THEME: LOVE NOT THE WORLD
LESSON: FIVE
TOPIC: The Things in the World and the World within
TEXT: James 1:27, 1 John 2:15-16, 5:19, Galatians 5:16
MEMORY TRACK:
By the grace of God, in our last lesson, we saw that the believer is burdened with two opposing reigns within his or her being. Two opposing worlds are at loggerheads with each other in every believer. There is the world above, the heavenly conversation which is responsible for the regenerated human spirit (Phil 3:20), and there is the world beneath, the earthly, fleshly corrupt life that runs EVERY SOUL, whether saved or not (Eph 2:2-3; 1Cor 12:2). The world we love is the world that will thrive within us.
We also saw that the world and all its kingdoms, arrangements and order are passing away! We were admonished that all the successes, achievements and glories of the world are not worth a single soul.
THE WORLD CORRUPTS AGAINST GOD (2 Peter 1:4; Matthew 13:22)
The boast of the prince of the world is that all who pass through the earth will have the taint of this world in them. From obvious sin, to the most subtle of worldly standards, everyone should be spotted by this world. Thus, everyone would have an appearance of impurity or corruption before the Judge of all. Our Lord Jesus was the first to pass through the earth and have nothing of the spot of this world in him (John 14:30). Meaning what exactly? He passed through the world, yet the agents of corruption did not find their way into his soul (Hebrews 4:15).
THE THINGS IN THE WORLD (1 John 2:15-16; Titus 2:12)
The world is not filled with many things. All that is in the world has been categorized under three headings by the grace and insight given to the Apostle John. Nothing is in the world outside these:
- LUST OF THE FLESH (1Pet 2:11; Rom 13:14):
Which speaks not just fornication and sexual perversions of all kinds, but of the innate desires in every man in their various shades and descriptions, which are not sponsored by God.
2. LUST OF THE EYES (1Cor 10:6; Exo 20:17):
The desire in every man to get what he sees, which could also be viewed as covetousness.
- THE PRIDE OF LIFE (Dan 5:19-21; Luke 12:16-20):
Which refers all the definitions of a “life-well-spent” that the world ratifies or endorses.
The totality of man existence since the fall of man can be concluded under these three headings. These three operations are what have been employed in the establishment of dominions, enactment of laws, running of trade and commerce, management of relationships, distinguishing of right and wrong, in short, the very definition of life.
THE WORLD WITHIN (Eph 2:2)
It is key to note that all these things described as being in the world are not things that exist outside of man. They exist as the WORLD WITHIN MAN. In truth, even if the heaven and earth pass away, as long as these three things still exist within the soul of man, the world is still dangerously active, and the enemy can still lay claim to such a soul. It is these three things that the devil looked for in Jesus at the end of his earthly sojourn but could not find (John 14:30). In our next and final lesson, we shall be looking at the antidote to this world and the operation of the love of the Father.