The World

THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE 10. The World This week’s Bible Reading Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat.

Psalms 102 Hebrews 4 Hebrews 5 Hebrews 6 Hebrews 7 Hebrews 8 Psalm 103

Memorise 1 John 2:15, 17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him... And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

It might seem unusual that we have a study on the World. Surely we all know and understand the world we live in. Do we really need to know what the Bible teaches about it? The answer of course is: Yes, we do! The Bible has a lot to say about the world, the influences of the world, the powers that rule it and the place of the saints who have to live on it. • God so loved it that He gave His Son for it (John 3:16) • He tells us not to not to love it (1 John 2:15). 1. The World as God created it “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) The Bible clearly teaches that God created the universe out of nothing. Modern science has been reflecting on that for many years, trying to work out how it happened. NASA, the American space agency, says this about the beginnings of the world: In the beginning... How old is the universe? How was it created? How has it evolved over time? These are only a few questions about the origins of the universe that have baffled many scientists since the dawn of curiosity. No one knows the exact answers to these questions... The study of the origin and evolution of the universe is often termed cosmology. (Kosmos, from which this word is taken, is the Greek NT word for the Earth.) The most common accepted theory is that the universe (and the world) began with a BIG BANG – a theory that is fully in line with the creation as told in the Bible. The most important truth for us is that it was God who started the universe – maybe with a big bang. What was the earth like when it was created? Read Genesis 1: especially 31) ________________________________________________________________________ The Hebrews word is ‘erets and means firm, solid ground, the land. God made it. However, the world did not remain empty. After the ground was formed, what appeared on the land?

First: Genesis 1:20-23 _____________________________________________________ Then: Genesis 1:24-25 _____________________________________________________ And finally: Genesis 1:26-28 ________________________________________________ What special responsibility did God give to human beings? See Genesis 1:29-30 Remember this, as it is the basic reason why we have a godly responsibility to look after the earth and its animal inhabitants. What do the following Scriptures teach about the nature of the world: Psalm 24:1-2 ______________________________________________________________ Psalm 50:10-11 ____________________________________________________________ Psalm 104 – especially... Verse 5 ______________________________________________________________ Verse 9 ______________________________________________________________ Verses 14-20 __________________________________________________________ Verse 24 _____________________________________________________________ God has made an ordered universe with unchangeable laws – the basis of modern science. Scientists investigate the laws that God has built into the natural order. Without order, science could draw no conclusions about the way the world works. The New Testament affirms the truths of the Old Testament. The Greek word for world is kosmos – meaning ‘the ordered world’. This world, the kosmos, is now an earth occupied and teeming with inhabitants – not an empty piece of ground, but populated and used. The Bible has much to say about it. • • • •

To whom does the world belong? See Acts 17:24 _____________________________ What does God think of it? See John 3:16-17 ________________________________ Who did Jesus come to save? See 1 John 4:14 _______________________________ How was God received in His world? See John 1:10-11 _______________________

2. The world of rebellious people Things went quickly wrong in the world that God created and cared for. It all began in the garden of Eden, when the serpent tempted Eve to disobey God. It was the beginning of lust, greed and selfish desires. Read Genesis 3:6 -7 They gave in to the temptation – and what happened to them?

The longer-term consequences were even greater. Read Genesis 3:14-19. What happened as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin? What was affected? Who/what was affected?

With what result?

Verses 14-15 Verse 16 Verses 17

Literally the whole word was damaged by the rebellion of Adam and Eve, and has never been restored or returned to its original condition. Read carefully the following Bible passages and note the state of a world that still suffers the consequences of evil. Answer the questions. •

John 12:31

Who is the present Ruler of the world?

Note his other titles and activities – and the extent of his power – in these verses: Matthew 4:8-10 _________________________________________________________ 2 Corinthians 4:4 _______________________________________________________ Ephesians 2:2 __________________________________________________________ Ephesians 6:12 _________________________________________________________ 1 John 5:19 ____________________________________________________________ •

Romans 8:19-22 How has the natural world been affected by the curse of God? See also Jeremiah 12:4, 11 How will it be redeemed?

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What is Jesus’ opinion of his generation? Matthew 12:38-39______________________________________________________ Mark 8:38 ____________________________________________________________ Luke 9:41 ____________________________________________________________

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What is the world’s opinion of Jesus? John 1:10-12 ___________________________________________________________ John 3:19-20 ___________________________________________________________ God so loved the world because God sent His Son to save sinners; but the world of sinners showed no love for God. They crucified His Son.

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How can the followers of Jesus relate to the present world? Acts 2:40 _______________________________________________________________

Galatians 1:4 ____________________________________________________________ Philippians 2:14-16 _______________________________________________________ 3. The world as the enemy of God The world therefore, in the New Testament, is more than the earth or land. It is more than the world populations of rebellious and evil people. The world takes on a sinister character that is essentially opposed to God and the gospel. The results of the fall – and the reign of Satan – have infected nations and cultures, politics and the arts. As Christians we are understand that there is unchangeable hostility between us and ‘the world’ – we belong somewhere else. Read Hebrews 11:13 and 1 Peter 2:11 How then should we relate to the world? Where do we belong? Jesus told a parable about a sower sowing seeds. It is one of the few parables that Jesus explained in detail to his disciples. Read the explanation in Matthew 13:18-23 •

What power is active in the world to ‘snatch away’ the seed of God’s Word? We need to be aware of this constant threat. ________________________________________

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What other dangers does the world provide to prevent people who receive God’s Word from growing in faith? _____________________________________________

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What does the world do to ‘choke’ the Word so that it is unfruitful? ______________ _____________________________________________________________________

Jesus was specially concerned that his disciples would be in danger from the threats and temptations of the world. He devoted special prayer to this concern. Read John 17:6-19. In this short passage Jesus mentions ‘the world’ 13 times. What is his concern? • Does Jesus pray for the world? Verse 9 __________________________________ • Does Jesus belong in the world? Verses 14 and 16 _________________________ • Do we belong in the world? Verses 14 and 16 _____________________________ • What does Jesus NOT pay for us? Verse 15 _______________________________ • On the contrary, what does he pray for us? Verses 17-18 _____________________ • Will we get a good reception in the world? Verse 14 ________________________ Read also John 15:18-19 What do you think makes up ‘the world’? It is important to know what to look out for, because this is what will try to destroy us and our testimony. We have already seen some of these things. Mark 4:19 _________________________________________________________________ 1 John 2:15-17 _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ 1 Timothy 6:9-10 ___________________________________________________________ 4. The destiny of the world As children of God we must not despair in the face of the world’s hostility and temptation. We have a hope and we have a promise. What is God’s promise in 1 John 5:4-5? And another promise in 1 John 2:17 Matthew 25:31-33. The great day of judgement is coming when all the nations will bow the knee before the King of kings. Will you be there? And the great day is coming when finally our patience and exile will end. Read Revelation 11:15-16 What will you feel like on that day?

♦ Apply this lesson to your life 1. Meditate on the lessons you have just studied. How do you relate to the matter of your care for the world? Have you ever really thought through the issues of responsibility for the earth? How do you treat the animals? And the trees? They are part of God’s creation and he put you here to look after them. Think about it. 2. The world was devastated by the events in the Garden of Eden. Nature was corrupted; man was spoiled – his relationships, his health, his life-span, his pleasure and enjoyment. Think about the ruin of the world – and then think what God has done to rescue a people out of this mess. You are part of His rescue plan. Be amazed! 3. “Do not love the world,” said the apostle John. Do you love the world? What parts of it do you love, that you should not? Money? Ambition? The desire to be successful? famous? popular? What danger is there that the cares, riches and pleasures of the world will cause you to fall away from God – or to make your love grow cold? A Prayer while you study this lesson: Lord Jesus, you have put me in the world and told me I do not belong here. Thank you for praying for me to be kept from the evil influence of the world. Thank you for trusting me to stay here, and for sending me here as a light to lighten the world’s darkness. Thank you for your continuing prayers. In Jesus’ name, Amen ♦ Team group study questions:

1. As God’s people, what is our responsibility towards the natural world? How should be care for animals? Nature and its resources? Should we care for the earth that belongs to God? If so, how? 2. Never forget that the world in which we live is fallen and corrupt. God never intended the world to be this way, and it is the result of human rebellion and sin. We have to learn to accept and live in a fallen world. Discuss what aspects of the fallen world are an unavoidable part of our experience, even as Christians. For example: bad weather (see Matthew 5:45), sickness, poverty, hardship, pain... Should we pray for deliverance from these things? Or wait with patience for a better world? 3. The apostle John said: “Do not love the world.” Discuss together what that means? Some Christians in the past have withdrawn from the world and become monks and sadhus. Was that a good move? Do we have any right to participate in some of the good pleasures of life – music, sport, entertainment? 4. What is a worldly Christian? Discuss.