by R. L. Morrison

"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" (1 John 2:15). "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). "Through faith we understand that the worlds were formed by the word of God ..." (Heb. 11:2).

The word "world" in the three scriptures above is used in a different way each time, for the Bible refers to the "world" as different entities.

The first two scriptures do not contradict each other. One must recognize the ways in which "world" is used to understand this. The first passage quoted refers to a spiritual dominion, or kingdom, over which Satan rules. More on this later. The second scripture (John 3:16), means the people who live on earth. We can be sure that God did not love the earth itself so much that he gave his Son to die for it. Rather Christ died to offer himself a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Only human beings, made in God's image, can be saved by the blood of Christ. Hebrews 11:13 refers to the physical earth which God created by Jesus Christ (Heb. 11:2). This is also stated in John 1:1-3.

There are two kingdoms revealed in the New Testament. Both are spiritual in nature. One of the kingdoms is that of Jesus Christ. He now sits on a throne ruling over his kingdom. He said of it: "My kingdom is not of this world ..." (John 18:36). "... the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). Paul wrote, "... that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Eph. 3:17). To this extent, the kingdom of Christ is within those who are subject to him, who obey his will, or live according to his commandments.

Satan also has a kingdom. It, too, is spiritual in nature, for his kingdom is composed of those who do his will. Jesus said: "Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30). Paul wrote, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not ..." (2 Cor. 4:4). Again, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16). So every responsible person is a citizen of one or the other of these spiritual kingdoms. That of Christ is the kingdom of heaven, and that of Satan is called "the world".

Between Christ and Satan there can be no compromise and no peace. The conflict between them is never ending in time. We either fight in the Lord's army, with him, and against his enemies, Satan, wickedness, error, or we fight against the Lord. There is NO middle ground, there is no such thing as neutrality. The person who thinks he can be neutral in the great battle of right and wrong, deceives only himself. This should be apparent to one who will read these words of Jesus: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7:13-14). All walk in one or the other of these ways. One leads to heaven, the other to hell, eternal separation from God and all righteousness. There is no third way or destination.

What did John mean when he said, "Love not the world?" Did he refer to the literal earth? Did he refer to the "world" for whom Christ died and God loves? Not at all! Rather he spoke of the dominion or kingdom of Satan. He spoke of the "world" which hated Christ and his followers (John 15:18-19). It is the evil which men practice who are citizens of Satan's spiritual kingdom. James also speaks of this, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). This scripture teaches us there can be no friendship, no fellowship, no peace between those who serve Christ (Christians) and the practice of evil. In other words, the Christian cannot walk the pathway of life holding (so to speak) to God with one hand, and Satan with the other. Those two "ways" of which Jesus spoke lead in different directions. It is not possible to walk in both directions at once. No man can serve two masters.

If you are a Christian, Satan seeks to destroy your faith and practice with the same temptations he used on Eve, and even on Jesus himself. John calls them the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. John says these things are in the world, and are of the world. It is by tempting and overcoming a person with one or more of these things that Satan enters the heart and brings it into captivity unto himself. However, Jesus promised, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13). To this James adds: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you ..." (James 4:7-8).

If you are not a Christian, if you have never obeyed the gospel of Christ, Satan seeks to keep you in sin. He knows that he has no power to prevent your becoming a Christian if you choose to do so. But you must learn the truth, for it makes you free (John 8:32). Truth is the word of God (John 17:17). That word teaches you to have faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Except one so believes, he will die in his sins (John 8:24). Faith, or belief alone, does not make one a son of God, it gives the believer the right or privilege to become a son (John 1:12). That right must be exercised by repentance (Luke 13:3; 24:47); by a confession of faith in Christ (Matt. 10:32; Rom. 10:10); and being baptized for the remission or forgiveness of sin (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38). When one obeys these commands of the Lord from the heart (sincerely), he is made free from sin and becomes the servant of righteousness. Paul spoke of this transaction in these words also: "Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:12-13). This is simply changing spiritual kingdoms: coming out of the world, Satan's kingdom, into Christ and the kingdom of heaven. This is God's plan; his desire for all mankind, for "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

You are free to chose for yourself the kingdom of which you will be a member. You can serve God or you can refuse to serve him. The choice or final decision is yours. Do not allow the "world" and its pleasures of sin to blind you to the truth. Count the cost of serving Satan. Compare it to the joys of both the present and the future, of obedience.

But just now, where is your spiritual citizenship? What do you call your spiritual home? The kingdom of Christ? The kingdom of the world and Satan? Do not be careless and unconcerned, for as certain as you live, you will die, and give an account for the manner of life you lived in the flesh. The world passeth away, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever!

Will you, in view of this, choose life? If so, obey the gospel of Christ. He will add you to the church which he purchased with his blood. Serve him to the end of life, and gain the incorruptible inheritance reserved in heaven for the faithful.

Where is your spiritual citizenship?