Over the past few weeks, I have been preaching a series on “spiritual warfare” and the “spiritual armor” that we have as children of God. I have been feeling burdened to share some of my thoughts on these two important topics here in our weekly posts, and plan to do so over the next few weeks.
As children of God in the Kingdom of God (the Church), we have enemies that would try to tear us down. In fact, there is a “trinity” of enemies that are against us: the world, the flesh, and the devil. In today’s post, I want to deal with the first of these enemies.
The world is against us as God’s children. And why should we be surprised, since the world is against God? Remember the Scripture’s declaration: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love 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 pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:15-16. There is nothing that the world tempts us with that is godly and true; rather, ALL that is in the world is lust and pride!
The philosophies of this world are against us. Paul told the Colossians, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Col. 2:8. Almost without exception, the so-called “institutions of higher learning” in this world promote unbiblical philosophies (e.g. evolution) and ungodly living! These philosophies are not new: they had their origin in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Eve by questioning God’s word and questioning God’s motives. The world is full of this same kind of subtle attack on God and His word!
Even if we avoid the philosophies of this world, we may be overcome by the distractions of this world! There is seemingly NO END to the things in the world that will pull us away from the Kingdom of God. Remember, in the parable of the sower there was seed that was sown “among the thorns.” Jesus Himself said that he that received the seed among the thorns is “he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” Matt. 13:22. The world will distract you from the service of God!
Ultimately, the only end result we can expect from laying down our armor and weapon and following the world is destruction. The prodigal son is a sad example of one who was dwelling in the house of his father, enjoying the fruits of the Kingdom, and decided to leave and follow the path of the world. He ended up in the pigpen, lusting after the husks of the world because he had nothing else in the way of sustenance. It was only when he remembered what he had in the Kingdom, and got himself out of the pigpen and on the path back to his father, that he was finally able to fill himself with the foods of his father’s house and find fellowship in the Kingdom again!
Child of God, we need to resist the world’s temptations! If we wallow around in the pigpen of the world, we will find only fear, failure, and famine. But if we return to our Father’s house, we will find sumptuous fare for our starving souls! Let us recognize the enemy that the world is, and avoid and resist it at all costs!
May the Lord bless you is my prayer!
Elder Chris McCool, Pastor