Category: The World

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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

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

What Is God’s Posture Toward 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).

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

Why Is the World So Broken?

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:

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

1 John 5:19 Explained

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.

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

the whole world lies in the power of the evil one

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.

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What Does the Bible Mean by “The World”?

What does the Bible mean by ‘the world’?

What does the Bible mean by ‘the world’? In my previous post I compared a convenience store with its shelves lined with candy to our world and its temptations toward evil.

I quoted an important Scripture that raises many questions: “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19).

So, according to the Bible, what is “the world”?

Who is the evil one? Does Satan really exist? If so, in what sense does Satan have power over the whole world?

What should your attitude be toward the world?

Let’s begin with the first question.

What is the world?

The Bible uses the word world in several different senses.

First, world can refer to the physical earth. The world is what God created in Genesis 1, and he pronounced it good. Since God is perfectly good, and he made the world, then the world is good.

Second, the Bible uses the word world to refer to humanity in general without having good or evil in view.

We see this in the well-known Scripture John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Third, the Bible uses the word world to refer to what is anti-God in humanity and human culture. What do humans create and do that is anti-God? What systems do humans create that reject God’s commandments?

This is the sense in James 4:4: “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.”

Examples

Here are three examples corresponding to the three senses of the word world described above.

  1. You go to a forest preserve and feel refreshed by the beauty of nature. On the way home, you stop at your favorite restaurant and order your favorite meal.
  2. You attend a high school basketball game along with several members of your family to watch your sibling, who plays guard for the home team. Afterward you enjoy a family meal.
  3. You join with some new friends to go to a club where there is abundant opportunity to engage in lust, sexual relations with someone who is not your spouse, profanity, drunkenness, drugs, and even violence.

Based on these distinctions, it is the third sense of the word world that is used in 1 John 5:19: “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” It is the people, organizations, cities, states, nations, and cultures that reject and oppose God and his commandments who lie in the power of the evil one.

The next post

In my next post we will examine these questions:

Who is the evil one?

Does Satan really exist?

If so, in what sense does Satan have power over the whole world?