Believers and their Relationship to the World

In Scripture "The World" has a special application; it is defined as: "A social world order in rebellion against God". Through man's fall Satan has become the ruler of this world. Jesus called him that three times - John 12:31; John 14:30 and John 16:12.

Satan and the spirit of the World

Here are some brief statements of truth concerning Satan and the World:

1. Satan controls the world through deception.

2. Satan rules over all rebels including Christian rebels. Denominations do not affect Satan - it is the attitude of the heart.

3. If you are not submitted to God, then Satan is your ruler. The good news is, God loves the world and gave Jesus to die for it (John 3:16).

4. The cross was God's judgment of Satan and the world. The cross resulted in Satan's defeat. That is the thing Satan regretted most in all of history - getting Jesus crucified. He does his best to keep the Church ignorant of what Jesus did to him.

5. The world does not recognize Jesus or His disciples. The world hates Jesus and His disciples.

6. The Spirit of God and the spirit of the world are opposed to each other.

7. The Spirit of God in believers is greater that the spirit of the world (1 John 4:4).

8. When you study all that the New Testament says about the world and spirit of the world what you have got is "humanism".

Contrasts between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world

1. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth. The opposite is the spirit of error; the spirit of the world is the spirit of error.

2. The Spirit of God reveals the things of God; the spirit of the world ridicules the things of God.

3. The Spirit of God focuses on Jesus; the spirit of the world focuses on man and makes man his god.

4. The Spirit of God focuses on the eternal and always makes us conscious of a world beyond time. The spirit of the world focuses on on the temporal.

5. The Spirit of God convicts a person of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8) and tells man he is accountable to God. The spirit of the world blinds man to the three eternal realities of sin, righteousness and judgment. It says all things continue as they were (2 Peter 3:4); all going to go on; there will never be any intervention of God in judgment.

6. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of power over evil, of love, of sound mind and of self control (1 Tim. 1:7); the spirit of the world is a spirit of subjection to evil.

7. The spirit of the world is a spirit of strive, hatred and division. It is a spirit of rashness, self-indulgence and arrogance.

8. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of supernatural grace; the spirit of the world is a spirit of fleshly effort. When the spirit of the world comes into the Church, Pastors and leaders will do things with fleshly effort independent of God instead of being led by the Spirit of God.

Believers and their relationship to the World

I believe if the following basic Biblical principles are adhered to, the contemporary Churches all over the world will experience a total revolution. However, I am unable to claim the following list is at all complete or exclusive. You will probably discover more principles. Seeing the situation in the contemporary Church I believe God is amazingly patient that He does not bring us to a day of reckoning yet!

Believers are the Light of the world

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14, NKJV).

God and His people are the only source of light in this darkened world. Do not confuse education (secular or seminary) with light. You can be highly educated and totally in the dark (spiritually) at the same time. Similarly you could have obtained the highest degree in theology and is still in total darkness.

Paul said, ".... you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, ..." (Phil. 2:15, 16, NKJV, emphasis added).

Notice that we only shine in so far as we hold forth the Word of life. Each one of us in some area and in some measure is responsible to hold fast the Word of life. The more the Word of life (God's Word) we have, the more light we are going to shine forth. Very oftern human wisdom and knowledge derived from education is a stumbling block to the understanding of the Word of life (1 Cor. 1:18 - 25).

Believers represent Jesus in the world

You are the only Bible somebody is ever going to read - he can be somebody whom you work with or he can be somebody living in your neighborhood. He might never open a Bible but he will certainly look at your life.

John said, "... because as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

The world does not see Jesus but they see us and they should see us being like Jesus.

Believers are obligated to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom

Believers are obligated to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom to the whole world before Jesus comes again.

Jesus' disciples asked Him: "What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age" (Matt. 24:3, emphasis added)?

Jesus didn't answer them immediately but told them many other signs have to come to pass first. Then He finally gave them the last sign, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matt. 24:14).

The destiny of the world hinges on us - our fruitfulness in proclaiming the Gospel. We are the ones who are responsible for seeing the present evil age is brought to God's appointed climax. Jesus commanded us not only to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom but also to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19).

Unfortunately we got it all wrong -we try to make Church members of all nations. So we build more Churches not knowing that too many Churches with the wrong kind of people will not help. The real problem is our Chruches are full of members who are not disciples. Opening new Churches will not bother the Devil at all. As long as the Devil sees these Churches keep their members harmlessly occupied with Church activities he is happy.

Jeus said to His eleven disciples, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe; ..." (Mark 16:15 - 17, emphasis added).

Notice that two conditions need to be fulfilled before you can see signs following. One is the believer must go; and secondly, he must believe. No signs (miracles) will follow anyone who does not go. Someone has said, "It is hard to follow a parked car and the Chruch is a whole lot of cars parked at the parking lot". Furthermore, there are lots of unbelieving believer sitting in the Church pews!


Believers must use and not abuse the World

James said, "... and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

The world is dirty; every time you touch it you need to wash yourself. Don't let those dirty, greasy marks of the world come on your beautiful fine linen robe of righteousness (Rev. 19:8). If you have got a greasy mark you must us one detergent that truly cleanses - the Blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7).

James said, "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself and enemy of God" (James 4:4).

In the Eyes of God those who are friends of the world are adulterers and adulteresses - and they are enemies of God. You can't be friendly with the world system. You can be friendly with unbelievers and love them, but do not fall in love with the world system because it is wicked and controlled by the prince of darkness.

Believers must expect tribulation in the World

Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Paul and Barnabas were with a group of new converts in a city they had visited; Paul said to them, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

This is one of the hard facts of the Christian life.

The Good News

The good news is through faith believers are victorious over the world.

John said, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believer that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5:4, 5, emphasis added).

The use of the phrase, "overcomes the world" indicates there is a conflict with the world. You don't overcome something unless it is opposing you. But we do overcome the world by our faith - if we keep on exercising our faith and don't cop-out. That is precisely the reason why Jesus said, "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matt. 22:14).

There are endless different ways the Devil can divert you from God's purpose for your life. He doesn't mind what means he has to use provided he is able to get you out of line with God's purpose for your life. You won't be a lost soul, but you have a much smaller reward in glory than you could have.

Paul said, "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14, NKJV).

Paul fulfilled his calling, for he said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 3:7).

I believe one major requirment to fulfill your calling can be summed up in just one simple phrase: "Single mindedness".

James said, "... let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:7, 8).

In other words, unless you are single-minded you are unstable in all your ways. Anyone who is unstable in all his ways will not fulfill his calling!