THOUGHTS FROM JOHN’S LETTERS

CHRISTIANS AND THE WORLD - 2

In 1John 2:13 & 14 John taught that believers have ‘overcome the evil one’; in 4:4, he said that believers have ‘overcome’ those who deny Jesus Christ. Now in 1John 5:4 & 5 we read: ‘This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.’

What is this ‘world’ that those who believe in Christ have already ‘overcome’?

John has already told us several things about ‘the world’ in this letter:

That everything in ‘the world’ – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from ‘the world’ – 2:16.

That ‘the world’ and its desires pass away – 2:17.

That ‘the world’ does not know the children of God because it did not know Jesus, the Son of God – 3:1.

That ‘the world’ hates the children of God – 3:13.

That there are many false prophets in ‘the world’ – 4:1, 3 (see also 2John 7).

That God, who is in us, is greater than the one who is in ‘the world’ – 4:4.

That all those who do not acknowledge Christ ‘are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them’ – 4:5.

And John will tell us later:

‘... the whole world is under the control of the evil one’ – 5:19.

What is this ‘world’ that John speaks of in these verses? Does the rest of the New Testament have anything to say about ‘the world’? Yes. The New Testament teaches us:

That ‘the world’ did not recognize Jesus Christ when he came to the world: ‘He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him’ – John 1:10

That ‘the world’ is under the dominion of Satan, and that the death of Jesus brought judgement to the world and brought Satan’s dominion to an end: ‘Now is the time for judgement on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out’ – John 12:31, 14:30.

That ‘the world’ cannot accept the Spirit of truth because it neither sees him nor knows him – John 14:17.

That ‘the world’ hated Jesus Christ and hates those who believe in him – John 15:18.

That ‘the world’ does not know God the Father – John 17:25.

That false teaching, including legalistic teaching, depends on the ‘basic principles of this world’ rather than on Christ – Colossians 2:8.

That friendship with ‘the world’ is hatred toward God; that ‘anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God’ – James 4:4.

From all of this we can see that there is a strong distinction between the children of God (people who acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God) and ‘the world’.

Jesus made this distinction very, very clear:

Speaking to his disciples: ‘If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you’ – John 15:18, 19.

Speaking to his Father: ‘I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world... I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ... I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world ... I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world ... I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ... As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world ...Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me ...’ – John 17:6 – 26, selected verses.

Jesus taught that those who believe in him were once part of ‘the world’. But in a deliberate, proactive Trinitarian action, the Father gave them to the Son, the Son revealed the Father to them, and the Spirit of God brought them to new birth (1John 4:4; John 3:3 – 8). Those who believe in Christ are still in the world, but no longer belong to the world. They have, John says, ‘overcome the world’ by their faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

© Rosemary Bardsley 2022