* Love Not The World

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.   

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, 

and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

1 John 2:15-16

The world is puffed up; proud and overcome with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life!  Believers must contend with these forces everyday!  It seems that  sometimes we are bombarded by a host of enemies when in reality, there is only one enemy. But, he works with and through a mighty force of demons.  From the passage above, we can see that Satan not only uses demons but he also works through the evil forces of the flesh and the world to the detriment of our soul!

We are physically standing on hostile grounds and surrounded by evil influences. The world and the flesh are enemy territory.

The word 'world' has different meanings in Scripture. It can mean the earth or universe in its physical order. It is also used to refer to Gentiles which are all nations other than the Jewish nation.   But the word 'world' also is used to refer to the present condition of human affairs in opposition to God.  It is this system that runs the inhabited earth, a system that is opposed to God; our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is this meaning that is being referred to in the use of the word 'world'.   The 'world' is the corporate group of flesh-centered individuals who make up the human race. Flesh, in this context, is not referring to the actual flesh of your body. It is a term which describes the basic evil human nature of man which is in willful disagreement or rebellion against God; the nature that overtook mankind when Eve allowed herself to be deceived by the enemy which led mankind to forsake the image of God.

 

As your enemy, the world is the whole organized system of social, economic, materialistic, and religious philosophies which have their expression through organizations, personalities, and governments. It is not a specific government, organization, or person, but the worldly system upon which these are based.  The world system is an extension and a result of man's departure from the likeness of God.  It provides an atmosphere, environment, and system which promotes fleshly sins. It surrounds man with that which appeals to his fleshly desires.

 

Satan is the "prince" or ruler of the world system:

 

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.   John 12:31

 

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.   John 14:30

 

Satan is also called the god of this world:

 

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believed not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  2 Corinthians 4:4

 

The kingdoms of the world are presently influenced by Satan. They are guided by Satanic philosophy and principles. They are flesh-centered and flesh-governed:

 

Again, the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.   Matthew 4:8-9

 

Some day they will become the kingdoms of our Lord:

 

And the seventh angel sounded: and there were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.   Revelation 11:15

 

Sin is the reason for the present condition of the world. When Adam and Eve were originally created by God, they were given dominion over the world. This meant they had control over the world, to guide its systems and inhabitants according to the plan of God. When they sinned against God, they lost that dominion. (Genesis 1-3)  After God destroyed the world by the flood due to the gross wickedness of sin that had overtaken the world, He gave the same command to those that were saved in the earth (Genesis 9:1-7).

Jesus stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross.  When Jesus was crucified for the sins of all mankind and resurrected from the dead, He reclaimed the world. He pronounced judgment on the spiritual forces of evil:

 

And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.   Colossians 2:15

 

Although Jesus reclaimed the world from the power of the enemy, Satan does not yet acknowledge that claim. Satan still is at work in the world with his evil influence. Satan will not acknowledge the claims of Jesus over the kingdoms of the world until the final conflict.

The present situation is similar to military conditions that often occur in the natural world. A political or military power will take control of a nation but their claims will not be acknowledged by rebel troops within that nation. The rebel troops continue to war throughout the country. They try to take possession of territory not rightfully theirs and overpower the citizens. They often use tactics of terror to accomplish these purposes.

The situation in the spirit world is similar. Jesus reclaimed dominion over the world, the enemy, and his evil forces. But Satan and his rebel troops still war throughout the world. They try to take possession of territory not rightfully theirs and influence men and women for evil. This battle, which is our "spiritual warfare," will continue until the final conflict.

The world structure is in direct opposition to God, 

His plan, purposes, and people:

®    The present world system is evil:

Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.   Galatians 1:4

®    The present world system is without God:

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:   Ephesians 2:12

®    There is much deception in the world to ensnare believers to become part of the world system:

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.   2 John 1:7

®    The world is already judged and under condemnation by God:

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.  1 Corinthians 11:32

The 'elements of the world' refer to the elementary principles that govern the world and that lead to bondage:

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. Galatians 4:3

The principles of the world are the regulations on which the world structure rests. They are different from the principles upon which God structures His Kingdom:

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances.   Colossians 2:8, 20

®    The spirit of the world is in direct opposition to the Holy Spirit:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.    1 Corinthians 2:12

Philosophies are principles of knowledge. The bible tells us to be weary of worldly philosophies because they are not based on Christ:

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   Colossians 2:8

®    Worldly wisdom is not God's wisdom:

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.   1 Corinthians 3:19

The "course" of the world is the cycle of the present world, its routine, the way in which it operates:

Wherefore in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.   Ephesians 2:2 

®    The many "voices" in the world are contrary to the voice of God:

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.   1 Corinthians 14:10

®    The peace of the world is temporary, fragile, and sometimes deceptive:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.   John 14:27

®    Godly sorrow differs from that of the world:

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.   2 Corinthians 7:10

®    The world hates God:

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.    James 4:4

®    The world hates believers:

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  John 15:18-19

Think about the ways, the actions, the thoughts and ideas of the world.  They are under the influence of the enemy.  The world is not in the image nor the likeness of God and neither are we if we align our self with the principles and standards of the world.    Is there any wonder that God says to come out from among them?  

(Biblical Studies)







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