Today: The Victory that Overcomes the World
1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (ESV)
Today we’ll look into:
Three Greek Words Translated as World
What Jesus Said About the World
How Scriptures Describe the World
How We Have Overcome the World
How Not to Allow the World to Overcome Us
Three Greek Words Translated as World
The Greek word “oikoumene” refers to “the inhabited areas of the Earth”. It is derived from the Greek verb “oikeo”, which means “to dwell”
The Greek word “aion” refers to “an age” or “a period of time”. This Greek word is used 128 times in the New Testament, and in 38 places in the KJV
It is mostly translated as “world”
This word does not refer to this planet Earth, but to one “age” or a number of “ages”
The Greek word “kosmos” - This word is used 187 times in the New Testament - In the KJV it is translated 186 times as “world”
A Closer Look at the Kosmos
"An apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government. The inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race. The ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ. World affairs, the aggregate of things earthly. The whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ.” - (Strong’s Concordance)
Kosmos denotes the order of the world, the ordered universe, the ordered entirety of God's creation, but considered as separated from God. The abode of humanity. That order of things in which humanity moves, or of which man is the center. - (E.W. Bullinger's A Critical Lexicon and Concordance)
“Inalienation from and opposition to God.” - (Vines Expository Dictionary)
“The order of things which is alienated from God, as manifested in and by the human race: humanity as alienated from God, and acting in opposition to Him. The sum-total of human life in the ordered universe, considered apart from, and alienated from, and hostile to God, and of the earthly things which seduce from God.” - (Vincent’s Word Studies)
Bullet point summary:
The harmonious order or system of the world
The ungodly masses of people alienated from God and hostile to the cause of Christ
The earthly things which seduce us from God, such as goods, riches, advantages, and pleasures
What Jesus Said About the World
John 8:23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world (kosmos); I am not of this world. (ESV)
Jesus is saying: I am not of this system
John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world (kosmos). If my kingdom were of this world (kosmos), my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world (kosmos).” (ESV)
Jesus’ mission was to die for the people trapped in the system
His servants could not fight to free Him - or we would not be free today
All who receive Jesus as Lord are delivered OUT of the SYSYEM
John 17:14 I have given them your word, and the world (kosmos) has hated them because they are not of the world, (kosmos) just as I am not of the world (kosmos).
The system doesn’t like losing people - The system wants to keep everyone in it
The system wants everyone to think and act like the ruler of the system
3 DIFFERENT PICS - I’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN
John 17:15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world (kosmos), but that you keep them from the evil one. (ESV)
Jesus prayed to the Father that we would be kept from the evil one
No evil - no weapon - no deadly thing - will harm us
We need to stay here until He takes us - because we are continue His mission - by preaching HIs message
How Scriptures Describe the World
Gal. 4:3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. (kosmos) (NLT)
Anyone who hasn’t been delivered from this system - can be like a child with their reasoning - way of thinking - that is why I don’t buy into what the world (kosmos) thinks is important
Eph. 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, (kosmos) following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—(ESV)
John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world (kosmos) is coming. He has no claim on me,
The Earth belongs to the Lord, the Kosmos belongs to the devil - He’s the god of this world
How We Have Overcome the World
1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Faith in verse 4 isn’t in reference to us using our faith - it is referring to when we received Jesus as Lord - it’s a “saving faith” - more like a religion
When we were born of God - we were delivered from the world’s system
We overcame the kosmos by receiving Jesus
VERSE 5 emphasise that - “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Col. 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (ESV)
Our deliverance and our overcoming was planned and orchestrated by God
Our part was we heard - we believed - and we confessed Him
That is when we overcame the world (Kosmos)
How Not to Allow the World to Overcome Us
Matt. 13:22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (ESV)
Jesus made a BIG thing about God’s Word and how it works
It is seed and the sower sows the Word
Jesus said the world (kosmos) has what He called “thorns”
He described them as: “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches”
Those things will choke the Word - and it proves unfruitful
God planned and executed the work to save us and make us over-comers of the world - we are then responsible to not allow the world overcome us
One: Us and the World - (understand both)
1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (ESV)
This is a reminder of who we are - I pray we all see ourselves as He sees us
WE ARE 1. A CHOSEN RACE
ILLUSTRATE - Lords of the Ring - Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Ents, Orcs and Trolls - AND MAN
Those are the physical races - technically ALL of MANKIND is ONE RACE - the human race - with different ethic groupings and origins - we were ALL CREATED EQUAL
THEN there are TWO spiritual races - Once someone receives Jesus they have entry into a “chosen race” - the ONES CALLED OUT of darkness - the kosmos
We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession
So we live IN the world but we are NOT OF the world - the same as Jesus
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world (kosmos) or the things in the world (kosmos). If anyone loves the world (kosmos), the love of the Father is not in him.
So we are not to love the world’s system: (we love the people - the precious fruit of the earth that Jesus died for) - BUT NOT…
The harmonious order or system of the world
The earthly things which seduce us from God, such as goods, riches, advantages, and pleasures
Who do we admire? - I have made a distinction in my life - I do acknowledge people who have talent, skills, education, and such
But I do not have to love their values and beliefs - or to operate in the system like they do
I don’t have to push the people who use the ungodly system of the world to my children - to make them heroes to my children or to anyone for that matter
It’s SO IMPORTANT to make sure Jesus and God’s Word is the most loved, admired and followed in our families
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world (kosmos)—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world (kosmos) is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (ESV)
If anyone feels led or called by God to pursue things that would bring fame and wealth - (I believe God does lead people that way)
We simply make sure we do all that we do for His glory
Somehow we need to make sure people see Jesus IN us - either by actions or our words or both
ILLUSTRATE: last year a professional athlete spoke up and revealed he was a Christian - he disagreed with certain values of where his league was going - stating why he disagreed and wasn’t going along with it
He shortly after had a serious injury - it was sad to see how the world (kosmos) was delighted he was injured
So we have been talking about “us and the world - understanding both - let’s look at this next:
Two: The Only One We Can Trust - (God’s view verses our view)
Psa. 146:2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. (it’s too late after we die)
Psa. 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
God says we should not put our trust in:
Princes - That is government
God is the creator and establisher of all things - He long ago ordained the governing powers
Through the years as we all know - the governing powers became corrupt
By the time Jesus came to earth He made strong statements - you are from beneath - I am from above - you are of this world - I am not of this world
SO…Rom 13 instructs us to submit to the governing authorities - it doesn’t direct us to trust them
SO OUR TRUST IS IN GOD!
Man - that is people
There IS NO SALVATION either government or people
Psa. 146:4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
The plans of all people die when they die
Everything is temporal / temporary except God and the things of God - they are ETERNAL
Governments come and go - people come and go
Psa. 146:5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Both our HELP and HOPE is in the Lord
Psa. 146:6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;
A little icy on the cake here - did any government or person make heaven and earth?
Psa. 146:7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
Psa. 146:8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
Psa. 146:9 The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
Psa. 146:10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!
Three: Make a Decision
STORY: Annalisa - Home- schooled - it was a desire to change - followed by a solid decision - I saw her choosing to read her bible and pray
THE PRODIGAL made a decision
WE SHOULD NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF DECISION
Four: Use the Available Resources
2 Pet. 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
2 Pet. 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world (kosmos) because of sinful desire.
I encourage everyone to read this entire chapter - it talks about things to add to or to supplement out faith
Five: Live Solely for His Purpose
1 Tim. 6:7 for we brought nothing into the world (kosmos), and we cannot take anything out of the world (kosmos).
When someone is born they are born into the kosmos
They bring nothing in - in fact they eventually learn the kosmos
While living in the kosmos depending on how ambitious people are - how hard they work - they accumulate things - titles - position - fame - success - NONE of it can be taken out of the world
What Jesus said in Luke 9:25 says it in a little different way
Luke 9:25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world (kosmos) and loses or forfeits himself?
In other words why are we on the earth?
To stay with our mission and message - EVERYTHING we do is for the kingdom - Go to school with the mission in mind - work a job with the mission in mind - be an entertainer with the mission in mind - play sport with the mission in mind
Living for Him, His mission, and His message - in ALL we do - so if fame and success is attained - it’s for the Glory of God - influence to lead people to Jesus