Defeating the Enemies of our Soul: The World

Name of Assembly: United Apostolic Church
Type of service: Bible Study
Date: July 6th & 13th, 2021
Series Topic: Defeating the Enemies of our Soul
Lesson 2: The World
Scripture Text: 2 Peter 2:20-22

“20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” – 2 Peter 2:20.

INTRODUCTION

Our focus now turns to another subtle enemy of the souls of people—the world. Again, the purpose of these lessons is not to magnify the world or Satan but to expose them for what they really are and to reveal their threat to the Christian.

DEFINITION

The Scripture uses three important terms to describe the world:

• Kosmos —is a Greek word meaning the orderly arrangement of the world, including its inhabitants. It can refer to the total of what God has created and specifically to the world as the abode of humans. It is the order of things within which humanity moves and of which humanity is the center. In this sense, it also refer to the customs, values, and habits of sinful human society. In the New Testament, world is usually translated from Kosmos. The following verses are examples:
  
  1. “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10).
  2. “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands” (Acts 17:24).
  3. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
  4. “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” (I John 2:15).
• Aion—is a Greek word meaning a space or period, especially a life- time. It is used of one’s time of life or age. It also means a long space of time, eternity, or forever. It can mean an age, perpetuity, or present or future course. World is translated from aion in the following verses:
  1. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (II Corinthians 4:4).
  2. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (II Tim. 4:10).
  3. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
  4. “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12).
  5. “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).
• Oikumene —is a Greek word for world meaning land, globe, or earth. It is the literal ground, earth, or scope of God’s creation. It is the inhabited earth. World is translated from oikumene in the following verses:
  1. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14).
  2. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1).
  3. “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time” (Luke 4:5).
  4. “And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar” (Acts 11:28).

OUR ENEMY

Our soul’s enemy is not the earth, or oikumene. It is not really the Kosmos in the sense of the universe with its inhabitants, but it can be the Kosmos in the sense of human society and customs, as in I John 2:15-17. Our enemy is certainly the age we live in—the aion. From each aion there arise inventions, allurements, enticements, carnal trappings, places, and events invented by humans.

Every generation produces an atmosphere and environment that is peculiar to its own day, which is destructive to our spiritual lives if we involve ourselves in it. This situation is ever changing, moving, and reaching out to devour the souls of people.

Specific problems of fifty years ago may not plague us today; if Jesus tarries, problems today may not be problems fifty years from now. Each generation must be spiritually aware of the enticements, allurements, and evils of its day and not allow these things to negatively impact our relationship with Jesus.

Each generation produces its own age (aion) and spirit. The world of humanity under satanic influence will constantly bring false doctrines, wrong codes of conduct, and worldliness to our society. We must judge each teaching and practice by the Scriptures as to its spirit, its truthfulness, and the direction to which it leads. Spiritual perception is a must; an unmuzzled ministry must always fill our pulpits to warn us of our age. Watchmen must ever remain in the tower, sounding the trumpet at the approach of any worldly enemy.

WHAT DOES THE WORLD COMPRISE?

Regardless of the age in which we live, we will encounter certain elements that make up the world. We can trace the root causes of sin to one of the following things.

1. Lust of the flesh
2. Lust of the eyes
3. Pride of life

“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, and 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 for ever” – 1 John 2:15-17.

We have desires, ambitions, and strong inclinations to be like our contemporaries and to participate in the activities of our age. However, we must discern satanic devices that are peculiar to our day, or particularly prominent in our day, and then we must shun them and remove them from our lives.

WHAT IS WORLDLINESS?

Worldliness may be analyzed from several vantage points that share much in common. There is some practical overlapping of these expressions, but each is distinctive in its point of emphasis. Let us consider the following examples of what worldliness is:

Flesh over Spirit 

Worldliness elevates the urgings of the flesh over the teaching of the Spirit. Metaphorically, “flesh” stands for the “worldly” side of life.

Worldliness in this sense could involve many sub-categories such as materialism—the ambition of laying up treasures on earth (Mt. 6:19), the passionate desire for wealth (1 Tim. 6:9-10), or subscribing to the ideology of “eat, drink, and be merry” (Lk. 12:19).

Time over eternity

The worldly person is fixated upon NOW, instead of THEN. He has no concept of “redeeming the time” (Eph. 5:16). He sees life as an endless playground of thrills.

Like the prodigal who gave himself recklessly to a lifestyle that provided temporary satisfaction, the worldly never realize that clothes wear out, and bellies grow lean.

“13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living” – St. Luke 15:13.

Robert H. Smith provides a grim reminder in his poem, “The Clock of Life.”

The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the power
To tell just where the hands will stop,
At late or early hour.
To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one’s health is more.

To lose one’s soul is such a loss
As no man can restore.
The present only is our own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in “tomorrow”
For the clock may then be still

Outward over inward

Paul declares that the “outward man” is decaying, but, for the Christian, the “inward man” is being renewed every day (2 Cor. 4:16). The worldly soul glamorizes the body inordinately as it shrivels towards the corpse’s repose. Americans spend some $22 billion on cosmetics each year, but most invest precious little in ways to advance the welfare of their everlasting souls.

There are exercise machines and gym fees, but how much effort is expended in “exercising” for the development of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 5:14; 12:11)?

“But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness” – 1 Timothy 4:7.

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” – Hebrews 5:14.

“But solid food is for the [spiritually] mature, whose senses are trained by practice to distinguish between what is morally good and what is evil” – Hebrews 5:14 (AMP).

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” – Hebrews 12:11.

“For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose]” – Hebrews 12:11 (AMP).

There are tummy tucks, face lifts, reductions, augmentations, liposuctions, and pigmentations—all sorts of extreme makeovers. No expense is spared. But where is the extraordinary concern over the soul?

Self above God and others

The worldly soul puts self above God and others. Anyone with a little Bible knowledge is aware that God must be placed above all other objects of adoration. “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (Deut. 6:13-15; Mt. 4:10). “He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt. 10:37).

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another” (Rom. 12:9-10). In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul admonishes Christians troubled by an element of factionalism to manifest “lowliness of mind, each counting others better than himself,” not looking exclusively to one’s own interests, but to the interests of others as well (Phil. 2:3-4)—just as Christ did on our behalf (Phil. 2:5-8).

The Present World over That To Come

It is quite unfortunate that so many, even within the family of God, have their interests captivated more in the “now” world than in the “to come” realm.

One such person mentioned in the New Testament was Demas. This brother is three times mentioned in the letters of Paul. First, he was with the apostle at some point during Paul’s initial Roman imprisonment. His salutation is conveyed to Philemon, and he is complimented as Paul’s “fellow-worker” (Phile. 24).

Later, when the apostle penned a letter to the brethren at Colossae, he says: “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas salute you” (Col. 4:14).

Finally, in the last epistle he wrote, before being led away to execution, Paul urged Timothy to “give diligence to come shortly to me.” The reason for the urgency is stated: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.” – 2 Timothy 4:9-10.

In our “inclusive,” non-judgmental society virtually everyone is perceived as going to heaven except for the most despicable rogues. Religious formalities, combined with a void of spiritual dedication, are common. But the "Church of Façade " is utterly unacceptable
to Jesus. 

“10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow” - Isaiah 1:11-17)

“6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. 8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. 9And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 14But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” – Malachi 1:6:14.

Where did the notion arise that "this world " is for partying, and the "world to come " is for religious devotion? The contrast in time and expense between the this-world crowd, and the world-to-come group is astronomical. We might be well served if we were to do the math. How much time do we spend in employment, lavish recreational activities, prolonged entertainment, etc. verses time spent in prayer, Bible study, corporate worship services, helping others, engaging in wholesome family time?

SOME AREAS OF WORLDLINESS

There are many things that God’s Word clearly teaches against and designates as sin. Of course, there are also many activities in which Christians can and do participate. The problem comes in marginal areas. Our guiding philosophy in these areas will be “When in doubt, don’t do it.” “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). “What would Jesus do in this case?” “What would we do if Jesus was physically accompanying us or visiting us?”

Our objective is not to see how close we can get to the world and still be saved. Rather, we want to be sure that we are always doing God’s will and that we are always identified with God in the eyes of others. Where there is temptation and a possibility of sin, “it is better to be safe than sorry.” Besides, as we draw closer to God in prayer, dedication, and holy living, we will not want to do anything that might identify us with the world or that would be unpleasant to Him.

AMUSEMENT

God is not against amusement. There is nothing wrong with most sports and games in themselves. There is nothing wrong with pleasure, enjoyment, laughter and having fun. God created our minds and bodies with the capacity to have pleasure, both alone and with each other.

On the other hand, mankind has often placed too much emphasis on pleasure to the exclusion of God. Anything that comes between you and God is wrong. Anything that interferes with regular church attendance, prayer, and Bible reading is not the will of God. The Bible warns us that especially in the last days people would be so caught up in pleasure that they wouldignore and neglect God. As in Noah’s day, people will be eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, and will be unprepared when the Lord comes. “ 37But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” - Matthew 24:37-39. Notice that these activities are good in themselves but not when done to the exclusion of God, and not when perverted by the world.

A key sign of the endtimes is that “men shall be lovers of their own selves” and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (II Timothy 3:2, 4). From these scriptures we know that there are some worldly pleasures which are off limits to Christians, and that at a certain point too much attention to pleasure is wrong.

ATMOSPHERE (CLIMATE, MOOD, FEELING)

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” – Psalm 91:1.

There are some activities which can be wholesome, but which are often corrupted by the world. A spirit of lust, or pleasure madness, or mob violence has infiltrated many activities to such a degree that Spirit-filled Christians feel uncomfortable participating in them.

This is true of many parties, games, and some spectator sports, along with movies of various kinds. Here are some examples of worldly atmospheres: movies, plays, and parties that are filled with lewd insinuations and sexually provocative incidents; concerts, parties, or spectator events filled with drug use, drinking, violence, obscenity, and argument; and game rooms filled with smoking, irreputable characters, and gambling. Sometimes the world takes things which can be genuinely enjoyable and corrupts them in these ways.

A Christian, if he lets the Holy Spirit guide him, will feel out of place. If he continues to participate, he eventually will be robbed of spiritual sensitivity. At that point, he will not be able to discern holy from unholy, and right from wrong in this area.

APPEARANCES

“Abstain from all appearance of evil” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

There are some situations where we feel that neither the amusement itself nor the atmosphere is excessively worldly, but participation may still appear worldly in the eyes of others. Many unsaved people know what Pentecostals stand for, and many people spend time closely observing us to see if we are truly living a Christian life.

Some of these unsaved individuals are under conviction or condemnation and will latch on to any small fault on our part to justify their own sin. So, we must not do anything that might be a stumbling block to others or might damage our own testimony. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” – Psalm 1:1.

For example:

1. If you buy cigarettes for the boss what will a casual observer think?
2. If an acquaintance sees you playing cards, will he associate that with gambling?

“8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” – 1 Corinthians 8:8-13.

This is an area where each person must have a sensitive conscience. We cannot rely on rules, each of us must be motivated by a genuine love for God and a love for sinners.

“12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” – 1 Corinthians 2:12-14.

SPORTS

“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” – 1 Timothy 4:8.

There is nothing wrong with sports in themselves. They can be wholesome activities that promote physical health, fellowship, enjoyment, and character development. When played in a casual, friendly, clean atmosphere, sports such as football, basketball, softball, and soccer are fine. However, there are several problems associated with playing professionally. These often demand such time and dedication that the players’ relationship with God suffers. It may interfere with church attendance, prayer, and fellowship with God’s people.

Additionally, believers may have to wear clothing which is contrary to the Biblical teaching on modesty and gender distinction.

SCRIPTURAL WARNINGS ABOUT THE WORLD

God does not warn us without cause. If no danger existed, God’s Word would not impose any restrictions upon us. But there are dangers, and the Word adequately warns us of them; therefore, let us examine the Word of the Lord. Each of the statements relates to the dangers of the world. Some of these verses speak of Aion and some of Kosmos.

1. The world has its pollutions (II Peter 2:20).
2. The world has its corruption (II Peter 1:4).
3. The world has its cares (Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14).
4. The world has its god (II Corinthians 4:4).
5. The world has its course (Eph. 2:2).
6. The world has its lusts (Titus 2:12).
7. The world has its fashion (I Corinthians 7:31).
8. The world has its evil (Gal. 1:4).
9. The world has its wisdom (I Corinthians 1:20; 2:6; 3:18; James 3:15-17).
10. The world has its spirit (I Corinthians 2:12).

Let us be on guard against the encroachment of these things into our lives. We must not allow them to separate us from the love of God.

Knowing the enemy is one thing; knowing how to conquer him is quite another. Simplistic and elementary though it may sound, the biblical method for handling the world is to overcome it. It is quite a challenge when we think of the task, yet our Lord expects nothing less of us.

In the original Greek, the word overcome means to subdue, conquer, prevail, or get the victory. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as to get the better of in competition, master, suppress, prevail over, surmount, or overwhelm. Here are scriptural teachings about
overcoming:

1. Jesus overcame the world (John 16:33).
2. We are to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21).
3. There is a victory that overcomes the world (I John 5:4-5).
4. We can overcome because of the power within us (I John 4:1-4).
5. If we overcome, we will inherit all things (Revelation 21:7).

God does not take us out of this world to protect us the moment we are born again. Only the Rapture will eventually solve the problem of getting His church out of a worldly environment. Until then we must live, work, attend school, be neighbors, and walk among our peers in society. Wheat and tares will grow together, sheep and goats will pasture together, and two will grind at the mill (work) together. Side by side, we must walk until God separates us. While awaiting His return we must be a separate, holy, and a distinguishable people, remaining unspotted by the world.

While using this world, may we never abuse it (I Corinthians 7:31). God’s promises are to the overcomers, not to the conformers (Romans 12:1-2). Our age needs a witness, and we are the light of the world: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).