The World (J.C. Ryle)

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 

By "the world," be it remembered, I do not mean the material world on the face of which we are living and moving. He who pretends to say that anything which God has created in the Heavens above, or the earth beneath, is in itself harmful to man's soul — says that which is unreasonable and absurd. On the contrary, the sun, moon, and stars — the mountains, the valleys, and the plains — the seas, lakes, and rivers — the animal and vegetable creation — all are in themselves "very good." (Genesis 1:31.) All are full of lessons of God's wisdom and power, and all proclaim daily, "The hand that made us is Divine!" The idea that "matter" is in itself sinful and evil — is a foolish heresy.

When I speak of "the world" in this paper, I mean those people who think only, or chiefly, of this world's things, and neglect the world to come — the people who are always thinking . . . 

more of earth than of Heaven, 
more of time than of eternity, 
more of the body than of the soul, 
more of pleasing man than of pleasing God.

It is of them and their ways, habits, customs, opinions, practices, tastes, aims, spirit, and tone — that I am speaking when I speak of "the world." This is the world from which Paul tells us to "Come out — and be separate."

Now that "the world," in this sense, is an enemy to the soul, the well-known Church Catechism teaches us at its very beginning. It tells us that there are three things which a Christian is bound to renounce and give up, and three enemies which he ought to fight with and resist. These three are the flesh, the devil, and "the world." All three are terrible foes, and all three must be overcome if we would be saved.

But, whatever men please to think about the Catechism, we shall do well to turn to the testimony of Holy Scripture. If the texts I am about to quote do not prove that the world is a source of danger to the soul, there is no meaning in words.

(a) Let us hear what the apostle Paul says:

 "Be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:2.)

"We have received, not the spirit of the world — but the Spirit which is of God." (1 Corinthians 2:12.)

"Christ gave Himself for us, that He might deliver us from this present evil world." (Galatians 1:4.)

"In time past you walked according to the course of this world." (Ephesians 2:2.)

"Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world." (2 Tim. 4:10.)

b) Let us hear what the apostle James says: 

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27.)

Don't you know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4.)

c) Let us hear what the apostle John says:

 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world — the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father — but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17.)

"The world knows us not, because it knew Him not." (1 John 3:1.)

"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them." (1 John 4:5.)

"Whatever is born of God overcomes the world." (1 John 5:4.)

"We know that we are of God — and the whole world lies in wickedness." (1 John 5:19.)

(d) Let us hear, lastly, what the Lord Jesus Christ says: 

"The cares of this world choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22.)

You are of this world — I am not of this world." (John 8:23.)

"The Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him." (John 14:17.)

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." (John 15:18.)

"If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world — but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:19.)

"In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33.)

"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17:16.)

Matthew 6:21

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 

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