By the Scripture’s Own Writers
Friendship with the World
Definition
Love of the present evil system of things ruled by Satan the Devil (the world, composed of a “heavens”—the demons; an “earth”—the visible organization of religion, politics, commerce). Taking part in and supporting its political, commercial and religious schemes or participating in its debauchery, reveling and inordinate pleasures. The person who takes a course parallel to the ways of this world, though he may claim to be Christian, is showing love for and friendship with this world.
This World Consists of Demon “Heavens” and Wicked Visible “Earth”
2 Peter 3:7 “The heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.”
This World Is Controlled by Satan
Matthew 4:8, 9 “Again the Devil took Him along to an unusually high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to Him: ‘All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.’ “
2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.”
1 John 5:19 “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.”
Psalm 96:5 “For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but Jehovah made the heavens.”
Ephesians 6:12 “Because we have a fight, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.”
Things This World Loves
Jeremiah 5:30, 31 “A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so: and what will you do in the end thereof?”
1 John 2:16 “Because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world.”
Luke 12:29, 30 “So quit seeking what you might eat and what you might drink, and quit being in anxious suspense, for all these are the things the nations of the world are eagerly pursuing.”
Revelation 18:3, 23 ” ‘For because of the passion-arousing wine of her fornication all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich due to the power of her shameless luxury.’ ‘And no light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; because your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, for by your spiritistic practice all the nations were misled.’ “
World Hates God’s Servants
John 17:14 “I have given Your Word to them, but the world has hated them, because they are no part of the world just as I am no part of the world.”
1 Corinthians 4:13 “We have become as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things, and we are so now.”
1 John 3:13 “Do not marvel, brothers, that the world hates you.”
Revelation 18:24 “Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
This World’s Thinking Is Out of Harmony with God
1 Corinthians 1:20-28 “Where is the wise man? Where the scribe? Where the debater of this system of things? Did not God make the wisdom of the world foolish? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not get to know God, God saw good through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing. .. . Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and a weak thing of God is stronger than men.. .. and God chose the ignoble things of the world and the things looked down upon, the things that are not, that He might bring to nothing the things that are.”
1 Corinthians 2:6-8, 12 “Now we speak wisdom among those who are adults, but not the wisdom of this system of things nor that of the rulers of this system of things who are to come to nothing. But we speak God’s wisdom in a sacred secret, the hidden wisdom, which God foreordained before the systems of things for our glory. This wisdom not one of the rulers of this system of things came to know, for if they had known it they would not have impaled the glorious Lord. Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that have been kindly given us by God.”
1 Corinthians 3:18, 19 “Let no one be seducing himself: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this system of things, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness.’ “
Romans 8:6 “For the minding of the flesh means death, but the minding of the spirit means life and peace.”
World’s Course of Action
2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self- assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, without gratitude, with no loving- kindness, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self- control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with self-esteem, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.”
James 3:14-16 “But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your hearts, do not be bragging and lying against the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is the earthly, animal, demonic. For where jealousy and contentiousness are, there disorder and every vile thing are.”
1 Peter 4:3, 4 “For the time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have worked out the will of the nations when you proceeded in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and idolatries that are without legal restraint. Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.”
Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, hatreds, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these.”
Romans 1:29-31 “Filled as they were with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, injuriousness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malicious disposition, being whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, self-assuming, inventors of injurious things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, merciless.”
2 Peter 3:3, 4 “For you know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of His? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’ “
World’s Deceptive Propaganda
Matthew 24:4, 5, 11, 24 “And in answer Jesus said to them: ‘Look out that nobody misleads you; for many will come on the basis of My name, saying: “I am the Christ,” and will mislead many. And many false prophets will arise and mislead many. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones.’ “
Revelation 16:14 “They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.”
1 John 4:1 “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.”
John 7 “The reason why is that many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.”
Revelation 12:9 “Down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth.”
Revelation 13:13, 14 “And it [the two-horned beast] performs great signs, so that it should even make fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind.”
Revelation 17:8 “The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is destined to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present, those who dwell on the earth will wonder admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the world’s foundation.”
Colossians 2:8 “Look out: perhaps there may be some man that will carry you off as his prey through the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ.”
Friendship with World Is Enmity Toward God
James 4:4 “Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.”
1 John 2:15 “Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
Christian Must Not Even Take a Course Parallel to This World
Romans 6:13-16 “Neither go on presenting your members to sin as weapons of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, also your members to God as weapons of righteousness. For sin must not be master over you, seeing that you are not under law but under undeserved kindness. What follows? Shall we commit a sin because we are not under law but under undeserved kindness? Never may that happen! Do you not know that if you keep presenting yourselves to anyone as slaves to obey him, you are slaves of him because you obey him, either of sin with death in view or of obedience with righteousness in view?”
James 1:27 “The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.”
Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be planning ahead for the desires of the flesh.”
Friendship with This World Results in Destruction with It
Isaiah 13:11 “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
Isaiah 24:5, 6 “The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore has the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”
Matthew 16:26 “For what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
2 Peter 2:20 “Certainly if, after having escaped from the defilements of the world by an accurate knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they get involved again with these very things and are overcome, the final conditions have become worse for them than the first.”
1 Corinthians 11:32 “However, when we are judged, we are disciplined by Jehovah, that we may not become condemned with the world.”
World’s Manner of Thinking, Doing Things Will Pass Away
1 Corinthians 7:31 “The scene of this world is changing.”
Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
1 John 2:17 “Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”
Colossians 2:20 “If you died together with Christ toward the elementary things of the world, why do you, as if living in the world, further subject yourselves to the decrees?”
Ephesians 2:1-3 “Furthermore, it is you God made alive though you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you at one time walked according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience. Yes, among them we all at one time conducted ourselves in harmony with the desires of our flesh, doing the things the flesh and the thoughts willed, and we were naturally children of wrath even as the rest.”
Jesus’ Course Brought Judgment of Condemnation on This World
John 12:31 “Now there is a judging of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”
John 16:11 “The ruler of this world has been judged.”
Christian Must Overcome This World by Maintaining Integrity to God
John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation, but cheer up! I have conquered the world.”
Revelation 2:7 “To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
1 John 5:4, 5 “Because everything that has been born from God conquers the world. And this is the conquest that has conquered the world, our faith. Who is the one that conquers the world but he who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Christian Must Be No Part of This World
John 15:19 “If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.”
John 17:16 “They are no part of the world just as I am no part of the world.”
Revelation 18:4 “Get out of her, My people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.”
Galatians 1:4 “He gave Himself for our sins that He might take us out for Himself from the present wicked system of things according to the will of our God and Father.”
God’s Spirit Causes Christians to Maintain Integrity to God in This World
John 14:17; 16:8 “The spirit of the truth, which the world cannot receive, because it neither beholds it nor knows it. You know it, because it remains with you and is in you.” “And when that One arrives, He will give the world convincing evidence concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment.”
Christian Must Love, Be Kind and Friendly to All Living in the World
Galatians 6:10 “Really, then, as long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.”
Luke 6:27-36 “But I say to you who are listening, Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who do you injury…. Also just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them. And if you love those loving you, of what credit is it to you? For even the sinners love those loving them. And if you do good to those doing good to you, really of what credit is it to you? Even the sinners do the same…. To the contrary, continue to love your enemies and to do good and to lend without interest, not hoping for anything back, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind toward the unthankful and wicked. Continue becoming compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”
1 Corinthians 9:22, 23 “To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to people of all kinds, that I might by all means save some. But I do all things for the sake of the good news, that I may become a sharer of it with others.”
Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all people, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord.”
Romans 12:18-21 “If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says Jehovah.’ But, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head.’ Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.”
No Enmity Toward Rulers, but in Full Harmony with All Righteous Laws Because of Conscience
Acts 25:8, 11 “But Paul said in defense: ‘Neither against the Law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I committed any sin.’ ‘If, on the one hand, I am really a wrongdoer and have committed anything deserving of death, I do not beg off from dying; if, on the other hand, none of those things exists of which these men accuse me, no man can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to Caesar!'”
Acts 26:28, 29 “But Agrippa said to Paul: ‘In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.’ At this Paul said: ‘I could wish to God that whether in a short time or in a long time not only you but also all those who hear me today would become men such as I also am, with the exception of these bonds.’ “
Genesis 47:7 “And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.”
1 Peter 4:15 “However, let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a busybody in other people’s matters.”
Christians Do Not Pray for Continuance of This World, but that Rulers May Have Reasonable Attitude Toward Kingdom Work
John 17:9 “I make request concerning them; I make request, not concerning the world, but concerning those You have given Me.”
1 Timothy 2:1, 2 “I therefore exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, offerings of thanks, be made concerning all kinds of men, concerning kings and all those who are in high station, in order that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness.”
Courts Respected as Proper Places to Appeal for Defense
Acts 24:10 “And Paul, when the governor nodded to him to speak, answered: ‘Knowing well that this nation has had you as judge for many years, I readily speak in my defense the things about myself.’ “
Acts 26:2, 25 ” ‘Concerning all the things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I count myself happy that it is before you I am to make my defense this day.’ But Paul said: ‘I am not going mad, your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind.’ “
Christian Must Have Some Dealings with World (Witnessing, Secular Work)
John 17:15 “I request You, not to take them out of the world, but to watch over them because of the wicked one.”
1 Corinthians 5:9-11 “In my letter I wrote you to quit mixing in company with fornicators, not meaning entirely with the fornicators of this world or the greedy persons and extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world. But now I am writing you to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.”
Matthew 28:19, 20 “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the consummation of the system of things.”
Christians Do Not Let Money-making Hinder Their Kingdom Work
James 4:13, 14 “Come, now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to this city and will spend a year there, and we will engage in business and make profits,’ whereas you do not know what your life will be tomorrow. For you are a mist appearing for a little while and then disappearing.”
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”
Matthew 6:19-21, 25-34 “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. On this account I say to you; Stop being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear…. So never be anxious and say: ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to put on?’ For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.”
Ecclesiastes 7:12 “For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him that has it.”
Proverbs 1:19 “So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it takes away the life of the owners thereof.”
Proverbs 15:27 “He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates bribes shall live.”
Christian’s Conscience Not Inherent; Must Be Trained by God’s Word
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?”
Titus 1:15 “All things are clean to clean persons. But to persons defiled and faithless nothing is clean, but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.”
1 Timothy 1:13 “Although formerly I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man. Nevertheless, I was shown mercy, because I was ignorant and acted with a lack of faith.”
Romans 10:2, 3 “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge; for, because of not knowing the righteousness of God but seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”
John 8:31, 32 “If you remain in My word, you are really My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
2 Timothy 3:16, 17 “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”
1 Timothy 4:2 “By the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, marked in their conscience as with a branding iron.”
Violation of Conscience Means God’s Disfavor
Acts 24:16 “In this respect, indeed, I am exercising myself continually to have a consciousness of committing no offense against God and men.”
1 Timothy 1:19 “Holding faith and a good conscience, which some have thrust aside and have experienced shipwreck concerning their faith.”
Christians Respect Consciences of Others
1 Corinthians 8:7-12 “But keep watching that this authority of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to those who are weak. Tor if anyone should see you with your knowledge reclining at a meal in an idol temple, will not the conscience of that one who is weak be emboldened to the point of eating foods offered to idols? Really, by your knowledge, the man that is weak is being ruined, your brother for whose sake Christ died. But when you people thus sin against your brothers and wound their conscience that is weak, you are sinning against Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:27-29 “If anyone of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go, proceed to eat everything that is set before you, making no inquiry on account of your conscience. But if anyone should say to you: ‘This is something offered to a god,’ do not eat on account of the one that disclosed it and on account of conscience. ‘Conscience,’ I say, not yours, but that of the other person.”
Christians Stand Among Nations as Ambassadors
2 Corinthians 5:20 “We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ we beg: ‘Become reconciled to God.’ “
Ephesians 6:19, 20 “The good news, for which I am acting as an ambassador in chains.”
Philippians 3:20 “As for us, our citizenship exists in the heavens.”
Christians Neutral, Do Not Interfere with World’s Conflicts, Schemes or Politics
2 Timothy 2:3, 4 “As a right kind of soldier of Christ Jesus take your part in suffering evil. No manserving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life, in order that he may meet the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier.”
John 6:15 “Therefore Jesus, realizing they were about to come and seize Him to make Him king, withdrew again into the mountain all alone.”
John 18:36 “Jesus answered: ‘My kingdom is no part of this world. If My kingdom were part of this world, My attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, My kingdom is not from this source.'”
1 Timothy 5:22 “Never lay your hands hastily upon any man; neither be a sharer in the sins of others; preserve yourself pure.”
1 Corinthians 14:8 “For, truly, if the bugle sounds an indistinct call, who will get ready for battle?”
God’s Law to Israelite Nation Exempted Ministers
Numbers 1:47-54 “For Jehovah spoke unto Moses, saying, Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, neither shall you take the sum of them among the children of Israel; but appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all the furniture thereof, and over all that belongs to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the furniture thereof and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.”
Christians Required to Stick to Work of Preaching
Matthew 6:33 “Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:24 “No one can be a slave to two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves to God and to riches.
Matthew 15:24 “In answer He said: ‘I was not sent forth to any but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’”
Luke 4:43 “But He said to them: ‘Also to other cities I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth.’ “
Matthew 10:5, 6 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, giving them these orders: ‘Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but, instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ “
Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.”
Christians Must Speak Truth in God’s Commanded Way, Without Censorship
2 Corinthians 4:2 “But we have renounced the underhanded things of which to be ashamed, not walking in craftiness neither adulterating the word of God, but by making the truth manifest recommending ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God.”
Acts 4:18-20 “With that they called them and charged them in general not to make any utterance nor to teach upon the basis of the name of Jesus. But in reply Peter and John said to them: ‘… As for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.’ “
Exodus 8:25, 26 “And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet so to do.”
Exodus 10:8-26 “And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve Jehovah your God; but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto Jehovah. And he said unto them, So be Jehovah with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve Jehovah; for that is what ye desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. … And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve Jehovah; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. And Moses said, You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto Jehovah our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not a hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve Jehovah . .. until we come thither.”
Christians Must Work Together as One Man
Philippians 1:27, 28 “Only behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear about the things which concern you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul fighting side by side for the faith of the good news.”
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