Greetings, In my previous Blog entry, “We Fall Down, We Get Up”, I wrote much on “The World”. About our place in it, and the traps and snares, in it for Christians. In this Blog I’m merely going to back up much of what I said with scripture.
I think this may have the benefit to hit home a bit more, and not sound like I was just giving you my opinion. Maybe you want to study this a few scriptures at a time, and consider, meditate on, your actions, and implementation of in your life as an authentic Christian as Wheat and not a Tare.
Key Passages: Concerning Believers and the World.
John 3:17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
1 John 5:5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; [Those who mock, and jeer at Christians, at you, are shown to be foolish before God]
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [Our recognition of worldliness in others and ourselves.]
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. [Our fellowship with tares that grow with the wheat, is warned against. Otherwise, we may be persuaded their conduct is acceptable for believers. This is often very difficult to do.]
The World Revealed
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
Believers and the world
John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
2 Corinthians 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
Matthew 13:38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
Matthew 13:39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.
Matthew 13:35 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.[When we will God is not near, through faith we know he is always with us.]
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
- John 17:16
- John 16:33
Nonbelievers and the world
1 John 4:5 They are from the world; therefore, they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
2 Peter 3:3-5 Know this first, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
- Matthew 13:49
Christ and the world
Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
John 12:46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
John 9:5 “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” [This is also our relationship to the world]
- 1 Timothy 6:7
- 1 John 2:2
- John 16:28
- Galatians 1:4
- 1 John 4:14
- John 1:10
God and the world
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 4:9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
John 3:31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth He who comes from heaven is above all.
John 17:15 “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. [Why do you think Christ didn’t want believers to be taken out of the world at this time?]
1 John 4:4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
The Apostles
1 Corinthians 4:9 For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. [Their faith even through torture, and crucifixion reveals their faith as an example for us.]
Romans 10:18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH, AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.”
[The many verses above from the New Testament, are mostly spoken by Christ. It is clearly presented what our relationship should be with the world of non-believer, our attitude and conduct in the world, what the world is and represents to us. You may wish to go and again read the last blog, now that you have a firm understanding of THE WORLD. The deceiver tries to blind us of the reality of the world, and it sometimes seems the church is not teaching truly a key part of the Christians life.]
By James Kirk-Wiggins, September 19, 2019