The World

We have studied the topic of the devil, and now we must study the topic of the world because the world is related to the devil. Furthermore, the world is a practical problem that we encounter when we live on the earth. Therefore, we cannot be ignorant of this topic.

1. The terms for the world

   1. “World” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).

      1. The Greek word translated “world” is kosmos, and it means “system,” or “organization.” The world is an arranged system or a systemized organization. This system was not created by God; it was organized by Satan. In the beginning God created the earth and all the things on the earth so that man could live on the earth for the accomplishment of His purpose. After Satan spoiled and captured man, Satan organized the things on the earth that were for man’s existence into an ordered system. The Bible refers to this ordered system as the world. The world is out of Satan and belongs to him for his use. It is an organization and an ordered system under his control. Satan usurps people through his worldly arrangement and system in order to keep them from being for God, serving God, and accomplishing God’s purpose.

      2. There is a difference between the systematized things of the world and the created things of the earth. The created things of the earth were ordained by God so that man could live for Him, but the systematized things of the world were ordered by Satan to usurp man so that man could not live for God. Satan arranged the world using the things that God ordained for man’s existence. These things have become the components of Satan’s system. He systematizes all the persons, things, and matters that God ordained for man’s existence along with some of his own inventions in order to organize the world so that he can usurp man. Satan has mixed the world and the things that he invented with the things of the earth that were ordained by God so that it is difficult for man to distinguish between the two. For example, marriage, children, family, food, and other matters of man’s living are all ordained by God for his existence on the earth so that he can live for God. But Satan has taken the things that man needs for his existence and incorporated them into a worldly system in order to usurp man so that he would not be free to live for God. Originally, marriage, children, family, food, and other matters of man’s living were ordained by God so that he could live for God. Now marriage, children, family, clothing, food, and other matters have become things of the world to usurp man so that he cannot live for God. Anything that allows man to live for God is not something of the world, but anything that systematizes man and prevents him from living for God is something of the world. Whether or not something is of the world depends on whether it enables us to live for God or hinders us from living for God. For example, some marry in order to exist and live for God. They are not systematized or controlled by their marriage. To them marriage is something of the earth that is related to their existence; it is not something of the world that usurps them. However, some are systematized and controlled by their marriage to the extent that they do not care for God’s purpose. To them marriage is part of Satan’s systematization of humanity which usurps them.

      3. In addition to the basic necessities of human existence, Satan also invented things that are not necessary for human living but which tempt people to the extent that they are even more fully systematized and usurped. For example, when some marry, they feel that they must ride in a decorated vehicle, have a certain kind of ceremony, or wear a certain kind of veil. Others feel they must celebrate when a child is born by eating special foods. Still others feel that they must wear special clothes in celebration of a new year or other festivals. None of these things are needed for human existence; they all were invented by Satan to further systematize us in relation to basic human necessities. Although marriage and childbearing are necessary for human existence, riding in a decorated vehicle, wearing a fancy veil, eating special foods, and wearing special clothes are not necessary for human living. Satan has added these items to our basic human necessities in order to further systematize and usurp us.

      4. Brothers and sisters, the world is a system, an organization, or arrangement that Satan uses to control us. The world is like a university with many different departments that encompass the various aspects of human existence, such as the Marriage Department, the Wedding Department, the Funeral Department, the Clothing Department, the Food Department, the Education Department, the Money Department, the Fame Department, and the Position Department. Satan uses this “University of the World” to systematize the people on earth into various departments. He uses our preferences and desires to control us. If we enjoy clothing, he will use clothing to control us. If we enjoy money, he will use money to control us. If we are “enrolled” in any of his departments, we are under his usurpation, and we are no longer free to live for God or to serve Him. When we are in his worldly organization, we are under its usurpation.

   2. “Age” (Gal. 1:4).

      1. In addition to the term kosmos, the Bible also uses the word aion to speak of the world. Aion means “age,” or “time.” In the Chinese Union Version aion and kosmos are translated without distinction, but in the original Greek these words are clearly distinct. Kosmos refers to the entire world, and aion refers to a part of the world, to an age or time period of the world. The entire world from the past to the future is the kosmos, but it is divided into many ages. Each age is an aion. Thus, we find the phrase according to the age [aion] of this world [kosmos] in Ephesians 2:2. The age of this world is the current time period in the world, the world as it presently appears before our eyes. The part of the world that each generation of people on earth encounters is its age. The part of the world that people encountered in the nineteenth century was the age of the nineteenth century. The part of the world that people encounter in the twentieth century is the age of the twentieth century. An age is the world as it appears before our eyes. Thus, when the Bible speaks of people being according to the world, it says “according to the age of this world.”

      2. The Greek word translated “age” is aion. A closely related English word is modern. Thus, we can translate age in Ephesians 2:2 as “fashion.” The world that appears before our eyes is what is modern and fashionable. Every age has a definition of what is modern and fashionable. For example, it used to be fashionable for Chinese people to ride in a sedan chair as part of their marriage ceremony, but today it is fashionable for them to ride in a decorated car. It used to be fashionable for people to wear one kind of clothing, but now another kind of clothing is modern and fashionable. These modern things and fashions are the age, the part of the world that people presently encounter. Therefore, Satan uses the things of this age to control and usurp people.

   3. “Generation” (Matt. 12:39; Acts 2:40; Phil. 2:15).

      1. The Greek word in the Bible that speaks of man’s relationship to the world is geneá. This word is translated as “generation” in Luke 11:50-51 and Hebrews 3:10. It does not refer to an age but to a generation of people. Generation refers to the people who live in a certain age of the world. A person who lives in a certain age of the world is part of its generation.

2. The condition of the world

   1. “The whole world lies in the evil one”; “The ruler of this world [kosmos]”; “The world [aion]-rulers of this darkness” (1 John 5:19; John 12:31; Eph. 6:12).

Since the world comes from Satan, it lies in him. The Bible says that the whole world lies in the evil one. This means that the whole world is under the control of Satan, the evil one. He is the ruler of this world (kosmos) and the world (aion)-ruler of this darkness. Anyone who lives according to the age of the world is controlled by Satan and lies in him. Such a one is under his rule. He is not free but instead is completely subject to Satan’s whims and tactics. This is the first condition of the world.

2. 2. “The god of this age [aion]” (2 Cor. 4:4).

Because the world lies in the evil one, it is under his control, and it responds to his whims. The world accepts his threats and temptations and even worships him as a god. Satan loves to receive such worship. In the previous chapter we saw that he wanted to uplift himself to be equal with God; consequently, in this world (kosmos), he makes himself the god of every age (aion). Furthermore, he wants the generation (geneá) of every age to worship him. In the world that he controls, he is not only the ruler of darkness, ruling the people of every age, but he is also an adulterous god, seducing and corrupting every generation. This is the second condition of the world.

2. 3. “Enmity with God” (James 4:4).

The world is at enmity with God because it is controlled by Satan as its king and seduced by him as its god. James 4:4 says, “The friendship of the world (kosmos) is enmity with God.” First John 2:15 says, “If anyone loves the world (kosmos), love for the Father is not in him.” The entire world is at enmity with God because its inventor and ruler is against God. This is the third condition of the world.

2. 4. “The present evil age” (Gal. 1:4).

Since the world that is controlled and seduced by Satan is at enmity with God, every age of the world is evil because its ruler and seducer, the evil one, is evil. This is the fourth condition of the world.

2. 5. “An evil and adulterous generation”; “Crooked generation”; “A crooked and perverted generation” (Matt. 12:39; Acts 2:40; Phil. 2:15).

All the generations (geneá) are evil because every age of the world is evil. Every generation is adulterous, crooked, and perverted because every generation has been seduced and corrupted by the evil one. The words evil, adulterous, crooked, and perverted are vivid descriptions of the corrupt condition of the worldly generations. Evil emphasizes their inward nature, and adulterous emphasizes their outward behavior. Crooked emphasizes their relationship with others, and perverted emphasizes their relationship with God. The people of every generation are evil in their nature, adulterous in their conduct, crooked in their relationship with others, and perverted in their relationship with God. This is the fifth condition of the world.

2. 6. “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father but is of the world...But he who does the will of God” (1 John 2:16-17).

The world that Satan arranged to usurp man seemingly has many different kinds of things. These things, however, can be divided into three categories: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life. The lust of the flesh causes people to indulge in the flesh to gain enjoyment. The lust of the eyes causes people to covet what is pleasing to their eyes for their enjoyment. The vainglory of life causes people to be proud and to uplift themselves so that they may be able to boast in themselves. Satan uses the things in these three categories to control and usurp man. None of these things come from God; they all come from the evil one who has organized this world. They are all in opposition to the will of God. The world is the enemy of God, and the things in the world are in opposition to the will of God. If we love the world, we cannot love God; if we do the things of the world, we cannot do God’s will. If we want to understand and prove the will of God, we cannot be conformed to this age, to the modern things in the world (Rom. 12:2).

2. 7. “Now is the judgment of this world” (John 12:31).

God cannot tolerate the world and has condemned it because it is of Satan, it is in enmity with God, it usurps man, and it is full of evil and adultery. God judged the world on the cross through the Lord Jesus. As the Lord was dying on the cross in His physical body, God judged Satan, the organizer of the world, and the world that lies in him.

2. 8. “The world is passing away, and its lust” (1 John 2:17).

The pronouncement of judgment is followed by the execution of judgment. Since God judged the world, He will carry out His judgment by wiping out the world. The world and its lusts, which are the things in the world, are passing away. The world and the things in it are under the execution of God’s judgment. They will not last very long, much less remain for eternity. They will pass away.

2. 9. “The fashion of this world is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:31).

The world is under the execution of God’s judgment. It will not be wiped away only in the future; it is passing away daily. It is passing away to the point that God will completely destroy it. Therefore, the Bible says that the fashion of this world is passing away. This is the fate of the world, its final end. This is also the last condition of the world.

3. The believers and the world

   1. “Who gave Himself for our sins that He might rescue us out of the present evil age” (Gal. 1:4).

The Lord gave Himself for our sins not merely to save us from our sins but also to rescue us out of the present evil age (aion), which is the world that appears before our eyes. In the Lord’s salvation we were rescued from the evil age that is in opposition to God. We were rescued from the present condition of Satan’s worldly organization.

3. 2. “Be saved from this crooked generation” (Acts 2:40).

We should allow the Lord to save us from this crooked generation in our daily living because we were rescued out of this present evil age by the Lord’s salvation. Since we have received the Lord’s salvation, we should live a life according to His salvation. The Lord’s salvation rescued us out of the present evil age; therefore, we should not walk like those in this crooked generation. We should be different from them and separated from them. This is not something that we can do in ourselves. Only the Lord can do this, and He accomplished this on the cross. Through the Holy Spirit He wants to apply what He accomplished on the cross so that we can receive His practical salvation. But we must let Him do this. We must let Him save us. Although we cannot save ourselves, we can let the Lord save us. Although we do not bear responsibility for our salvation, we must bear responsibility to let Him save us in a daily way. The Lord can save us, and He wants to apply His salvation to us, but if we do not let Him, He has no way to do anything. Thus, the question for us is whether or not we will let the Lord save us. If we let the Lord save us, He will save us from this crooked generation. Since we have received the Lord’s salvation, we should let the Lord save us. This is the responsibility we should bear.

3. 3. “Having escaped the corruption which is in the world by lust” (2 Pet. 1:4).

The world corrupts people by lust. By our own strength we cannot escape the corruption which is in the world by lust. Only God’s life in us can save us from the corruption which is in the world by lust. Being saved from the corruption in the world is a promise of God. Therefore, we should let God save us, and we should believe that God will save us from the corruption which is in the world by lust.

3. 4. “Training us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” (Titus 2:12).

Since God promised to save us from worldly lusts, He trains us to deny these lusts. If we want to practically enjoy God’s salvation so that God can fulfill His promises and save us from the world, we should cooperate with God to receive His training and learn to deny worldly lusts. In order to live a life that is practically apart from the world, we must allow God to save us, believe His promises, and receive His training. We cannot be short in any of these matters.

3. 5. “Everything that has been begotten of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory which has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4).

We received God’s salvation, and we can cooperate with God, letting Him save us from the world, because we have been begotten of God. His life enables us to overcome the world. The life of God within us not only requires us to leave the world but also enables us to overcome the world. As long as we fulfill the requirements of this life to live and act according to the feeling of this life, we will spontaneously be led out of the world and will overcome the world. God and His life are within us, and God is greater than he who is in the world (4:4). When we receive this by faith, we overcome the world. If we live by the life of God and believe that this life can save us from the world, we will overcome the world.

3. 6. “The world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).

In order to be practically separated from the world, we must also see how the cross dealt with the world and with us who live in the world. The Lord’s cross dealt both with the world and with us who live in the world. With respect to ourselves, the world was crucified to us. With respect to the world, we were crucified to the world. Thus, the cross separated us from the world, just as the Red Sea separated the Israelites from Egypt. The world is dead to us, and we are dead to the world because of the cross. The death of Christ on the cross dealt with both us and the world. The Lord has already accomplished this fact for us. We should know and receive this fact in faith so that we can live a life that is separated from the world and that overcomes the world.

3. 7. “If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as living in the world, do you subject yourselves” (Col. 2:20).

      1. Death causes people to depart from the world. We have left the world and no longer live in the world because we were crucified with the Lord. Everyone who has received the Lord’s salvation, dying together with Him, should be one who has left the world and no longer lives in it.

      2. Buddhist monks attempt to leave the world by rejecting marriage, children, families, and all matters related to human propagation. They do not live a normal human life. In contrast, we leave the world by leaving the control and usurpation of these things. We leave the world, but we still marry, have children, families, and all the matters related to the continuation of humanity. We live a normal human life, but we are not controlled and usurped by these things. We leave the usurping element of these human matters while restoring these things to their proper place in God’s plan for human existence. On the one hand, we have died with the Lord and escaped Satan’s usurping world; on the other hand, we are living a normal human life with the Lord on the earth according to God’s ordination. We live for God, testifying of the Lord and preaching the Lord’s gospel. Although we live among human beings, eating and wearing clothing like ordinary people, we are not controlled and usurped by these things. Instead, we live for God. This is what it means to live in the world according to the Lord’s salvation.

   8. “Keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

Before God the world is filthy; it is even filthier than sin. Therefore, we who are saved by the Lord from the world should keep ourselves unspotted from its filth. We cannot do this in ourselves; we must do it in the Lord by relying on His life.

3. 9. “Do not be fashioned according to this age” (Rom. 12:2).

Every fallen descendant of Adam has the tendency to turn to the world, to love fashions, and to gladly follow worldly customs. But if we would keep ourselves unspotted from the world, we cannot be fashioned according to this age (aion). If we are fashioned according to this age, we will be conformed to the likeness of the world and be permeated and spotted by the world. As those who have presented ourselves as a living sacrifice to God, we should not be fashioned according to this age. This is the Lord’s command in Romans 12:2.

3. 10. “Having loved the present age” (2 Tim. 4:10).

Although the world is very lovely and draws people to love it, we must keep ourselves unspotted from it by not loving the present age. The present age is the world before our eyes that draws our heart to love the things in the world. If we love the present age, like Demas in this verse, we will be full of worldly spots.

3. 11.  “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

Since the world is God’s enemy, we should have no love for it. Once we love the world, love for the Father is no longer in us. We must live a life that is separated from the world. We must keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Loving God is the best way to be separated from and unspotted by the world. By loving God, we can keep ourselves from loving the world and keep the world from usurping and defiling us.