The Enemies of Humanity

Scriptural Text: Ephesians 2:2

The Many Influences of the Times

Politics, religion, and economics has influence society in many ways. Respectfully, the government with unrestrained federal power, the wasting of money, unnecessary regulations and laws that has stifle capitalistic progress; the tolerance of the many facets of religion at the expense of rejecting absolute truth (Godly principles); and finally, economics used as a tool of control and manipulation. These are the goods that have become evil because of the absence or the rejection of God in our societies today. (486 Comments)

This is very profound, in agreement with Dr. MacArthur, how we respond to moral issues in our time is not determine by politics, economics, personal preference, popular opinion, or human reasoning, but by what God has revealed to us that is true about ourselves and this world. (210 comments)

The presence of Secular Humanism, Marxism, and New Age movements are in the educational system, businesses, politics, and the media. Their views have been directly or indirectly influenced by the ideas of the former.

The Secular Humanism contend that our hope for a utopian society is through human beings, whereas science is the ultimate vehicle we ride to get there. Marxism has somethings in common with humanism, however, marxism contend a socialist government approach to establish a utopian state. Under the socialist ideals the governments dictates how much wealth you should have. Capitalism and religion will be the ills to the society.

Contrary to Secular Humanism and Marxism, the New Age movement believes if we humans achieve a perfected nature (a psychological higher - consciousness), because there is a god in us (all is God), with this spiritual consciousness we can usher in an utopian society. (502 comments)

The causes of these influences is sin:

What is sin? Milliard Erickson gives this simple definition:

"Sin is any lack of conformity, active or passive, to the moral law of God. This may be a matter of act, of thought, or of inner disposition or state."

And there are three conduits of sin:

The Bible teaches that there are three forms of evil influence that exert their power over the lives of people to lead them into transgression and away from God.

These three enemies are simply described as the world, the flesh, and the devil. In some passages of the Bible, one of these sources of evil influence might be discussed more than the other two, but in general, the Bible maintains a balance among these three evil influences.

The passage that brings out this balance most clearly is Ephesians 2:1–3: The linking of these three categories can also be seen in James (see James 3:15) and John (see 1 John 2:15–17; 3:7–10).

In an examination of our passage

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed

[(1) The World] the ways of this world(Thinking)

The Word of God repeatedly refers to the world, not as a geographical place, but as a state or condition of existence. He (Satan) operates through the organized system of the world as means to accomplish his ends.

God hates the world system, however. The world system also hates Him (John 7:7; 14–17). Its philosophies of life blind men to God’s love and reinforces their sinful separateness from him.

John 7:7 (NKJV) 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

In this sense, we could define our enemy, the world, as the collective, social expression of the activities of our other two enemies, the enemy from within, the flesh, and the enemy from without, evil supernaturalism.

Therefore the world means,  It means “human life and society as far as alienated from God, through being centered on material aims and objects, and thus opposed to God’s Spirit and kingdom.”

Christ said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you … the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Love of the world means the forgetfulness of the eternal future by reason of love for passing things.

How can the world be overcome? Not by education, not by experience; only by faith.

The world is the unhealthy social environment in which we live. This includes the ungodly aspects of culture, peer pressure, values, traditions, “what is in,” “what is uncool,” customs, philosophies, and attitudes.

The world represents the prevailing worldview assumptions of the day that stand contrary to the biblical understanding of reality and biblical values.

Though the world is fallen, God still loves the world and is committed to it. Commitment by believers to worldly pursuits and evil is to be avoided as they are called upon to be “in the world” but “not of the world”.

Commitment to this world to be avoided because it is a fallen and sinful place (Ga 1:4; 1 Jn 5:19; See also 2 Co 4:4; Eph 2:2; Eph 6:12; 2 Pe 1:4; 1 Jn 2:16–17; 1 Jn 3:1; 1 Jn 3:13

Galatians 1:4 (ESV) — 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

1 John 5:19 (ESV) — 19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

[(2) The Devil(influencer)] the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying

The devil is an intelligent, powerful spirit-being that is thoroughly evil and is directly involved in perpetrating evil in the lives of individuals as well as on a much larger scale.

Paul also reveals that Satan is “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.” This suggests his role as leader of a host of other powerful spirits who assist him in carrying out his designs.

[(3) The Flesh(Habits] the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.

Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

The flesh is the inner propensity or inclination to do evil. It is the part of our creatureliness tainted by the fall that remains with us until the day we die. It is our continuing connection to this present evil age, which is destined to perish but against which we must struggle now.

As Christians, however, we are new creatures and the compelling influence of the flesh has been broken by Christ’s death on the cross. Nevertheless, this inner compulsion continually seeks to reassert its claim and we can only resist it by the power of the Holy Spirit (see esp. Gal. 5:16–17).

The Flesh— The term living in the flesh refers to living out of one’s own resources instead of out of Christ’s resources.

— The “power of sin” (Romans chapter 7) is at work through the flesh of a person, whether saved or unsaved, and is demonstrated by going one’s own way instead of God’s way.

“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature [flesh]. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (Romans 7:18)

The Bible therefore reveals that Christians not only continue to struggle with the inner propensity to evil and the powerful impact of worldview and culture, but also with a personal, supernatural being that is also bent toward doing evil. It is crucial to recognize that these three influences do not work separately but in concert.

The only way of escape is entering by faith into a union with the Lord Jesus Christ, which results in God bestowing on us the gift of life (Eph. 2:4–10). 

ConclusionThe dividing line between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God is drawn by the choices we make.

Each choice has a negative or positive consequence. There is no gray area. Therefore, it is very important we make informed choices.     

When faced with tough choices, sometimes it is easier to settle for the convenient, the expedient, and the less accountable. When life presents challenges, we should use wisdom to help us make the right choices, make decisions with integrity, and live with excellence (The book of Wisdom). King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived wrote, "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered" (Prov.28:26). He also compared wisdom to honey, "Its good, a sweet taste to your soul. If you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off" (Prov.24:13-14).

Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7 NKJV)