The World System
The World System is a creation of Satan in response to Cain killing Abel that is designed to control the human sin nature by developing and using, commerce, culture, industry, and a judicial system.
Cain and Abel
Cain’s sacrifice to God was a result of Satan influencing him to offer the works of his hand rather than a proper peace offering like Abel offered. When God walked among them, He did not look at Cain’s offering, but did at Abel’s. This made Cain very angry.
God spoke with Cain about his attitude and reminded him that he was responsible for managing his sin nature. Whether or not, if you do good you will be lifted up, but if you do not do good the sin lies at the opening and its desire is unto you but you are to rule over it, Genesis 4:7
Cain’s reaction was to sacrifice his brother because his works were malignantly evil, where his brother’s were righteous. His works were malignantly evil because through his works Cain sought to influence others to follow him.
Not just as Cain who was out from the malignantly evil one and slew as a sacrifice his brother. And for what favor did he slay him? because his works were malignantly evil but his brother’s righteous, 1 John 3:12
Cain expressed the difficulty he was having with managing his sin nature to God after he was punished in Genesis 4:13, And Cain said to Jehovah, “My perversity is to great for me to bear.”
Cain was referring to his perversity, not the punishment God placed upon him. He was unable through his own strength to control his sin nature.
Examples of how עָוֹן is translated in other passages: Psalm 18:23; Job 7:21; 1 Samuel 3:13; Malachi 2.6. This word is found around 233 times in Scripture and is describing the perversity that comes from the sin nature.
The First World System
Through Cain’s line, Satan created a system of commerce, culture, industry, and justice that were all designed to lead men away from God and allow him to control man’s sin nature.
Commerce:
And Adah gave birth to Jabal. He became a father of those who dwell in tents and cattle, Genesis 4:20
Culture:
And the name of his brother was Jubal. He become a father of all the ones playing the lyre and pipe, Genesis 4:21
Industry:
And Zillah, she also gave birth unto Tubal-cain the one hammering all implements of bronze and iron, Genesis 4:22
Judicial:
And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, “Hear my voice, you wives of Lemech, give ear to my speech because I have killed a man for wounding me and a boy for striking me. Because seven fold Cain was to be avenged then Lemech seventy times seven, Genesis 4:23, 24
The World System’s Indifference to Christians
Although often translated as hatred, the world system does not express hate towards Christians; rather, indifference. It does not care whether or not a Christian succeeds so long as it benefits. This means there are times where the World System will use Christianity for its own purpose. When it comes to its own, the world system expresses fondness. This is why it is hostility towards God when a saint become friends with the world.
Since the world is indifferent to you, you experientially know that it was indifferent to Me before you, John 15:18
If you were out from the world, the world is fond of its own, but because you are not out from the world but I have chosen you out from the world, because of this the world is indifferent to you, John 15:19
Stop marveling, brethren, if the world is indifferent to you, 1 John 3:13
The Temptations of the World System
Stop loving the world and the things of the world, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all the things in the world: the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life are not out from the Father, but out from the world, 1 John 2:15, 16
- The desires of the flesh
- The desires of the eyes
- The pride of biological life
In Christ We are Dead to the World System
For the grace of God shines the salvation to all men, teaching (child training) us in order that deny the ungodliness and the worldly desires, we should live soberly (saved frame of mind) and righteously and godly in the present age, Titus 2:12
Use it, but do not abuse it
and those using this world as not abusing for the outward form of this world is passing away, 1 Corinthians 7:31
Defense against the World System
Our defense against the sin nature involves understanding that because Christ chose us we are no longer part of the world system. Although for now we live among it, it is not something that should overtake our lives so that we are caught up in the same way unsaved are and cradled into passively obeying it.
We have died to the world system in Christ. Death always refers to separation not annihilation; therefore, we use it, but we are not to abuse it. Remember, its desires are passing away. It seeks to keep the minds of those it controls in a state that allows Satan to easily manipulate them through cultural(social), legal, industrial, and judicial means.