An Article of Faith

The fourth question in our 10 Question Quiz concerning the assurance of eternal life is this one: True or False – Do you despise the world and its ways?
John writes, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves 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 boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17).
When the Bible speaks about “the world” here it’s referring to the “world-system” which includes the ungodly multitude, viz., the whole mass of mankind alienated from God, and therefore, hostile to God. It includes the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which, although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce people away from God and so become obstacles to the cause of Christ. The “world-system” is the present condition of human affairs in separation from God, and therefore, in opposition to Him. Thus, the “world-system”signifies sinful man’s organized rebellion against a holy God.
“If the world hates you,” says Jesus to His disciples, “you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’” (John 15:18-25).
John echoes Jesus’ words in 1 John 3:13, “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”
Nevertheless, he also assures us, “For whatever is born of God [born again] overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4-5)?
Do you despise the world-system and it’s ungodly anti-Christian ways? Or are you “at home” in the world?
“You adulteresses,” rebukes James, “do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
True or False – Do you despise the world and it’s ways? If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

(Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.)