Now
after dealing with the flesh there is Warfare With the World
The
word “world” used in the New Testament is Kosmos = World
"For God
so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as
its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of
the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:19
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
People are the object of God’s Love, this is why He
sent Jesus. So most of the time “world”
does not refer to people per say, though they are in the system of the “world.”
The “World” that comes against us is the Organized
System of Temporal Values that Oppose God
As for you, you were
dead in your transgressions and sins,
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. Ephesians 2:1-3
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:16
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. Ephesians 2:1-3
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:16
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19
It
is true that worldliness comes through people. But as we will see next time
that’s not where the battle rages for us as followers of Jesus.
Worldliness
can be both Internal and External
"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all
faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River
and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God." Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."
Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied. "Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." Joshua 24:14-23
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God." Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."
Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied. "Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." Joshua 24:14-23
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4
Worldliness is not “I don’t drink dance or chew, or
go with girl’s that do” but rather the very “spirit of the age” that attacks
from the inside and looks to attach on the inside. The warfare from the world come at us
primarily come though: IDEAS & IMAGES.
This is why advertisers spend BIG bucks to get their message across—because
it works. That’s why we must be careful
what we put before our eyes and ears.
IDEAS & IMAGES (they can be good or bad) seek to form strongholds in
the believer’s life. We must take every
thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.
Ever wonder why Bible Believing Christians can come
up with IDEAS that are contrary to Scripture?
It is because these IDEAS and IMAGES have a greater place in our hearts
than the Word of God (Romans 12:1-2).
Every Christian in every age has had to battle the “spirit
of that age” and it is at the very point of compromise (in that day, whatever
the day or issue) that the believer has been overcome in that particular area.
May God help us with His Word, may we help ourselves
by taking every though captive, before the thought takes us captive – it is
either one or the other, not both
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