Many Christians are confused about how they should think about and involve themselves with the world in which they live. Much has been written in the Scriptures about 'the world' and what a believers attitude should be toward it.

THE SCRIPTURES AND THE WORLD

1) We know we have profited from the Word when our eyes are opened to the true character of the world.

When the Bible speaks of the 'world' it is referring to "the 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 (Rom. 8:7)" (82). The Scriptures also teach that the world remains in wickedness (1 John 5:19) because the majority of people choose to remain in this state and refuse to repent of their sins and surrender to Christ as Lord.

2) We know we have profited from the Word when we learn that the world is to be resisted and overcome.

Believers are in a war and they are called to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12). Just as we are on the side of the Holy Trinity-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-so also are we to battle against an evil trinity-the flesh, the world, and the Devil. The difference between this battle and others is that we as believers are guaranteed victory because we belong to the one living and true God whose power is infinitely greater than all other created beings. Christians are promised in 1 John 5:4 that “Everyone born of God overcomes the world."

3) We know we have profited from the Word when we learn that Christ died to deliver us from this world.

Paul tells believers in Galatians 1:4, "(Christ) gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." According to A.W. Pink, "The Son of God came here, not only to 'fulfill' the requirements of the law (Mt. 5:17), to 'destroy the works of the devil' (1 Jn. 3:8), to deliver us 'from the wrath to come' (1 Thess. 1:10), to save us from our sins (Mt. 1:21), but also to free us from the bondage of this world, to deliver the soul from its enthralling influence" (84).

4) We know we have profited from the Word when our hearts are weaned from the world.

Believers cannot expect to grow as Christians while straddling the fence between worldliness and godliness. John asserted, “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 Jn. 2:15). Pink affirmed, “(As) attractive and appealing as its varied objects may be, all the pursuits and pleasures of the world are designed and adapted to promote the happiness of this life only—therefore, ‘What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’ The Christian is taught by the Spirit, and through His presenting of Christ to the soul his thoughts are diverted from the world” (86). May our attitude be like that of Paul who said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8).

5) We know we have profited from the Word when we walk in separation from the world.

We cannot expect to live a god-honoring life and associate with and condone the words and actions of unregenerate people. James said, “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)

6) We know we have profited from the Word when the world hates our beliefs and practices.

It is very difficult if not impossible for a faithful follower of Christ to not evoke hatred from some. If Christ was despised for what he said and did, we should not expect to be exempt from that kind of disapproval Jesus said, ‘If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 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. (Jn. 15:18-19).

Pink, A.W. Profiting from the Word. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust. 1977. 81-89.