Everything in the World is Vanity
2003-10-27 12:12
Everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is vanity. It is for the perishable flesh lusts, and is given to men of the world who have their portion in this life. It is written, "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:16-17)." And also, it is written, "With Your hand from men, O LORD, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes (Psamls 17:14)."
Everything in the world was given to the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who is an evil spirit from God. It is written, "The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, 'I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to (Luke 4:5-6).'"
This world was given to Satan when God sent Christ Jesus into the world to save the people of his kingdom from their sins. Therefore, this world is not the possessions of those who are in Christ Jesus. It is written, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14)."
Those who belong to Christ Jesus and have the citizenship of heaven are aliens and strangers in the world, looking for a better country. The Bible exhorts, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 'Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own (Luke 16:9-12)?'"
All the wealth in the world is unrighteous mammon. So the Bible says, "make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon." And also it says, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him (1 John 3:17)?"
Now the children of God who will receive the inheritance of heaven with Christ Jesus are not of the world. The Lord himself said to our Father in heaven, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it (John 17:16)."
The children of disobedience who are of this world will enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time after the spirit who is at work in themselves, and finally will go into the place prepared for the devil. It is written, "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).'"
We do not have an enduring city in this world. This world is someone else's property that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Therefore, there is no everlasting peace in the world. The Bible testifies, "For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased (Hebrews 13:14-16)."
The elder, who went before us, testified, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)." And he also testified, "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:10)."
The first heaven and the first earth are not true. The new heaven and the new earth are true. It is God's good pleasure to give the kingdom to the children of God who put off their old self and put on the new self with Christ Jesus. It is written, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32)."
The true everlasting peace is not from the world, but from above, coming down from the Father of lights. It is written, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17)." And also it is written, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27)."
In Christ Jesus, the world has been crucified to the children of God, and they to the world. All of them will rejoice in time to come. "Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come." Proverbs 31:25. Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
Everything in the world was given to the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who is an evil spirit from God. It is written, "The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, 'I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to (Luke 4:5-6).'"
This world was given to Satan when God sent Christ Jesus into the world to save the people of his kingdom from their sins. Therefore, this world is not the possessions of those who are in Christ Jesus. It is written, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14)."
Those who belong to Christ Jesus and have the citizenship of heaven are aliens and strangers in the world, looking for a better country. The Bible exhorts, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 'Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own (Luke 16:9-12)?'"
All the wealth in the world is unrighteous mammon. So the Bible says, "make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon." And also it says, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him (1 John 3:17)?"
Now the children of God who will receive the inheritance of heaven with Christ Jesus are not of the world. The Lord himself said to our Father in heaven, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it (John 17:16)."
The children of disobedience who are of this world will enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time after the spirit who is at work in themselves, and finally will go into the place prepared for the devil. It is written, "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).'"
We do not have an enduring city in this world. This world is someone else's property that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Therefore, there is no everlasting peace in the world. The Bible testifies, "For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased (Hebrews 13:14-16)."
The elder, who went before us, testified, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)." And he also testified, "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Corinthians 6:10)."
The first heaven and the first earth are not true. The new heaven and the new earth are true. It is God's good pleasure to give the kingdom to the children of God who put off their old self and put on the new self with Christ Jesus. It is written, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32)."
The true everlasting peace is not from the world, but from above, coming down from the Father of lights. It is written, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17)." And also it is written, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27)."
In Christ Jesus, the world has been crucified to the children of God, and they to the world. All of them will rejoice in time to come. "Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come." Proverbs 31:25. Thank you, Lord.
The least brother, Kim Yun-gu
