“[Christ] Who gave himself for our sins, [so] that he might deliver us from This Present Evil World [Grk. aion, age], according to the will of God and our Father:” (Galatians 1:4 (KJV)

Now we will consider how “this present evil world [Grk. aion, meaning, ‘age’]” came about and how we as believers shall “overcome the world [Grk. cosmos, the current cosmic arrangement].” Yes, our English word ‘world” in the bible is translated to cover these two significantly different words. It helps to note their meanings.

Let’s now look closer at the word “world” in our key text below:

“³³These things I [Jesus] have spoken unto you, [so] that in me ye might have peace. In the Ye Shall Have Tribulation (Grk. thlipsis, pressure, trouble): but be of good cheer; I have overcome the ‘world.’” (John 16:33 (KJV)

Here above the word “world,” is the Greek “cosmos,” meaning ‘the present arrangement of the universe – the heaven and the earth.’

• The fact is that “the cosmos,” which includes both the heaven and the earth, has been changed in a way that corrupted God’s creation. The major event that caused this was ‘the fall of Lucifer (Satan).’ When he decided he wanted to “be as God” and to be ‘set above God’ (Isaiah 14). As a result, Lucifer was cast down from the 3^rd heaven to the lower heavens where he currently has dominion over “the earth.”

“And he [Jesus] said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18 (KJV)

Thus, Lucifer had first corrupted “the heavens” by persuading one-third of the angelic host to rebel with him against God in favor of Lucifer. Now we can understand why Job could write: “Behold, he [God] putteth no trust in his saints [the angels]; yea, the heavens are NOT clean in his sight.” (Job 15:15 (KJV)

• Lucifer (Satan) then proceeded to corrupt the lower part of the ‘cosmos” called “the earth.” Soon after God created the first man, ‘Adam,’ who was created to “have dominion” over the earth (Gen. 1:26), Lucifer in the form of ‘the Serpent’ lied to deceive and corrupt Adam. The “Serpent” persuaded Eve and Adam to rebel against God’s one instruction. Thereby Satan’s viral infection of ‘Sin’ entered the world and “death by sin.” Adam is the father of all mankind as his lineal descendants, so from that day the Sin infection has passed to every human conceived and born. Thus, David suggests that we are all ‘conceived in sin.’  

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5 (KJV)

Thus, Satan had become “the [false] god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4). To more fully understand the evil that is at work in the world today it is important to understand how that Satan’s most powerful lying deceptions are not among those in bars and strip joints, for he has them as his possession already. Rather, we need to see Satan’s reign in and among the so-called churches of manmade Christendom with its Bible Schools and Seminaries. Satan, who was himself “lifted with pride,” feeds the leaders of these institutions and organization with lust for position, authority, power and recognition.

Organized religion was organized by Satan in accord with man’s now fallen Sin-nature. It is the superficial counterfeit of the genuine church. It is no wonder that the Book of Revelation refers to “the church of Smyrna” as “the synagogue of Satan.” Later in Revelation God says “come out of her my people” (Rev 18:4), referring to those in that day who will come to believe during the Tribulation period and come out of the Antichrist’s one world religious, political, and commercial systems, which will arise during the 7-year Tribulation period.

The result of Sin’s infection is that in and among most man-controlled religious organizations today you would hardly hear of the plain and simple Truths of God’s ‘unconditional pure love,’ ‘pure grace,’ and assurance of Salvation by ‘faith in Christ alone’ as are found in Paul’s epistles for us this age. These liberating Pauline truths are all based upon ‘the Cross of Christ’ with “Him crucified” for us, for Our SINS, then to rise as “the life-giving spirit” (cf. 1Cor 15:45) to as many as will believe.

So today we have Christendom missing in action when people need the truth in order to stand in the face of evil all around us. Yet, much of lost mankind unknowingly hungers for God’s offer of reconciliation and salvation, especially in the light of the ‘birth pangs’ of the soon coming Tribulation that we see on the horizon. I believe we are in the “last days,” coming to the ‘end of this age’ of ‘the pure grace of God’ that offers salvation freely to all who will BELIEVE. The troubles we now see in the USA and the world will soon bring in the Tribulation “wrath of God” as God’s long-promised judgment upon this Christ-rejecting world.

Satan has so corrupted the institutions of so-called Christendom that the ‘modern Bibles’ of today [NIV, NASB, NKJV, ESV, etc.), mostly since 1881, have also been corrupted leaving … out key words and phrases and whole verses. They have changed words and inserted words. Most have eliminated the name “Lucifer” and reduced the frequency of the mention of the “blood” of Christ that alone is able to wash away sins. Thereby, man’s religion has robbed Bible readers of the Truth of God’s word for mankind, thereby robbing believers of ‘the riches of the inheritance that is in Christ Jesus.’ Thankfully, we still have the purest English Bible version, the ‘Kings James Authorized Version of 1611’ for the English-speaking people. It is based upon the most preserved copies (5,366 copies, see New Age Bible Versions by Gail Riplinger) of the oldest Greek and Aramaic text.

Thus, mankind today has a crying need to learn of and receive the truth of God’s grace. He and His loving grace toward us is consistent, abundant, strong, sufficient, and reliable. No matter the state of flux or distress in the world we are secure for eternity ‘in union with Christ.’ Do not be deceived by your eyes. The invisible things of the Lord are real and eternal.

“While we look NOT at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV)

Therefore, we should today be looking for Jesus Christ’s soon coming “in the cloud.” (1Thes 4:13-18).

“For our conversation [Old English for ‘our citizenship’] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ²¹ Who shall change our vile [corruptible] body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious [resurrection] body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV)

The fact is that today anyone who will Trust in Jesus Christ as Savior will be Saved by His GRACE and Stand in His GRACE as an Eternally Secure child of God. One can then walk daily being ‘secure’ in His GRACE. This is all thanks to the Cross-work of our Lord Jesus Christ who alone is ‘God’s Grace-Bearer to Us.’ We as believers now have Christ’s resurrection life in us, which has given us “the blessed hope (the Glorious Expectation),” of dwelling “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor. 5:1b).

“For the law was given by Moses, but [conversely] Grace and Truth Came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17 (KJV)

Thanks be to God for the unchanging “unspeakable gift” of His GRACE toward us “in Christ.” Thus, we may; “In Every Thing Give Thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)