The World

Last week I told you about a basic difference that covers everyone. There are those who are in the Name and then those who are the world. Everyone is in one or the other of these two categories. There is no third option. What I'd like to do this morning is to look at what this being the world is about. I want to do this because there has been this perennial problem among those who are in the Name. They act like those who are the world. I want to talk about this so that you can understand this problem and deal with it wisely.

This word 'world' is a favorite of John. He uses it quite a bit in his writings. And he uses it in several very different ways. So, first, 'world' can mean all of creation, the universe. So, in His prayer that we’ve been looking at Jesus says,

And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Then, this word can also refer to people in general.

Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

But then, there is this.

The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Here, Jesus uses the word 'world' to refer to humanity in rebellion against God. The world, in this sense, is evil. It sides with Satan. It hates God. This is the sense that I want to focus on: the world as humanity in rebellion.

Now, it's important to realize that this rebellion can show in many different ways. There is the obvious case of a person who quite clearly says, 'I hate God, and I'm going to do all that I can to fight against Him.' Besides Satan, I doubt that you've met anyone who is quite so obvious. Most people hide what's really going on. Their attitude can be very subtle. And yet, they are still rebelling. So, consider some examples of a more subtle kind of rebellion.

First, there's Eve. She's just heard the serpent's take on the fruit. And what does she do? She begins her own investigation.

… the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise …

Eve thought about it and based on what she could figure out she concluded that it would be fine to take a bite. What is that? It's rebellion. It may not look like rebellion. It actually looks like someone working at making a good decision. So, how is it rebellion? It's rebellion because Eve worked at it independent of what God had said. He was quite clear. 'Don't eat.' But Eve said, 'Let me see about this, the pros and the cons.' Rebellion. It didn't look like rebellion as most normally use that word. But it's important that you see that it really was rebellion, subtle rebellion.

Then, there is Adam. He also rebelled at the tree. How? What did he do that was rebellious? Well, actually he did nothing - and that was the problem. What had God called him to? He was to lead his wife and, in this way, protect her. So, at the tree, he should have done something and not nothing. He should have said, 'Eve, it's time for us to leave.' And then, he should have taken Eve by the hand and walked away. He didn't. His failure to act, his being passive here, was an act of rebellion. He chose to respond to the situation that way and not as he had been commanded. Subtle rebellion.

Here's another example: David. You know about him and his adultery with Bathsheba. The situation can be quickly summed up with just a few words: see, want, take. David saw something. He wanted it. And so, he took it. That it was another man's wife that he took was unimportant to him. Again, God was quite clear about such things. And David knew what God had said. And yet, he gave in to see, want, take. Rebellion.

One more: the Pharisees. These men had the reputation of being very religious people. They were, in the eyes of all the people, the standard of what it meant to be faithful to God. In a way, Jesus acknowledges that reputation when He tells His disciples,

… unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

And yet, what does Jesus call these men? Whitewashed tombs. The outside looks good, but what's inside? Death. They knew what God called for. They knew better than most. And yet, they did not pursue what God wanted. They created their own way of being religious and told everyone that it was God's way. Rebellion.

This gives you an idea of what it means to be the world. Rebellion. This worldly rebellion can take many different forms, but what all the different forms have in common is this response to God: 'Not Your will but mine be done. When it comes to this or that area of my life, I will live in a way that I think is best.' Sometimes that way of thinking comes with a nasty attitude and sometimes it looks so pleasant and reasonable. But whatever the outside looks like the heart of the matter is the same: rebellion. 

Now, you are not the world. You are in the Name. And as I mentioned last week that change was marked by your baptism. You were baptized into the Name. However, it needs to be said that there are areas in your life where you do not live as someone who is in the Name. There are areas of your life where you live as if you were the world. There are areas of your life where you also respond to God with 'Not Your will but mine be done. When it comes to this area of my life, I will live in a way that I think best.' So, there are areas where you are like Eve, making up your mind based on what you can figure out on your own instead of looking at things according to what God has said. There are areas where you are like Adam. You don't act when you really should act and that according to what God has said. There are areas where you are like David: see, want, take. And it doesn't have to be about someone's spouse. This is very easy to fall into in this consumer culture. And then, there are areas where you are like those Pharisees, creating a way to be religious that you find comfortable. And all of these are rebellion.

Now, there are signs that you are doing these sorts of things: being fearful, being obstinate, being envious, complaining, lacking contentment. And those are just some of the signs. And there will be signs, of course. Living in rebellion according to your own wisdom just won't work in God's creation. The signs are just the evidence that it isn't working. Now, this is how you act. This is how every Christian acts. There is still rebellion. It will show in different ways and in different areas. But there is still rebellion. To deny that is simply not being honest.

Now, I went through all of that to set up what I want to say next. First, none of that changes this very basic fact. You are in the Name. You are Christians, God's people. And because of that, you are commended. Jesus commends you. I showed you that last week. The Father looks at you, fully aware of your areas of rebellion, and still embraces you. He approves of you. You are His beloved child who is well-pleasing to Him. This is a part of the wonder of the grace of the Gospel. Jesus has come to be your Savior, and as a result you are rescued from the condemnation your rebellion deserves. So, own up to reality. Yes, there are areas of rebellion in your life. That is part of reality. But don't neglect the rest of reality. You are the saints of God who have been included in the Name, fully accepted by the Father because of the Son. And as a token of that part of reality you have the Spirit walking with you wherever you go.

Now, here is the other thing that I want to tell you. Jesus' saving you is not just about staying out of hell so that you can end up in heaven. Jesus' rescue also includes rescuing you from these remnants of rebellion. Yes, you may be just like Eve, being independent. But Jesus has come to rescue you from that. He has come so that you can hear Satan's suggestions and respond with, 'Satan, I'm not listening to you. I know what God says about that, and I'm going to submit to Him.' You may be like David: see, want, take. Jesus has come to free you from that slavery. It is a slavery that has captured so many these days. You can be freed from it. You may be as passive as Adam or as proud as the Pharisees. But Jesus has come to rescue you from that rebellion. There are areas where you still rebel but Jesus can free you from them.

How does He do that? It's not complicated. Jesus rescues you by the Spirit when He says to you, 'Hey, what if we work on this area of your life? I can deal with that rebellion and make your life so much better. What do you say?' And that's why I talk about repentance and faith so much. That's the wise response to the Spirit's promptings. It is the way that you can be freed from so much that drags you down. Admit your sins as the Spirit points them out to you, and then come to Jesus for forgiveness and change.

And then, there is hope. Because of what Jesus has done, there will be a day when you will no longer have to deal with any rebellion in any area of your life. That will be the time when whatever you are thinking or doing or feeling it will always come back to, 'Not my will, but Yours be done'. Freedom. On that day Jesus' work of rescue will be completed. And that will be so good.