Bible Reading: I John 2:15-17.
Aim: To not follow the temptations and traps of the world.
Memory Verse: “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,the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” I John 2:15-17.
Definition: “World” is “Kosmos” (Gk), meaning, a) The physical planet (2 Peter 2:5; 3:6), b)The world of mankind organized into nation states (John 16:21; Matthew 4:8-10), c) The fallen world of humanity who are indifferent to or in rebellion against God and destined forjudgment (ethical meaning). It is the domain of Satan (I Jn 5:19; 4:1-5; Jn 12:31; 14:30; 2 Cor.4:4). It is the object of judgment and saving mercy (John 3:16-19; 4:42; 6:33,51); Holy Spirit reproves the world (John 16:8-11); By faith believers can overcome the world (worldly thinking, opposition of worldly men and Satan). Devotion to things of the world produces a “worldly” attitude of mind which has no concern for the things of God (John 1:10; I Cor.1:20,21;3:19). It is material & passing.
Introduction:
I. We are commanded to have certain attitudes about the world system. These are:
1. Love not the world (I John 2:15-17). The world is in a state of dire moral corruption.
2. Be not conformed to this world. (Romans 12:2). The world pressures believers to conform.
3. Do not have friendship with the world. (James 4:4). The world seeks to contaminate believers.
4. Keep yourself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27).
5. Overcome the world by our faith. (I John 5:4,5).
6. Share this world’s goods with needy believers. (I John 3:17).
7. Shine as lights in the world. (Philippians 2:15). We are to dispel worldly darkness.
8. Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. (Titus 2:12).
9. The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14). Be unresponsive to it.
10. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15).
11. We are not citizens of this world. (John 17:14).
II. The Bible warns us about many bad things in the world to beware of and avoid, some being:
1) Tribulation. ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation.’ (John 16:33).
2) Conforming pressure of this world to follow evil. (Romans 12:1,2).
3) Spirit of this world: the philosophy and thinking of the world. (I Corinthians 2:12).
4) Wisdom of this world, that is, the vain, self-confident, false opinions on the subject of religion, eg: evolution, anti-God humanism. (I Corinthians 3:19; 1:20).
5) Spectacle of the world. We are like gladiators fighting many foes in an amphitheater of great height being watched by thousands of spectators, with an immense host of men and angels, watching this conflict with great interest, keenly awaiting the outcome of our spiritual warfare. (I Corinthians 4:9).
6) Filth of the world. ‘We are made as the filth of the world.’ (I Corinthians 4:13). This word ‘filth’ is the strongest expression to show the contempt and scorn which the apostles were everywhere regarded. Filth means that which is collected by sweeping a house, such as any vile, worthless, contemptible object. Among the Greeks the word ‘filth’ denoted men of ignoble, worthless, wicked character, who were kept to be offered to the gods in a time of pestilence, to appease their anger. They were regarded as the most vile and worthless men in the world. This is how the world views the apostles and God’s choicest saints.
7) Fornicators of the world (I Corinthians 5:10). Most unbelievers were of this description. Avoid pubs, nightclubs, etc where such people are found.
8) Fashion of this world passes away. (I Corinthians 7:31). ‘Fashion’ comes from the shifting scenes of a drama play, where each scene continues for a little time, then changes as we pass on to other unreal, illusive scenes. What an appropriate description of the changing, unstable, unreal play-acting of this world, which today is popular and tomorrow is gone, to be succeeded by new actors and new scenes. How little we should set our affections on this world, and how strongly we should be prepared for the real and unchanging scenes of the next world.
9) Voices in the world. (I Corinthians 14:10). As all languages in the world are for communicating ideas, and not for display, so it should be with those who speak in church. They should speak them only when and where they would be understood. This refutes tongues spoken in a church where nobody understands them.
10) Worship idols (Acts 19:27). This well describes unsaved men of this world who worship idols and the creature rather than the Creator. eg: sport, money, pleasure,
11) Corruption in the world through lust. (II Peter 1:4). The world is full of corrupting influences. God wants to rescue us from its dominion and to make us holy.
12) Pollutions of the world (II Peter 2:20). ‘Pollutions’ mean ‘foulness, contamination, defiling and tainting’ influence that the world seeks and has on those who mix with it.
13) Wickedness. ‘The whole world lieth in wickedness.’ (I John 5:19). The whole world is under the control of wickedness or the government of Satan. The word ‘lieth’ means to recline in a passive state under Satan’s dominion, making no resistance, not struggling to be free, showing no effort to throw off his reign. The dominion is complete, lying as a beast that is subdued, a body that is dead, or anything that is wholly passive, quiet and inert, body and soul, individuals and nations that are entirely subject to Satan’s will. There is no government against which sinners have so little inclination to rebel, as that of Satan. (II Timothy 2:26).
14) Many deceivers in the world (II John 7). These deny that Christ became incarnate. They deny that Christ took on human nature in permanent union with His Deity. (See I John 4:2,3 JWs). “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1).
15) Cares of this world (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19) choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Three competing concerns are life’s worries, deception of wealth anddesires for other things choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Q: Do you choke God’s Word by letting things of the world takeover your priorities?
16) Prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) is Satan. Also called ‘the god of this world’ (II Corinthians 4:4); ‘the prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2); ‘the rulers of darkness of this world’ (Ephesians 6:12) because of his influence over men of this world.
17) Hates Christ. ‘The world cannot hate you (apostles); but me it hateth.’ (John 7:7). Why? Because Christ preached that its works were evil, and that men were sinners, so they hated Him. ‘All who live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.’All who preach against man’s wickedness will be opposed.
18) Hates godly Christians but loves worldly Christians. (John 15:19; 17:14). ‘The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ (John 17:14). ‘If ye were of the world, the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world . . . therefore the world hateth you.’ (John 15:19). See I John 3:13.
19) Disputers of this world (I Corinthians 1:20). What is our answer to worldly disputers who want to argue? It is that God has chosen the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (v.21), because the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
20) Sorrow of the world worketh death. (II Corinthians 7:10). This is sorrow arising from loss of property, friends or disappointment, as well as sorrow for sin when caught. It does not see itself as an offence against God. There is no looking to God for pardon and consolation. This sorrow produces distress, breaks the spirit, destroys the peace, and mars one’s happiness, causing people to suicide, fret, murmur and complain against God.
21) Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (I John 2:16). Lust of the flesh is indulging worldly appetites, as the purpose for living. Lust of the eyes is that which gratifies the sight, eg: jewels, clothing, houses, cars, as the chief purpose of life, without seeking Christ or His Kingdom. The pride of life is whatever tends to promote pride and boasting.
Conclusion: Which world are you living for? Which world are you setting your affections on? (Colossians 3:1,2). Get eternal values today. Layup treasures in heaven. Live for Christ, souls, His Word and His Kingdom, not the passing things of this life.