Romans – God’s Timeline IV: What is a “World”?

 

Two More Articles Should Do it

In the first three parts of our study, we took a detailed look at the “heavens and the earth,” the location where God’s story takes place. This is, in truth, one of three specific lines in which God carries out the “purpose of the eons.” The first, as previously mentioned, is the material sphere. The second, which we are about to consider, is the spiritual sphere. Thereafter we will consider the third, the temporal sphere.

These three concepts are distinct, but interwoven. To study one apart from the others is possible, but very difficult (hence why we have composed a chart which compiles all three, and more concepts to help us understand further the delineations in the word of God.)

What is the World?

In order to talk about the “world,” we must first clear up any confusion concerning the word itself. As with many other terms in the Bible, mankind has unequivocally butchered this word kosmos, “world,” as though the term inherently contains some “evil” idea. As we will demonstrate throughout this portion of the “eon” study, such a claim accords only with personal, unproven theory and interpretive reasoning. To resolve this discrepancy, and expose the false theories and excuses man has made to deny the first five chapters of Romans which we have considered so far, we must again employ the concordant method to apprehend its true force.

So! What is a world? We can immediately tell, from its verbal (appears 10x, we’ll consider a few later,) adjectival (“decorous,” 1 Tim. 3:2,) and adverbal (“decorously,” 1 Tim. 2:9,) forms that the word does not represent some “undesirable” outcome or state. These terms are employed in regards to the New Jerusalem being adorned for Christ (Rev. 21:9,) adorned in loving subjection (1 Pet. 3:5,) and adorned in modesty (1 Tim. 2:9.) We even see this word kosmos in English derivatives today, such as cosmetic, which also has no inherently “evil” characteristic! Its force is conveyed only in its context. The prior examples of positive reinforcement in connection with “world” should help us realize that these different forms (and, of course, its root,) cannot be pre-supposed as “evil” in any capacity without confirmation from the context.

That there are some uses of “world” used in a positive light, and others in a negative light, indicates that there is more at play with this term than is typically expounded upon. It has been used seven times in the first five chapters of Romans. One of which speaks of a world’s corruption (Rom. 5:12,) so we can safely infer that, prior to Adam’s poor managerial qualities, the world in view had not yet had sin enter into it, thus making it not corrupt (if “world” inherently meant something evil, then there would be no need for God to state that the word ‘was corrupted.’)

The underlying assumption, that the world is simply evil, that this is the greatest depth to the word, stems from a glance at the literal evil which has clearly overwrought the world, from its greatest principalities to even its lowest businesses. And yet, we have seen from God’s grand declarations from Rom. 1:18-4:25, that there is indeed a rhythmic structure and order by which evil exists, as God cannot possibly convey His evangel without first providing a sick, darkened backdrop. This backdrop must be carefully orchestrated, which itself implies a strong dynamic relationship between light and dark, good and evil. Many of our philosophies point this out, but only God answers it, using the cross: the greatest tragedy, the murder of the only just Individual, is the greatest fountain of blessing for all His subordinates.

If this is true of the greatest tragedy, how much easier it is to apprehend the chaos of this world in light of the dichotomy presented! The word world is kosmos, in Greek. Its element is “SYSTEM.” It may be fair to replace the word “world” with “system,” whenever you see it in your Bible, for you will then become more attuned to its proper force and meaning. It is a very real order by which God is effecting a goal, or method – in this case, the current wicked world (Gal. 1:4) is, literally, a system in which God is strategically playing out the problem of evil, and running its various arguments through to its logical ends. This is, ultimately, for the good of all parties involved, for it will become inevitably clear that the only alternative to wickedness is the rule of God’s Son.

Unfortunately, the reason for the confusion on this term over the past few thousand years has stemmed from a misapprehension of figures in the text. It is often presumed that, because a qualified expositor calls something “figurative” in a text, that they are ambiguously “spiritualizing” the text, or turning it into something false, for their own purposes. Yet discussion of the invisible realms which do not immediately appeal to our senses require the use of a figure in order to apprehend it.

There are many simple examples which can be used to illustrate this point, the easiest of which is Christ. Christ is the Image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15.) It is not that Christ is God, but that Christ is a figure for God (John 1:1.) He aptly represents God in the story (John 1:18.) In other words, He is God’s Idol (Heb. 1:3-4.) In that, Christ could be called a living Figure of association. We, the physical creatures, must sense something in order to perceive it. Upon perceiving it, we can properly assess a given object or situation. In this case, we are to perceive a Deity invisible in all ways to the senses by grasping His Son, Who is the only One Who properly represents the characteristics of Deity.

Another example would be the “spirit.” In Hebrew, the word “spirit” is ruch, its element “WIND.” We cannot see the wind – but we do feel its effects, such as shivering from its cold gust, sweating from a heatwave, inhaling, exhaling, hearing its howl, and more. This makes the “wind” an apt representative of the spirit, which we cannot see, but the effects of which we feel. This way, when there is reference to the “spirit” of an individual, or the “spirit” of God, we know that a figure of association for the life of the individual is typically in view.

So also, the word “world” is often used in a figurative sense. While there is a direct reference to “worldly” desires in a negative sense (Tit. 2:12,) there is a direct reference to God’s holy place being “worldly” (Heb. 9:1.) Here, no negative idea is provided. As such, we cannot point to a figurative use of “world,” which is most often associative (typically “metonymy,” which is when you call something one thing while using it to represent another thing, which we see employed a lot in scripture,) to grasp its definitive meaning. It would be like trying to interpret a David Lynch film literally – it just won’t work, so why would you try it?

The problem is that “world” seems to have been a fallback for any difficult term, particularly in the KJV. For some ungodly reason, the words aion, oikumenê, gê, and a handful of Hebrew terms are translated “world” whenever it’s convenient for the translators to do so.

Yes, this means they did not properly achieve the “translating” part of the “translator” job (how were their accolades so gratuitous, again? Negligence, you say?) For hundreds of years, readers, we fools suffer gladly because of this poor work. More than fifty times in the New Testament alone, we fail to apprehend the true meaning of kosmos because it is inserted where it does not belong, obscuring the term with additional input from other writers. This, unfortunately, has created a ripple effect, making it more difficult to apprehend the other three terms (especially aion,) which, if translated properly, would not be such a problem.

The Disruption of the… Hey, Wait a Minute!

Ironically, one of the biggest reasons we misapprehend the word “world” is due to the obfuscation of the word katabolê, which, as we have discussed, must mean disruption, and not foundation. Because the word is so often translated as “foundation,” we have often associated “world” with “earth,” and presumed these two to be interchangeable. When katabolê is translated properly, however, we find ourselves face to face with a startling realization, which unlocks the rest of these passages for us: 

“SYSTEM” and “EARTH” do not carry the same force! These two terms are, simply, not interchangeable, and when the word is referring to earthly things, there is a specific reason that “world” is used, instead of “earth!” A good example is the first appearance of kosmos in the New Testament, Matt. 4:8–

Again the Adversary takes [Jesus] along into a very high mountain, and is showing Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

In this example, it is not simply that “Satan shows Jesus the earth,” but that the individual political constructs of the social order of affairs on the earth are in view. While “world” is used figuratively here in association with earth, the thought is not pointing at the earth, but the scope of Satan’s control.

The World passes

“But wait!” I hear a disembodied voice cry. “If Satan apparently controls the world, as is claimed early in the New Testament, and later, after Jesus’ ascension (2 Cor. 4:4,) then how can any positive reference to the world be interpreted without adjusting our understanding of the term?”

Why, thank you, disembodied voice, for asking this question. If we look back at the passages we’ve considered already (2 Pet. 2:5-6,) we see this word, “world,” front and center–

For [scoffers] want to be oblivious of this, that there were heavens of old, and an earth cohering out of water and through water, by the word of God; through which the then world, being deluged by water, perished.

Just like the past, present, and future reference to “heaven,” we are confronted with this past world, which perishes because of the first earth’s flooding. It is important to note that earth and world receive their own distinct terms, here, delineating the two. It further forces us to recognize that there has been more than one world, or system by which God effects His goal for the eons (which, as far as we know in our Romans study so far, includes the eventual justification of all mankind.)

This helps us apprehend other statements, removing any interpretive reasoning concerning them. We may look at a heavily debated passage as 1 John 2:15-17–

Be not loving the world, neither that which is in the world. If ever anyone is loving the world, the love of the Father is not in him, for everything that is in the world, the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the ostentation of living, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing by, and its desire, yet he who is doing the will of God is remaining into the eon.

We are asked not to love this world, which exists at present, for this world does not have an unconditional love. The love of the Father is absent from those who are loving this world. This passage has often been used to procure hatred toward other individuals, or used by atheists to claim that God hates individuals at present. But when we consider that God is speaking of a system instead of individuals, the passage becomes clearer. This system, which procures nothing but harm for all, carrying selfish, one-dimensional desires, does not reflect the Father, His desires, or His motivations. He stands firmly outside of it, and adamantly demands that it will pass.

That this world is passing by tells us that there are also future worlds. Jesus tells His followers, in John 18:36, that His kingdom “is not of this world.” This fact, that there is at least one world in the past, and at least one world in the future, and that we are in a present world order which will not last, will help us further recognize God’s divisions and demonstrations.

Okay, So… How Many Are There?

There are five different worlds indicated in scripture, for our consideration. Four are most clearly discussed, and the last is presented in implication. They will, for the purposes of our study, be titled as follows:

1.    “Then world” (2 Pet. 3:5)

2.    “Ancient World” (2 Pet. 2:5)

3.    “This world” (John 8:23)

4.    “Kingdom world” or “Regenerated world” (Matt. 19:28, John 18:36,)

5.    “New world” (Rev. 21:1)

In the next article, we will briefly consider each individual world, in preparation for our consideration of “the eons.”

- GerudoKing