Above we find Kosmos, the word translated 'World' which Jesus claims to have overcome.
In brief, Christians believe that Sin entered the world, changing its nature from perfect to imperfect, from incorruptible to corrupted. Sin brought Death; spiritual and physical death for us humans.
Sin also brought separation from God, which is where we are now landing on the concept of Kosmos.
The natural state of man is to be separated from God, to be at odds with Him because of the Sin nature into which we are all born.
Thus, Kosmos. Mankind going his own way away from God, seeking to build civilization, become 'better', to succeed without God. Generation after generation of Mankind ignoring God, refusing to bow the knee, teaching children that their is no God
OR
replacing God with god or gods of their own imaginations. Dog gods and mountain gods and Anubis and Ra and all of that rah rah.
Montaigne wrote: "Man is certainly stark mad. He cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens."
So, by the definition I am working with, Kosmos is the natural corrupted world system within which we all exist that is in opposition to God. That is the world which Jesus overcame by His paying the price for our sins by dying on the cross, a sacrifice in our behalf which satisfied God's justice.
I know that this is all skunkworks and myth to you. I warned that I might spring one more Scripture on you, so guard your mind and prepare your rejectors:
"14But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." 1 Cor 2:14
You might find it troubling that a God whom you think doesn't exist can state your position so clearly.
So, you may ask, why am I, flesh and blood Doug so certain that I am right?
Because I am also spiritual Doug who was spiritually dead, a natural man, until I became 'born again' back in 1979. If you were born later than April 1979...I have been fully convinced of the existence of God since before you were born.
I moved from this Kosmos to being a member of God's family. So, standing outside of it, I can see this Kosmos for the cheap cardboard imitation reality that it truly is, apart from God.
For example-global warming or climate change or whatever they call it next week-I don't worry about that as I know that God is not going to 'destroy the world with a flood'. So no icecaps melting are going to put Iowa underwater.
I also recognize that every man made theology which seeks to supplant God is simply weak tea. No matter how vehemently the Muslim may shout, it doesn't make Allah God. No Mormon is actually birthing spiritual babies which will become gods of their own domains in space.
And no logic or argument Man can come up with will ever change Who God is. The smart money doesn't even try.
5 comments:
Discuss, cuss or diss. Now you might understand more of WHY Doug and his brethren and sistern are the way they are. Or you might not.
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Would that be the same Kosmos that God so loved?
Hi Lu-absolutely yes indeed. The Greek is a form of Kosmos. From the John MacArthur commentary:"God's motive for giving "His indescribable gift" of Jesus Christ (2 Cor9:15) was that He loved the evil sinful world of fallen humanity."
We are at the same impasse as ever: you say, "Strange way to show love-sending people to hell!" while I say, "Love moved Him to come and die in my place so that I could have a relationship with God throughout Eternity."
Think about how you have acted towards God your entire life. If someone acted that way towards you, you would probably hate that person. But He loved this wrecked humanity more than we can possibly comprehend, and came and died in our place to satisfy the Judgement of God. When He didn't have to do so. That is Love.
I wasn't going there this time. It interests me that you so hate the same world that God loved (loves?).
"It interests me that you so hate the same world that God loved (loves?)."
Obviously I'm not as loving as God. I do love the world-I live here, for now-but it is a corrupted evil kosmos in opposition to God. I don't love that.
I AM looking forward to a redeemed Creation which will happen when Christ returns and rules from Jerusalem. It won't be completely redeemed until a thousand years pass, but that is all in His plan. I'm patient. But it will be wonderful to see all of our existence unstained by sin and destruction.
Even now, Lu, though I am still on earth in a corrupt and dying world...I live in God's Kingdom. Which is why we Christians are called 'aliens' in the book of Hebrews-we are no longer part of the kosmos that opposes God.
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