Pastor Billy Myron continues the Christian Life series and begins a new major section on the third spiritual enemy: the world, or world system. Previous lessons covered the sin nature and Satan with his demons. This lesson examines the origin of the world system, its ruler, and its relationship to Christians.
The term world in this context is not the universe or planet Earth. The Greek word kosmos refers to the organized, arranged society of humans (from which the English word cosmetic derives, indicating orderly arrangement). The Greek word gē refers to the earth or ground. Elements such as government and entertainment belong to this organized system rather than the planet itself.
In 1 John 2:15–17, believers are commanded not to love the world or the things in the world. 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 of the world. The world is passing away and its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever. This creates a competing object for love. In 1 John 5:18–19, the whole world lies reposing at ease in the wicked one. The world system incorporates elements of the sin nature and of Satan.
Luke 11:50–51 links the foundation of the world to the blood of the prophets shed from Abel to Zechariah. In Genesis 4, after Cain murdered Abel, he was driven out as a fugitive, dwelt in the land of Nod, and built a city named after his son Enoch. His descendants developed herding of cattle, music (harp and organ), and metalworking in brass and iron. After the flood (Genesis 10–11), Nimrod began to be a mighty one, and cities including Babel, Erech, and Akkad were built. At the Tower of Babel the people sought to make a name and build a tower whose top would be unto the heavens rather than looking to God; the Lord confounded their language and scattered them.
2 Peter 3:5–7 distinguishes the earth (gē) standing out of the water and in the water from the world (kosmos) that then was, which being overflowed with water perished. The planet was covered but not destroyed; the organized world of that period was wiped out.
Satan is the ruler of the world system. In Luke 4:5–8 (parallel Matthew 4:8), he shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and offers their authority and glory, stating that it has been delivered to him and he gives it to whom he wills, in exchange for worship. Revelation 2:13 notes that Satan’s throne is in Pergamos. Ephesians 6:12 describes wrestling against principalities, powers, and world rulers of this darkness. The whole world lies in the wicked one (1 John 5:19).
The world system is an organization of society, distinct from the principle of the sin nature or the personal beings of Satan and demons. It makes use of the works of the flesh (1 John 2:16) and aligns with Satan’s agenda of demonstrating independence from God. Satan is the ruler of organized human society, not of the universe.
Regarding Christians, 1 John 2:15 forbids loving the world. The world hates believers (1 John 3:13), as Cain, who was of the wicked one, slew Abel because his own works were evil and his brother’s were righteous. The world does not know God and therefore does not know believers (1 John 3:1). Colossians 2:6–8 and 20–23 warn against being spoiled through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men and the rudiments (elements) of the world, and not according to Christ. Believers have died with Christ from the rudiments of the world; they are not to live as though living in the world and subject to man-made ordinances such as touch not, taste not, handle not. 2 Peter 2:19–20 notes that some who have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can become entangled again and overcome.
The world is temporary. 1 John 2:17 states that the world is passing away. Psalm 2 describes the kings of the earth and rulers setting themselves against the Lord and His Anointed; He who sits in the heavens will laugh and will break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces. In Revelation 20:1–6, at the opening of the Millennial Kingdom, an angel binds the dragon (Satan) for a thousand years and casts him into the bottomless pit so that he should deceive the nations no longer until the thousand years are fulfilled. Christ rules; there is no organized world with Satan behind it opposing God. Believers will not face this enemy after the rapture.
Future lessons will examine specific elements of the world system (such as human government and false religion), potential distractions and deceptions, and the Christian’s proper response.
