The “Big Three”

“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is iin the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15-16)

These are what I call the “big Three.” These are the sins that all other sins can be grouped under. The lust of the flesh. The lust of the eyes. The pride of life (or vanity).

I expect that any one of you reading this right now might be in trouble or dealing with one or all of these. If you are, you’re in good company. Both the mother of all the living, Eve, and the Lord of all life, our Savior Himself, were tempted by the “big Three.”

Of course, the problem for Eve was that she gave in (and her husband with her). (Genesis 3:6-7)

The difference with Christ (it was a huge difference) is He didn’t have it in Him to. (Mark 1:13; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; James 1:14) (Whether or not Jesus’ temptation was a legitimate one is a subject for another day. It was.)

And the lust of the flesh (in the words of one Bible teacher) is “the strong and sinful desire of the bodily appetites (not just sex).”

And the lust of the eyes is “the strong and sinful desire for gain (‘I just have to have that item’ whatever it happens to be).” (Careful, ladies, while shopping.)

And the pride of life/vanity is the attitude that says, “Look at me. I’m so smart” or “I’m so good looking” or “I’m so spiritually gifted” or (no one is prideful like this, but I’ll suggest it any way) “I’ve got thousands of Twitter followers and Facebook friends. I’m so cool.”

Repent.

(Above picture in the public domain: click here)