What’s Wrong with the World?

Most of us live pretty good lives, you might say. I mean, from time to time, something bad might happen, but overall, we live good lives — bills are paid, own/rent a place to live, have a car or cars, TV or TVs, etc.

So, what’s wrong with the World? I mean, it’s a good place with good people most of the time, right? At worst, it’s still a good place to live, meets our needs, etc., right?

Biblically, God warns about the “world” that we live in. Who is running the joint? The answer, according to God’s Word, may not be who you think:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
— 2 Corinthians 4:4

Who is that talking about — “the god of this world”? Let’s investigate further from God’s Word:

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
— Luke 4:5-7

Ah-ha, the devil! What’s he up to here? He’s trying to tempt and ruin Jesus (background: Jesus is being tempted in the wilderness for 40 days).

Is it true that the devil could have given “all this power” to Jesus?

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
— Luke 4:8

It’s interesting Jesus’ response to the tempation here — notice Jesus doesn’t refute that the devil could make such a claim. Remember back in Genesis 3 when Eve sinned? Sin entering into the world pretty much was handing over “the world” to the devil. Bummer.

Thankfully, because of Jesus Christ, there is an end in sight:

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
— Galations 1:4

It’s no wonder, given the condition of wars and famine and hurt and suffering in the world today at large. It should come as no surprise, after what we’ve just seen. Until the end, “the world” we live in has the devil as its god. Now what?

Should we cower in fear or grow in our paranoia of the world we live in? No. Our citizenship is in Heaven, but while we are here, God tells us what to do:

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
— Philippians 2:15

Now that we know, let your light shine!!