The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.

 To this day the Christian cannot escape the obligation to be different from the world. In this passage John sees things as he always sees them--in terms of black and white. As Westcott has it: "There cannot be a vacuum in the soul." This is a matter in which there is no neutrality; a man either loves the world or he loves God, Jesus himself said, "No one can serve two masters" ( Matthew 6:24). The ultimate choice remains the same. Are we to accept the world's standards or the standards of God? 