“COMPATIBILITY ISSUES”

“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.”

1 John 2:16

I found an article that says, “Compatibility is more important than chemistry,” and I couldn’t agree more. Chemistry is fine, but it isn’t always right. Just because you’re having fun being with someone doesn’t mean you should be together. Just because something makes you happy doesn’t mean it’s helpful. It may feel good at the moment, but if there’s one thing we can learn from God’s word, it has to be the fact that not all things are beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23).

Many years ago, I was the drummer of a rock band. We covered songs from famous foreign and local rock bands. From rap metal to funk to alternative, we pretty much covered every chart-topping rock hit of our generation. Playing music on the stage and people's applause gave me that “high” I found nowhere else. I particularly felt proud whenever I received an award and whenever my band won a competition. It felt good—really good. So I always wanted to keep that feeling of musical euphoria that each time there was a gig opening for us, I’d even skip work just to be able to play. The things I did were compatible with who I was: a wretched sinner who loved himself and had no regard for God or others.

Allow me to continue our lesson on 1 John. In verse 16, the writer lists down the three components of the evil world system run by none other than Satan, the ruler of the world. Let’s unpack each of these characteristics.

First, the desires of the flesh. The word “desires” comes from the Greek “epithymia”, which means “cravings, lusts, desires.” Desire in itself isn’t bad. The object of our desire determines whether it’s good or evil. Here, John specifies the object of the wrong desire: “of the flesh.” The word “flesh” does not refer to our physical body. Instead, it is the basic nature of an unregenerate (sinful) man who is blind to the truth (1 Corinthians 2:14). This is our default condition as human beings—utterly sinful and disconnected from God. Satan uses his evil world system to arouse our flesh and incite us to do wicked things.

Lust of the flesh is why we have personal problems such as laziness, gluttony, and sexual immorality.

Second, John uses the term “desires of the eyes.” It refers to man’s covetous nature. Satan uses visually appealing things to make us desire them, i.e., money and material possessions. God knows how acquisitive we can be. That’s why in the Ten Commandments, He commands us to avoid it.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Exodus 20:17

Lust of the eyes is why we have criminal problems such as theft, robbery, and corruption.

The last description of Satan’s evil system is the pride of life. Other translations paraphrase it in this way: “the boasting of what he has and does” and “the pretension of human life.” It is the attitude of showing off one’s achievements and possessions to impress others.

The pride of life is why we have more severe problems such as rebellion and division.

These three descriptions, according to John, are incompatible with Christians because they do not come from God. Rather, they come from the world. They oppose what God wants us to do—to control ourselves, be content, and desire heavenly things.

Do you see any of these three sins in yourself? If so, I encourage you to surrender them to God; they are incompatible with your new nature as a child of God.

Pursue the Savior today!