where John will state a similar sort of theme.

V12-14 are considered by many to be an ancient hymn or liturgy which John is quoting. The liturgy speaks to children, fathers and young men – most probably signifying stages of life within the context of family. If John is trying to encourage his readers about who they are and what they’ve been given – what are the attributes he describes of these sets of people within the church? How can knowing who we are and what we’ve been given by God lend itself to stability in our Christian journey?

In v 15-17 John gives his impassioned warning about the two paths. One way is false – a lie, a construct pulled over our eyes and if we embrace it, we do so to the neglect of our God. When John says not to love the word…what do you think that means? What is the world…and how would we love it?

How does v16 help in identifying what the “things” of the world are? What is the root of this issue? How can we determine a love of the world in our own experience?

What is John’s encouragement centered on in v17? In what ways is this world and it’s desires passing away? What sort of things will last forever, according to the Bible?

I can say this….it will be a challenging study this Sunday.  Also…SURF N GRILL is this Sunday!!! Hope you can come hang with the Fam!