John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

I John 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Is your fellowship with the “Father and Son” or with the “world.” Much is written concerning the Christian and the World in God’s Word. God’s Word is “the light” while the world “lieth in darkness.”

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Word of God as we read and study it carefully and prayerfully, reveals to us what our manner of life should be. (Pray first, then read and study) It also by the help of the Holy Spirit shows us our true spiritual state, if we want to know it, whether or not we are right with God and have all confessed. If we are clean and there is nothing between us and God, God can work His Truths in us and we can grow spiritually to Christ likness.

When a man/woman is truly saved, God puts a “want to” in their soul which has the desire to be more Godly and Christ like, I know He has done so in me. I love Him for what He did and continues to do for me, therefore I want to serve Him, and though it is a difficult road to access because of our sin nature and its love for the things of this world.

I believe this is a measure of salvation, knowing we are saved, do you really want to serve Christ, to be sanctified to His likeness in your heart! He sanctifies us to His likness through His Word, reading and studying It faithfully as the Holy Spirit leads us, and through the teaching and preaching of The Word

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

We can have a head knowledge of God’s Word, and not have the spiritual growth we need to become mature Christians! We need to examine ourselves to see if God’s Word is changing us in our heart, or if we are just reading it and acknowledging in our head, agreeing that yes, that is true; but not truly growing in our hearts by allowing the Word to change us spiritually. Ask yourself this question, does my Bible study make me less worldly? You’ll never go any further in your spiritual development until you overcome this dilemma! Its design is to change you and me to Christlikeness!

Now as God’s Word nurtures and matures you into a servant, not a hypocrite, or worse, a lost man/woman, you will begin to discern the “True” characteristics of this world. You see, you can’t profit from the Word until you see the true character of the world, it is your enemy designed by Satan to rob you of the victory wrought on Calvary and to lead you every way except the right way, the way of life.

 

The “World” according to Arthur Pink is the system or order of things in this life, is fallen human nature acting itself out in the human family, fashioning the framework of human society in accord with its own tendencies. It is the organized kingdom of the “carnal mind” which is “enmity against God” and which is “not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7). Wherever the “carnal mind” is, there is “the world;” so that worldliness is the world without God.

Now, the world is our enemy because it is against our new nature, and we must overcome it. To overcome it, we must have divine help, we must enlist divine help, for our nature is that of the world even after we are saved.

When we realize “our help cometh from God” (Ps 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.) and that there is a battle to be fought, foes which must be overcome; then we must enlist God’s divine help if we are to “fight the good fight of faith,” according to I Timothy 6:12. The battle is to overcome the thoughts which daily flood our mind and concentrate on Godly things. I have a battle with external things in my life which hinder somewhat, but the greatest hindrance is that of enlisting God’s help in controlling my mind and tuning it in to God!

Three things we must realize and overcome.

1) The child of God is called into “mortal combat,” combat which is mortal (deadly, lethal) to our spiritual man!

We need to settle it in our mind, that the world is a deadly enemy, and if we do not vanquish it in our heart then we are no child of God, for it is written “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4).

This is some of the most serious scripture to be taken into the heart of the Christian found in God’s Word! We must overcome the world, we will overcome the world if we’re “of God.” Satan uses the attractions of our flesh to the things of the world to divert our attention and affections of our soul FROM GOD!

Faith and the Word of God leads us to follow things “Unseen,” the teachings of the Word of God; while our flesh leads us to follow and pursue the desires and devices of the world, which we can see, and touch and feel, which is why we must “overcome” the world.

2) The spirit of the world is the opposite of the Spirit of Christ.

I Corinthians 2:12 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. We must enlist God’s help!

We can know those things given us of God by reading and studying God’s Holy Word, and by none other! You may get confidence in God’s Word being truth as men teach and preach the Word of God, but I believe real growth comes only by personal time with God in His Holy Word as He reveals these great Truths to us individually by the Holy Spirit!

The crucifiction of Christ manifests that the world didn’t know Him, didn’t want to know Him, wanted no part of His Gospel.

3) The issues, cares and concerns of this life are hostile to the “Holy Life” we are to live before God if we don’t overcome them, we can’t live for Him!

As Christians, we are commanded by God in His Word to labor 6 days per week, the world pays absolutely no attention to the precepts of God, you are to work according to their demands and requirements.

The eyes of Faith discern the characteristics of the world’s real flavor, and show us how empty and vain fleshliness is, mere coverings to attract and captivate the desires of our flesh, and lead us away from Christ and reality! Reality is found within the covers of the Book, the KJV 1611 Bible!

When the Christian grows to the point of knowing the perfections and presence of God, he/she realizes the world to be “less than nothing.”

Psalms 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

We need to ask ourselves truly in our heart, Lord, is there anything on earth I desire besides thee! Lord, help thou mine unbelief!

What are the values which surround your life? Do they line up with the Word?

Do the things in which you love and delight to do line up with the Book? If you’re really saved, God just might take some of them away from you so you could better serve Him.

Will we take this exposition “with a grain of salt,” or will it make an impact on our lives next week, or a year from now?

Christ died to deliver you and me from the world;

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:" Galatians 1:4.

He came here not only to deliver the requirements of the law but to fulfill the law,

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:17),

and to destroy the works of the devil,

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)

to deliver us from the wrath to come,

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thess. 1:10),

and to rescue us from our sinful nature,

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."(Matt. 1:21);

hence to free us from the bondage of this world, to deliver the soul of His created being from the world’s overwhelming influence.

The real profit from reading and studying God’s Word comes when we are “weaned from the world.”

The truth is that until the heart is purged from this corruption the ear will be deaf to Divine instruction. Not until we are lifted above the affects of time and sensibility can we be perfected in our obedience to Christ. Real Spiritual Truth glides off a carnal mind like water off a ducks back.

Do your ears hear as God speaks to you through His Word?

The world has turned its back upon Christ, and though His name is professed in many places, daily less and less, yet the world has nothing to do with Him in a real sense. All the desires and designs of worldliness are for the gratification of self, and can never Glorify God in any form or fashion!

We can be exactly what we want to be for God’s Glory, but we’ll never be more than what we allow God to work in us through His Word and in our personal obedience to It and Him as He sanctifies us to Christlikness in our personal lives!