Posts

Posted on

How Prominent, Contemporary Theologians Define “the World” (described in 1 John 2:15-17) (part 3)

what does “the world” mean in 1 John 2:15

In this post we conclude our ChatGPT-generated survey of how prominent theologians have defined “the world,” as used in the Scripture “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

We have seen in previous posts that loving the world brings one under the influence of Satan himself and makes one an enemy of God. So, the stakes are high. We must get this right. Therefore we listen to more than one voice.

Definitions from seven contemporary theologians: D. A. Carson, Paul Washer, John Frame, Wayne Grudem, John Piper, Stephen Wellum, and Albert Mohler

D. A. Carson: The world is the collective system of human life organized in rebellion against God, expressed in sinful desires and values, opposed to God’s will, and destined to pass away.

Paul Washer: The world refers to the ideas, attitudes, and deeds of this present fallen age that contradict and oppose the nature and will of God.

John Frame: The world is the system of life that is opposed to God’s lordship. It is giving ultimate allegiance to a rival authority structure instead of to Christ. It is a system of values contrary to God’s authority.

Wayne Grudem: The world is the sinful value system and practices of unbelieving humanity. It is humanity organized apart from God. It is the moral and cultural patterns characteristic of fallen society.

John Piper: The world is the cluster of desires and values that substitute creation for God. It is rooted in disordered love. Worldliness is when one prefers created things over the Creator. The world is a God-rejecting mindset fueled by pride and self-exaltation. Loving the world is finding satisfaction in what competes with God.

Stephen Wellum: The world is the present evil age in opposition to Christ’s kingdom. It is the realm of unbelief contrasted with the new creation in Christ. Although believers belong to the age to come, they love the world when they align with the old order.

Albert Mohler: The world is the fallen moral and cultural order that normalizes sin. It is moral rebellion institutionalized in society.

All the theologians in this survey have agreed that “the world” in 1 John 2:15 is not referring to the material creation, which God created good.

For the source of these summary definitions, read the final section of this earlier post.

Posted on

How Prominent Theologians Define “The World” (described in 1 John 2:15-17) (part 2)

Theologians define “the world” (described in 1 John 2:15-17)

In the last post we saw how four prominent, historical theologians—Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin—defined “the world,” as mentioned in 1 John 2:15–17.

We continue in this post with summary definitions from four more historical theologians: Jonathan Edwards, Herman Bavinck, Louis Berkhof, and John Wesley.

Jonathan Edwards: The world is the whole system of temporal things—pleasures, profits, honors, and relationships—insofar as they captivate the heart and compete with supreme love to God.

Herman Bavinck: The world is creation, which God created perfectly good, corrupted by sin and now oriented away from God. It is the sphere of rebellion under Satan’s influence.

Louis Berkhof: The world is the human race as corrupted by sin and estranged from God. It is humanity in its ethical alienation from God.

John Wesley: The entire network of sinful desires—sensual, material, and prideful—that governs fallen human life and stands in opposition to God.

For the source of these summary definitions, read the final section of the previous post.

In the next post we finish the definitions with six contemporary theologians: John Frame, Wayne Grudem, Albert Mohler, John Piper, Paul Washer, and Stephen Wellum.

Posted on

How Prominent Theologians Define “The World”

theologians define the world

In the three previous posts we have drilled down into the meaning of three primary aspects of the love of the world according to 1 John 2:15–17. We are now ready to summarize the meaning of “the world” by summarizing and condensing in one or two sentences how significant theologians have defined it.

Do not be intimidated by that. I think you will find this extremely helpful.

Why should you care what these theologians say? Because as we saw in the first six posts in this series, your relationship to God—indeed, your salvation—depends on having a proper relationship with the world. The extent to which Satan and demons are able to influence you depends on how you relate to the world.

So, we need to have clear understanding of what 1 John 2:15–16 means when it says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

Method

I researched the views of these theologians using ChatGPT. The following are not direct quotations, but rather condensed summaries (for more on how ChatGPT created these descriptions, see the end of the post).

The theologians included are:

Historical: Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Hermann Bavinck, Louis Berkhof.

Contemporary: John Frame, Wayne Grudem, Albert Mohler, John Piper, Paul Washer, Stephen Wellum.

What is “the world” according to…

Augustine: The world is humanity organized by disordered love—loving self and created things instead of loving God.

Thomas Aquinas: The world is the created order loved in a disordered way and preferred over God. It is inordinate or excessive love of temporal goods. It is the love of creatures as ultimate, which displaces love for God.

Martin Luther: The world is the whole system of human life organized in unbelief and opposition to God and the gospel. The world is hostile to Christ and the church and rejects the gospel.

John Calvin: The world is everything in the present life that draws and captivates the heart away from God.

In coming posts: Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Hermann Bavinck, Louis Berkhof, John Frame, Wayne Grudem, Albert Mohler, John Piper, Paul Washer, Stephen Wellum.

Sources—If you are interested, how ChatGPT gathered these summaries

According to ChatGPT, the above descriptions were not verbatim quotations. Rather, they were careful summaries and syntheses of each theologian’s teaching, based on their known writings and theological frameworks. ChatGPT condensed their views into clear, comparable definitions, in some cases, using language they themselves wouldn’t have used word-for-word, but which accurately reflects their thought.

For each theologian ChatGPT drew from their commentaries, sermons, and systematic works. It identified their core theological categories (for example, disordered love, unbelief, affections. It expressed those ideas in clear, modern theological language. And it standardized the wording for easy comparison.

Why ChatGPT did not use direct quotations:

  1. Comparability
    Direct quotes vary widely in style, length, and clarity. Summaries make side-by-side comparison possible.
  2. Clarity
    Some original texts (especially Aquinas, Augustine, Edwards) are dense or archaic.
  3. Synthesis
    Many of these theologians don’t give a single neat “definition” of “the world” in one sentence—you have to draw it together from multiple places.
Posted on

What Is the “Pride of Life”? Biblical Meaning, Examples, and Warning (1 John 2:16)

Theologians define “the world” (described in 1 John 2:15-17)

What is the “pride of life” in 1 John 2:16?

The “pride of life” in 1 John 2:16 refers to arrogant confidence in one’s achievements, possessions, or status apart from God. It is the boastful self-exaltation that trusts in earthly success and security rather than in the Lord. Scripture warns that this attitude belongs to “the world” and opposes the love of the Father.

Modern example of the pride of life

Imagine a 26-year-old graduate of an Ivy League university, who earned master’s degrees in both finance and economics. He started his own investment company, and within two years became a billionaire. He has purchased a mansion in Manhattan and owns several expensive sports cars. In a recent interview with the N.Y. Times, he boasted, “Within five years, I will make people forget Warren Buffet. I will become the richest man in America. You can bank on it.”

He would be an example of what 1 John 2:16 calls “the pride of life.”

Public displays of pride in sports and celebrity culture

We see the pride of life regularly in the world of professional sports. NFL players who score a touchdown prance and posture in the end zone.

Decades ago this sort of behavior became prominent with the world heavyweight boxing champion who loudly insisted in front of the cameras, “I am the greatest!”

Pride has always marked human history

Arrogant boasting is nothing new to successful humans. God once warned the residents of Edom, a nation bordering Israel that had their capital city built in a high, mountain fortress:

“The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’” (Obadiah 1:3)

King Nebuchadnezzar: A biblical case study in the pride of life

In the Bible, the Book of Daniel tells the story of a King named Nebuchadnezzar, who literally was the most powerful ruler in the world. One day he took a walk around his capital city, and said aloud: “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30).

The Bible says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:15–16).

The pride of life is the third of the three engines of the love of the world that we have been exploring for several posts (first engine, second engine).

Pride in possessions, achievements, and security

There is more to the boastful pride of life than being proud of one’s success. Various Bible translations get at the different senses and shades of meaning that the original Greek language suggested by pride of life:

•        pride in one’s possessions (CSB)

•        the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things] (AMP)

•        pride in our achievements and possessions. (NLT)

•        arrogance produced by material possessions (NET)

The illusion of control over the future (James 4:13–16)

The Bible rebukes the pride of life in another warning:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13–16 ESV)

How God humbles the proud

The pride of life is evil, and God hates it. Those who indulge it love the world and become his enemies. King Nebuchadnezzar, whom we saw above, who boasted about his capital city of Babylon, learned that the hard way.

“While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.’ Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.” (Daniel 4:31–33 ESV)

God’s mercy after human pride

Nevertheless, after God judged him, he later showed Nebuchadnezzar mercy:

“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’

“At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:34–37).

If we are wise, we will learn from this king and repent of the pride of life and its love of the world. If we do, through faith in Jesus Christ we too will experience God’s forgiveness.

Posted on

What Does “the Desires of the Eyes” Mean? A Biblical Explanation from 1 John 2:16

what does “the world” mean in 1 John 2:15

What does “the desires of the eyes” mean?

The desires of the eyes are sinful cravings that arise when a person sees something and begins to desire it in a way that leads to lust, greed, envy, or idolatry.

In 1 John 2:16 the Bible shows this temptation in the story of David and Bathsheba, when David saw a woman and lusted after her. But the desires of the eyes also include greed, envy, and idolatry—sins that begin when our eyes fix on something God has not given us. Scripture warns that human eyes are never satisfied, yet Jesus Christ overcame this temptation and helps believers resist the love of the world.

David and Bathsheba: A biblical example of the desires of the eyes

It was late afternoon. The king had been resting on his couch. He probably was bored. He rose and mounted the stairs to the roof of his palace, where he began to walk and survey his kingdom, enjoying the view of his city.

Then without warning his eyes fell upon the courtyard of a nearby house, where a woman was bathing. He enjoyed what he saw and could not stop watching. Soon his thoughts turned to how he could satisfy the lust he felt. He sent a messenger to inquire about her and an additional messenger to summon her to himself. Sometime later she returned home and in the course of time informed him she was pregnant.

This was the turning point of the king’s reign. For the rest of his life, he suffered the consequences of this sin. The son who was born to him died within days, and eventually another adult son mounted a rebellion against him. The Bible describes these consequences as punishments from God.

The desires of the eyes

The story of course is of David and Bathsheba, told in tragic detail in 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12.

All this pain and family wreckage resulted from what 1 John 2:15–16 calls “the desires of the eyes”:

“{15} Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. {17} And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (ESV for each citation)

The desires of the eyes and sexual lust

When we think of the desires of the eyes, the first thing that comes to mind is sexual lust, especially in our age of ubiquitous pornography and sex-driven marketing. Second Peter 2:14 speaks of those who “have eyes full of adultery.”

Jesus warned the one “who looks at a woman with lustful intent” this sin is so serious that “if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29).

But 1 John 2:16 has more than sex in view. The desires of the eyes that drive the love of the world also include the following.

Greed and covetousness: Achan’s sin

Think of shopping, in a mall or a catalogue. Think of the pleasure of just seeing things you want and dwelling on them in your heart.

When Israel entered the Promised Land and defeated the city of Jericho, a man named Achan sinned by taking some of the spoil. It led to defeat for Israel in its next battle, and God eventually revealed Achan’s guilt. Here is how Achan explained his sin:

“Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them” (Joshua 7:20–21).

Envy and jealousy when we see the prosperity of others

The psalmist described how the desires of the eyes contributed to his sin of envy: “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:1–3).

How hard it is not to compare ourselves with others as we see them enjoying good things we do not have!

The desires of the eyes and idolatry

Worshiping any created object, including statues and drawings created for religious purposes, as well as the sun, moon, stars, trees, rivers, mountains, and so on is the sin of idolatry. God explicitly condemns it within the Ten Commandments:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me” (Exodus 20:4–5).

Notice how Scripture says the desires of the eyes function in idolatry: God speaks of a wicked person who “lifts up his eyes to the idols” (Ezekiel 18:12).

God uses even stronger language elsewhere: “Cast away the detestable things [the idols] your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God” (Ezekiel 20:7).

Insatiable: The eyes are never satisfied

The Bible has much to say about the insatiable desires of the eyes.

“Never satisfied are the eyes of man” (Proverbs 27:20).

“Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes” (Proverbs 6:25).

How Jesus overcame the desires of the eyes

It is not surprising, then, that Satan tried to use this temptation against Jesus himself in the wilderness:

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8–9).

Jesus, however, did not succumb to the desires of the eyes. He resisted Satan by quoting the Scriptures:

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”‘ Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him”  (vv. 10–11).

Jesus was victorious, so he can help you overcome the love of the world brought on through the desires of the eyes.

Next week

In my next post we will examine the third driver of the love of the world, which is the boastful pride of life.

Also see last week’s post on the desires of the flesh.

Posted on

Do Not Love the World: Understanding the Desires of the Flesh (1 John 2:16)

Desires of the flesh in 1 John 2:16

In 1 John 2:16, “the desires of the flesh” refer to sinful cravings rooted in fallen human nature—such as sexual immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, and other bodily passions that oppose the will of God.

In my previous post we saw that anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. (James 4:4).

That is serious business. If God is your enemy, you are in trouble. He is one person you absolutely, positively, do not want as your enemy, for he holds your life in the palm of his hand. He created you and sustains you moment by moment. God holds your eternal future under his control. Scripture says that a last Judgment Day is coming and you will stand before him, and he will determine your eternal destiny. So, again, you do not want God as your enemy!

Pay attention

So, you should give the greatest care and attention to ensure that you are not loving the world. Crucial to that goal is an understanding of what it means to love the world. We saw in an earlier post what the fallen world is in a general sense, but Scripture helps us know more specifically in 1 John 2:15–17:

“{15} Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. {17} And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15–17 ESV)

Notice in verse 16 three highlighted features of the world. In this and upcoming posts, let’s look at them one-by-one.

The desires of the flesh

Compare this phrase in several Bible translations:

  • “The desires of the flesh” (ESV)
  • “The lust of the flesh” (KJV, NKJV, NIV, LSB, CSB)
  • “A craving for physical pleasure” (NLT)

Specifically the desires of the flesh include these five sins condemned elsewhere in Scripture:

1. Sexual immorality, meaning any sexual relations outside of marriage between and man and a woman, including lust and viewing pornography.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 ESV).

2. Worldly and godless partying, reveling, lewd dancing, debauchery.

“For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you” (1 Peter 4:3–4 ESV).

3. Drunkenness

“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.” (Romans 13:13 ESV)

4. Doing illicit, pleasure drugs

The Bible does not specifically address modern illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin, but “The Bible’s core objections to illicit drug use are not about specific chemical names but about intoxication, loss of self‑control, harm to the body, and slavery to substances. Scripture points believers toward sobriety, stewardship of the body, mutual support, and seeking help when enslaved by addiction.”1

5. Gluttony

The Bible describes some sinners in this way: “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19 ESV)

Next post

These five sins condemned in the Bible are clear examples of “the desires of the flesh.” In my next post we will look at the second aspect of the love of the world, which is “the desires of the eyes” (1 John 2:16).

1 – Text generated by CoPilot (prompt: “What does the Bible say against the use of illicit drugs?”), CoPilot version X, Microsoft, 28 Feb. 2026) https://copilot.microsoft.com/shares/4dJLHvz5KCNp9TgQp2ZLo

Posted on

God’s Posture Toward a Fallen World: Enmity, Mercy, and the Gospel

theologians define the world

What is God’s posture toward the world? According to the Bible, the fallen world stands in enmity toward God—but God, in mercy, calls his enemies to repentance through Jesus Christ. Scripture teaches that friendship with the world is hostility toward God (James 4:4), yet God so loved the world that he gave his Son (John 3:16).

We saw in my previous post that the posture of the fallen world toward God is that of rejection, so what is God’s posture toward the world?

The King and the rebel state: An illustration of our world

Imagine a country divided into two states and ruled by one benevolent king.

The king lives in one of the states. There he has enacted many good laws that bring economic prosperity and peace to his people. There his people love him for his wisdom, generosity, and power.

He has decreed identical laws for the other state in his country. There, however, the people hate the king and oppose his laws. There the people follow a usurper who opposes the king and urges people to ignore him. He stirs up enmity against the king by lying about him, slandering him, and questioning his intentions. The usurper teaches an opposing philosophy of government and laws.

One state is marked by admiration for the king; the other by hostility toward the king.

Nevertheless, the king in his goodness is patient and merciful toward the hostile state and for the time being does not crush the rebellion. Instead he has instituted a campaign to reclaim the hearts of the people. He has called on them to renounce the rebel leader and declare their loyalty to the king, his state, and his laws.

“The choice is yours,” he has announced to the people. “You can love your king and receive my love, or you can oppose your king and his laws and follow the rebel leader and consequently be my enemy. Choose your state. Choose your king.”

What does “enmity with God” mean? (James 4:4 explained)

This scenario illustrates the nature of our world and God’s attitude toward it. Of course, the king is God, and the usurper is Satan. What is not obvious to most people is God’s view of the rebel state and its residents.

That view is summed up in the Bible like this: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4 ESV).

Webster’s defines enmity as “positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will.”

So friendship with our fallen world is hatred, hostility, or ill will toward God. In the illustration above, to love the rebel state was to be the enemy of the king. To love the laws of the rebel state was to hate the king. To oppose the laws of the king was to oppose the him. And to follow the usurper in the rebel state was to reject the true king and be his enemy.

Why Most People Misunderstand Their Relationship with God

This is what most people today do not understand about their relationship with God. They think that if they believe God exists and try to be a good person, then it is okay with him if they generally ignore God and focus their priorities around things in this world, even godless things in this world. They believe they can make their own rules about right and wrong without reference to what the Bible says. And they believe they can love created things more than the Creator.

In all these ways they show they have set their loyalties on the rebel state and knowingly or not have chosen to be in a posture of hostility, enmity, and enemy relations with God.

God’s Mercy Toward His Enemies (John 3:16 and 3:36)

Nevertheless, God is patient and merciful. He loves his enemies and calls to repentance. He sent his Son Jesus to die for the sins of his enemies. And now he offers the gift of forgiveness and salvation to all who will bow their knee to the true king and accept him as their Lord.

“God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life…. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:16, 36).

Posted on

Why Is the World So Broken? A Biblical Explanation of Evil, Suffering, and Satan

Biblical worldview on the world

Why Is the World So Broken

Why is the world so broken? According to the Bible, the world is broken because of sin and rebellion against God. Satan, demons, and sinful humans make real moral choices that produce evil and suffering. Though God is sovereign, Scripture teaches that evil originates from created beings who turned away from Him (1 John 5:19).

Why Is There So Much Evil and Suffering?

The first four posts of this series provide the answer to one of the biggest questions most people sooner or later ask: Why is the world so broken?

Why is there so much evil, suffering, and pain?

And why do people treat one another so badly?

Why Do People Do What Is Obviously Wrong?

Despite one’s best efforts to believe that humans are basically good, why are so many people doing what is obviously bad much of the time?

Why is it so difficult to live and work with most people?

Why Do Evil People Seem to Prosper?

So why do drug dealers prosper? Why do political despots remain in power? And why do corrupt politicians thrive?

Why is the world so broken?

Is God to Blame for the Brokenness of the World?

God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

Many people blame God. While the Bible does teach God ultimately rules over all, it never says he is to blame for evil done by Satan, demons, and evil humans. That is a mystery, but it is the inerrant worldview of the Bible. God is sovereign, but evil spirits and humans make free choices. They are not puppets.

To blame God for the brokenness in our world is like blaming the highest general of the army for war crimes committed by one insubordinate soldier who defied the prescribed rules of engagement. Or it is like blaming the CEO of a restaurant chain for food poisoning caused by one negligent chef who broke every corporate rule for the safe handling of food.

What the Bible Says About God and Evil

Far from blaming God for the evils of the world, Scripture says, “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.” (Psalm 5:4–5. ESV translation in all cases)

Moreover, “The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth” (Psalm 34:16).

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

And “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works” (Psalm 145:17).

Jesus said, “No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19).

The Role of Satan in a Fallen World

“The Whole World Lies in the Power of the Evil One” (1 John 5:19)

Therefore it is Satan, demons, and evil humans who are directly responsible for the evil in our world.

The fallen world is broken because “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). People do evil because they are following Satan, usually unawares.

For the next post: Knowing the posture of the world toward God, what is God’s posture toward the world?

To read the first four posts in this series:

Posted on

What Does “The Whole World Lies in the Power of the Evil One” Mean? (1 John 5:19 Explained)

Theologians define “the world” (described in 1 John 2:15-17)

What does 1 John 5:19 actually say?

In my last post, we explored the subject of Satan and demons and showed from Holy Scripture that they are real.

In the previous posts in this series (1st post. 2nd post) we also have seen that the reality of evil spirit beings is neither trivial nor cooky, because Holy Scripture also says, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Let that sink in. Does it say a few bizarre satanists in fringe cults are under the power of the evil one? Does it say a portion of the world is under the power of the evil one? No, Scripture says “the whole world” is under the power of Satan.

How can Satan influence a world he cannot be seen in?

What could that possibly mean? For starters it must mean that Satan is exerting his power deceptively, through some people, and through some organizations, because no one can see Satan, who is a spirit. And few people would acknowledge that the whole world lies under his power. Most people would label that idea as superstitious, as exaggerated, as a conspiracy theory, or as paranoid.

But according to Scripture this is cold, hard, fact. And those who do not believe it are destined to be harmed by Satan, because his goal is to ruin the lives of humans created in God’s image.

So, assuming the above is true, how do you live in this fallen world without coming under the influence of the evil one and his demons?

Why Satan works indirectly rather than openly

For illustration purposes, imagine a small town in Nebraska where both adults and children happily eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for breakfast. There is one resident, however, who eats boxed cereal containing enormous amounts of sugar, salt, and artificial preservatives. Sadly, he is not content with harming his own health. He wants to get rich by converting his neighbors from eating health food to instead eating junk food.

His plan is to start a breakfast cereal business that transforms the eating habits of every man, woman, and child in his town. That is a tall order, but he knows how to do it. Of course he will not start an ad campaign with slogans like, “Be happy; eat junk food!” Or, “Help me retire rich; buy my cereals!”

Instead he will transform the eating habits of his neighbors through subtle, indirect influences. He will hire songwriters to create popular music with lyrics that repeat the benefit of eating convenient, boxed cereal. Before long, everyone will be humming the lines of “Boxed cereal is better than broccoli, better than broccoli, better than broccoli.”

He will hire the most beautiful influencers in town to start touting his cereals on social media.

He will produce movies whose attractive stars eat boxed cereal and mock those who eat wisely.

You get the idea. The bad guy in this story influences people in subtle, pleasurable, indirect ways, not through a logical argument or direct appeal.

In the same way, Satan exerts his influence in our world. You come under the influence of Satan in many of the popular, commonplace things of our culture. Through some popular music, movies, Youtube videos, and TV shows. Through some newscasters. And through some public school curricula, college professors, and religious leaders. Through some companies and some of the arts. Through some books, magazines, websites, newspapers, and entertainment of all types.

How worldviews are formed through culture

What we get from all these sources and more are words and ideas, beliefs about what is morally right and wrong, beliefs about whether God exists and, if so, what is his nature and character, beliefs about evolution and creation, beliefs about the future of the world, beliefs about the reliability of the Bible. It comes winsomely, through people you admire and respect, who have already accepted the narrative.

All these beliefs comprise your worldview, your philosophy about reality. That is where Satan is always hard at work to lead people away from what Holy Scripture says. And the end result is, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).

In my next post, we will explore how to escape the evil one’s influence in the world.

Posted on

The Whole World Lies in the Power of the Evil One—Is Satan Really That Dangerous?

what does “the world” mean in 1 John 2:15

The whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19)

The Bible warns that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). This does not mean that the physical world God created is evil, but that human society—its values, systems, and moral direction—is under the influence of a real personal being: Satan. Scripture presents Satan as a living, intelligent, spiritual enemy who opposes God. He also seeks to deceive, harm, and destroy human beings. Understanding who the evil one is and how he operates is essential for living wisely in a fallen world.

Natural danger vs. personal, moral evil

A few hours from me is a state park called Starved Rock, where I have been many times. The park has high hills and sandstone bluffs overlooking the Illinois River. There are 18 canyons and several caves. If you leave the marked trail at some points, you might walk on hazardous rocks where it is easy to slip and fall a long way. Over the last ten years three people have died and dozens injured from falls in the park.

The park has posted warning signs. Would reading one of those warnings keep you from visiting the park? Probably not. They did not stop me from bringing my children there numerous times. If you are careful, you are safe.

But what would you do if you were planning to go there, and you happened to see on the news that three convicts had escaped from a nearby prison and were hiding in the park. They had already accosted several hikers, stealing their money. One woman walking alone in the park has disappeared. Would this scenario prevent you from following through with your plans to visit the park?

Probably so, and with good reason. It is easier to protect yourself against harm from nature than from an evil person.

Satan is real: the Bible’s teaching on the devil

That is why we should take seriously the warning in Scripture that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19). That is because “the evil one” is a person. He is the most evil person in the universe: Satan, also called the devil.

Jesus and the temptation of Satan

Satan is real. He tempted Jesus, the Son of God, in the wilderness:

The Bible says in Matthew 4:1–11: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’

“Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you,” and “On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”’

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”’ Then the devil left him.”

What Jesus taught about the devil

Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)

Jesus warned his followers about Satan. Comparing him to a thief stealing sheep, Jesus said Satan has three objectives: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).

Satan is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44)

Jesus also said of Satan that “he was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). So Satan is a murderer. He tries to deceive people to believe lies about God and what God says.

Satan the tempter and adversary (Matthew 4:3; 1 Peter 5:8)

Matthew 4:3 calls Satan, “the tempter.” He does everything he can to lead people into sin.

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” So he is the adversary and enemy of every person. He resembles a man-eating lion.

Satan hates humans because he hates God, and the Bible says God created us in his image.

Demons and the spiritual reality of evil

Why spiritual evil is more dangerous than we realize

So, Satan is a real person, an invisible spiritual being, the most evil being in the universe, and earth is his home. Furthermore, he is not alone. There are millions of evil, invisible, spiritual persons called demons, who do his bidding. They are just as real as Satan and have the same purpose.

These evil spirits are why every person must take God’s warning seriously: “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19).

How can we live in a world under the evil one’s power?

So how do you live in this fallen world without coming under the influence of the evil one and his demons? We will talk about that in my next post.

To read the first two posts in this series, click first and second.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Evil One

FAQ 1

What does it mean that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one?
It means that human society, apart from God, is under the influence of Satan, who works to oppose God, deceive people, and promote sin and rebellion against divine truth.

FAQ 2

Is Satan a real person according to the Bible?
Yes. The Bible presents Satan as a real, personal, spiritual being who speaks, tempts, lies, and acts intentionally, not merely as a symbol of evil.

FAQ 3

What did Jesus teach about Satan?
Jesus taught that Satan is a liar, a murderer, and a thief who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, and he personally resisted Satan’s temptations through obedience to God’s Word.

FAQ 4

Are demons real in the Bible?
Yes. Scripture teaches that demons are evil spiritual beings who serve Satan and share his purpose of opposing God and harming humanity.