What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

[Calshua]

Greetings, dear fellow christians! I am a little confused about the word "world" in the New Testament Bible. Is the "world" bad and evil? What is the accurate meaning?

Colossians 2:20 "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations"
Titus 2:12 "teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
James 1:27 "Pure and underfiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
James 4:4 "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you net know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

These verses apparently, shows "the world" is against christianity. A true christian must cut off all the relationship with "the world", but another verse we are familiar with says,
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that..."

So, the question is: what is the difference between these two kinds of "world"? If the later "world" in John 3:16 means the people in the world, what does the former "world"s mean?

Does the former "world" mean bad side of the things in the world, like all kinds of crimes (or sins), lustful and greedy thoughts, etc. ? Should it include, for example, Fashions, songs (both pop and classic), arts (both religious and post-modernism), sciences and technologies(both improving man's life and damaging human race) ?

I've heard someone says "For a christian, laughing too much or speaking too much is a worldly behavior." But we are living in the world, stay together with the people in the world, both christians and non-christians, and may doing some sort of "world" things. How can we judge which is worldly and which is godly? And how can we distinguish this "world" to that "world" without making ourselves "an enemy of God"?


--------
Thanks for your attentions and helpful explanations!
God bless!

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

The version of the quoted Bible is NKJV.

 

[follower2]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

Where did you hear that? Laughing too much, or speaking too much is a worldly behavior?

 

[Tintin]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

In this context, "the world" is anything that isn't of God's Kingdom - anything that promotes sin/isn't of God. I've also heard that Christians shouldn't joke around or have too much fun because it's 'worldly'. What a load of bollocks! That's not the truth. Christ gives us abundant lives and that calls for enjoying Him and the people he has blessed us with.

 

[crossnote]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

World usually refers to this age, this system it's formation and fashion of thought. If you're going along with the crowd you are probably being worldly since the god of this world (satan ) blinds and leads them along.

 

[TruthTalk]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

Greetings, dear fellow christians! I am a little confused about the word "world" in the New Testament Bible. Is the "world" bad and evil? What is the accurate meaning?
Thanks for your attentions and helpful explanations!
God bless!

Hi Calshua, all that I can tell you is how I was taught to get the clearest understanding of what God's word is saying to me.
And that is to look up each passage of scripture and look at the various definitions of similar "key"words in context of what that passage is teaching me. Thats pretty easy to say but not so easy to do. Lets say I'm studying Jesus Christ temptation in the wilderness Matt.4:1-11 - and I wish to know exactly how Jesus overcame temptations - well, I would begin by doing a word study on temptations. What is wonderful about this is method of study is that I see more clearly Jesus the word of life.

"teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
denying ungodliness and worldly lust -Def; “worldly” Greek transliteration -“kosmikos” (adj.
belonging to the earth ie; having the character of this (present) corrupt age.
biblesuite.com/greek/2886 - Definitions are from Stongs Concordance - not me of course


I love your flag above your avatar - and I hope this was helpful... God bless!

 

[didymos]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

'World, the'

The created order in the totality of its space and time. The development of the biblical concept and the varieties of ways in which the term is used become evident when the Old Testament uses, Greek concept, and New Testament uses are considered in sequence...

(See: http://www.studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T6478

since I don't want to paste the whole text here)

 

[nathan3]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

I think its just what sins are outlined in the Bible. so it should not be so confusing or hard to distinguish between what is right from wrong .

 

[john832]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

There are several Greek words for world in the N.T., such as...

G2889
κόσμος
kosmos
kos'-mos
Probably from the base of G2865; orderly arrangement, that is, decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): - adorning, world.

G165
αἰών
aiōn
ahee-ohn'
From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare G5550.

G166
αἰώνιος
aiōnios
ahee-o'-nee-os
From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): - eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

G3625
οἰκουμένη
oikoumenē
oy-kou-men'-ay
Feminine participle present passive of G3611 (as noun, by implication of G1093); land, that is, the (terrene part of the) globe; specifically the Roman empire: - earth, world.

Which word are you referring to? What verse is the word that you are interested contained in?

 

[4enlightment]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

Greetings, dear fellow christians! I am a little confused about the word "world" in the New Testament Bible. Is the "world" bad and evil? What is the accurate meaning?

Colossians 2:20 "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations"
Titus 2:12 "teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
James 1:27 "Pure and underfiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
James 4:4 "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you net know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

These verses apparently, shows "the world" is against christianity. A true christian must cut off all the relationship with "the world", but another verse we are familiar with says,
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that..."

So, the question is: what is the difference between these two kinds of "world"? If the later "world" in John 3:16 means the people in the world, what does the former "world"s mean?

Does the former "world" mean bad side of the things in the world, like all kinds of crimes (or sins), lustful and greedy thoughts, etc. ? Should it include, for example, Fashions, songs (both pop and classic), arts (both religious and post-modernism), sciences and technologies(both improving man's life and damaging human race) ?

I've heard someone says "For a christian, laughing too much or speaking too much is a worldly behavior." But we are living in the world, stay together with the people in the world, both christians and non-christians, and may doing some sort of "world" things. How can we judge which is worldly and which is godly? And how can we distinguish this "world" to that "world" without making ourselves "an enemy of God"?


--------
Thanks for your attentions and helpful explanations!
God bless!

Earthly realm and or the ways of the Humanoids.

 

[BananaPie]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

...I've also heard that Christians shouldn't joke around or have too much fun because it's 'worldly'...

LOL. ...like they say down Baptist Lane: "Don't cuddle with your BF because it will lead to square dancing!"

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

Where did you hear that? Laughing too much, or speaking too much is a worldly behavior?

I can't remember exactly where was been told. But think it is probably from some solumn people of very solumn church. Maybe just a preconception of someone. What I want to assure here is laughing, speaking or things the like could not show a person is wordly or not. Right?

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

In this context, "the world" is anything that isn't of God's Kingdom - anything that promotes sin/isn't of God. I've also heard that Christians shouldn't joke around or have too much fun because it's 'worldly'.

Glad to hear you have some similar experiences with me.

What a load of bollocks! That's not the truth. Christ gives us abundant lives and that calls for enjoying Him and the people he has blessed us with.

Yes. I can't agree with you more. We should be very serious before God, but we also promised abundant lives.

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

I love your flag above your avatar - and I hope this was helpful... God bless!

Thank you! That's really helpful, especially your provided website of checking "Definitions from Stongs Concordance"!
By the way, like your avatar also.

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

I think its just what sins are outlined in the Bible. so it should not be so confusing or hard to distinguish between what is right from wrong .

Yes, yes. "it should not be so confusing or hard to distinguish between what is right from wrong". I just want to learn more precise definitions of some words in the Bible and how to better regulate my christian life. And moreover, the next time my atheist friends challenge the authority of the Bible, I would know more how to give them correct understanding.

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

There are several Greek words for world in the N.T., such as...

G2889
κόσμος
kosmos
kos'-mos
Probably from the base of G2865; orderly arrangement, that is, decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): - adorning, world.

G165
αἰών
aiōn
ahee-ohn'
From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare G5550.

G166
αἰώνιος
aiōnios
ahee-o'-nee-os
From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): - eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

G3625
οἰκουμένη
oikoumenē
oy-kou-men'-ay
Feminine participle present passive of G3611 (as noun, by implication of G1093); land, that is, the (terrene part of the) globe; specifically the Roman empire: - earth, world.

Which word are you referring to? What verse is the word that you are interested contained in?

Here I check out the numbered Greek work should be 2889, κόσμος kosmos. But the "world" in John 3: 16, is seemingly also the same original Greek word, 2889, κόσμος kosmos. So I guess the meanig here is more close to "worldly affairs", and "God so loved the world" means "God loved the inhabitants of the world". Is this sounds a decent understanding?

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

Earthly realm and or the ways of the Humanoids.

Sorry, but "earthly realm" and "ways of the humanoids" still seem a little bit abstract and abstruse to me. (Maybe because I'm a student of physical science...) Any specific points?

 

[Calshua]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

LOL. ...like they say down Baptist Lane: "Don't cuddle with your BF because it will lead to square dancing!"

What is "square dancing"? A kind of forbidden dance?

 

[Widdekind]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

that is a comprehensive summary, which could include ge (G1093) = "land"

(G165) aion = eon (age)
(G1093) ge = land
(G2889) cosmos = world
(G3625) oikoumene = civilization (literally "houses", "villages")​

with extensions:

(G3956 + G1093) pas ge = every land
(G3650 + G3625) holos oikoumene = whole of civilization = Parthian + Roman empires​

Translations most accurately maintain the meaning of the original language, when one word always translates to one other word (1:1). No current translation seems so. Someone savvy with computers could create a "machine literal" translation (1:1), which would minimize mis-understandings.

Of the above, all deal with space, except aion = eon (age) = time.

There are several Greek words for world in the N.T., such as...

G2889
κόσμος
kosmos
kos'-mos
Probably from the base of G2865; orderly arrangement, that is, decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): - adorning, world.

G165
αἰών
aiōn
ahee-ohn'
From the same as G104; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare G5550.

G166
αἰώνιος
aiōnios
ahee-o'-nee-os
From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): - eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

G3625
οἰκουμένη
oikoumenē
oy-kou-men'-ay
Feminine participle present passive of G3611 (as noun, by implication of G1093); land, that is, the (terrene part of the) globe; specifically the Roman empire: - earth, world.

Which word are you referring to? What verse is the word that you are interested contained in?

 

[forsha]

Re: What is the exact meaning of the word "world" in the New Testament Bible?

Greetings, dear fellow christians! I am a little confused about the word "world" in the New Testament Bible. Is the "world" bad and evil? What is the accurate meaning?

Colossians 2:20 "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations"
Titus 2:12 "teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."
James 1:27 "Pure and underfiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
James 4:4 "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you net know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

These verses apparently, shows "the world" is against christianity. A true christian must cut off all the relationship with "the world", but another verse we are familiar with says,
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that..."

So, the question is: what is the difference between these two kinds of "world"? If the later "world" in John 3:16 means the people in the world, what does the former "world"s mean?

Does the former "world" mean bad side of the things in the world, like all kinds of crimes (or sins), lustful and greedy thoughts, etc. ? Should it include, for example, Fashions, songs (both pop and classic), arts (both religious and post-modernism), sciences and technologies(both improving man's life and damaging human race) ?

I've heard someone says "For a christian, laughing too much or speaking too much is a worldly behavior." But we are living in the world, stay together with the people in the world, both christians and non-christians, and may doing some sort of "world" things. How can we judge which is worldly and which is godly? And how can we distinguish this "world" to that "world" without making ourselves "an enemy of God"?


--------
Thanks for your attentions and helpful explanations!
God bless!

The word "WORLD" in John 3:16 according to Thayer's Greek interpretation is pertaining to believers only, and not all mankind.