The term “world” often refers to the vast system of this age that Satan promotes and that exists independent of God. The globe consists of evil, immoral, sinful lifestyles and values of the world. It also refers to the spirit of rebellion against or indifference to God and His revelation that exists within all human enterprises, not under Christ’s lordship in this age. Satan uses the world’s ideas, morality, philosophies, psychology, desires, governments, culture, education, science, music, economic systems, entertainment, fashion, mass media, religions, sports, agriculture to oppose God, His people, His Word, and His good standards.
For example, Satan will use the medical profession to promote the killing of unborn babies. He also includes agriculture to produce life-destroying drugs such as alcohol and narcotics, educational systems to advance ungodly and humanistic philosophy, the fashion industry to break down modesty and entertainment to undermine Biblical moral standards and values. The believers should be aware of all human enterprises that there is a spirit or power that moves against God and His Word. Some to a lesser degree, some to a greater degree. Finally, the “world” includes all religious systems and unbiblical, worldly, or lukewarm “Christian” organizations and churches.
Satan is the “god” of the present world system: Along with a host of subordinate evil spirits he controls. The enemy has organized the world into political, cultural, economic, and religious systems that are innately hostile toward God and His people and refuse to submit to His truth, which exposes its evil.
The world and the church are two distinct groups of people. The world is under Satan’s dominion; the church belongs exclusively to God. Therefore, believers must separate themselves from the world, which is the spirit of this age.
In the world, believers and strangers are pilgrims. The children of God who conform not to the world but to overcome the world, hate the world’s evil, die to the world, and separate from the world. Loving the world defiles our relationship with God: it is spiritual adultery and leads to spiritual destruction. It is impossible to love the world and the Father simultaneously. To love the world means to be in intimate fellowship with and devoted to its values, interest, ways, and pleasures. It means taking pleasure in and enjoying what is offensive and opposed to God.
Three aspects of the sinful world create open hostility to God: The “lust of the flesh” includes impure desires and running after sinful pleasures and sensual gratification. The “lust of the eyes” refers to covet and lust after things. However, forbidden by God includes the desire to read about or watch that which gives sinful pleasure. In the present modern age, this involves the want to entertain oneself by viewing pornography, violence, ungodly conduct, nudity, or immorality on stage, cinema, television, videos, internet, or magazines. “The pride of life” refers to subtle pride and arrogance that often arises with wealth or material blessings, positions of power, promotion, personal achievements, honor, or self-sufficient independence. The spirit seeks to exalt, glorify or promote oneself in life: The carnal is the opposite of submission to God and His Word and humble, trusting God in all our ways.
The believers must not bond with those who participate in the world’s evil system. Instead, they must expose it because they are the light and salt to the world, must love unbelievers, must attempt to win unbelievers to Christ. The world will give Christians trouble, hatred, persecution, and suffering. By the various forms of temptation and enticements of the world, Satan makes an unceasing effort to destroy the life of God in the believer.
The world system is temporary and will consume by God. Even now, it is in the process of passing away.