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What does "the world" mean in Scripture?


Ddavid from NC

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In one context we are told that God loves the world and in another we are told that friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God. Is there a standard application for the use of the word "world"?

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Would you clarify with passages that you are referring to?

(By the way, you ask really good questions. I admire your in-depth considerations with regard to deep issues.)

In His Love,

Suzanne

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For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16NKJV

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4NKJV

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"The world" is given in two contexts according to New Testament Scripture. On the one hand it means "the whole world generally." That is, the earth and all of its inhabitants. On the other hand "the world" is given to refer to the sphere of influence in which sin, Satan, and the agents of darkness operate. The respective contexts of the verses in which the terms are used will let you know which they are referring to.

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It's a bit simplisitic, but I would view one as an "entity/whole" as it contains "the people". The other embodies "practices or ways".

In His Love,

Suzanne

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I think in most cases He was referring to the greek spirit of the western world which was a relatively new occurance at the time. It was "civilization" competing against the ancient paradigm of a nation ruled by God's laws.

This idea of man governing man and being the center of all intellectual knowledge took over the church in the 2nd century and still grips us today.

the "world" has assumed control in most congregations....

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1 John 2: 15-16

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world

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In one context we are told that God loves the world and in another we are told that friendship with the world is to be an enemy of God. Is there a standard application for the use of the word "world"?

Context.

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1 John 2: 15-16

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world

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