It is important and helpful to understand the meaning of words found in the Bible and their meaning in the context of the scriptures. This is important for understanding the meaning in the Christian life.
Today’s word is world, which is the Greek word cosmos. It is found 188 times in the New Testament. The problem with the word cosmos is that it can be used more than one way which can cause confusion and misunderstanding.
There are at least three different ways in which the word cosmos is used:
1. People John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” So, we know that the Lord loves whom? He doesn’t love the world system as we will look at in a moment. He doesn’t necessarily love the planet, but He does love people. He loves people so much that He sent His Son to die for us that we might be saved. The word, world, or cosmos is used in this way.
2. Planets We find that the Lord talks about the planet itself, the sphere of which we live upon, in Matthew 4:8, “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.”
3. System or philosophy The primary way that it is found in the New Testament that really impacts us, is that it is used as a world system. A philosophy of life. A system that permeates everything around us and often within us. It colors the way we think. The things that we value, and the life that we live. Probably the most important passage on that subject is in 1 John 2:15 . . .
