The God of This World

The world has largely chosen its leader, and that leader is not the God of heaven.

The moral trend of the world is directly opposed to the principles of the Bible. Society in general, while maintaining a superficial acknowledgment of God, has largely abandoned faith in God. It is easy to think that the sins of this present world are worse than those of previous ages. Whatever the reality, what is beyond question is that sin is now the prevailing trend in the world.

There appears to be a general acceptance of sin, unlike that which we have seen in recent generations. Society as a whole seems very comfortable in a world that is sinking deeper into evil and vice. Because Satan is “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4, KJV), Christians need to be especially on guard.

If those around me are serving the enemy of souls and my life is indistinguishable from theirs, I need to ask myself who my God really is.

The church also must be alert. Some years ago, Ellen White wrote, “Daily the church is being converted to the world.”* History demonstrates that, often, as goes the world, so goes the church. Surrounded by ungodliness, believers need to be especially vigilant that society’s worldly customs and attitudes don’t become their own. You don’t need to plant weeds in your own garden for weeds to take root.

Seeds from your neighbor’s garden can easily drift into yours.

Without vigilant care and constant attention, even the best garden can be overrun by pests and weeds.

While Satan is the god of this world, he doesn’t need to be the god of you.

Stay close to Jesus today. When His influence in your life is strong, the influence of the world is weak. A heart that is surrendered to Christ will be kept as His fortress. As the world sinks deeper into sin, God’s people can grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus.