“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Romans 12:2 instructs: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“, and 1 John 2:15 states, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount, “You cannot serve two masters” Matthew 6:24. Repeatedly, Scripture talks of the perishable and the imperishable, the temporal and the eternal. As Christians, we simply cannot give our attention to both. We either live in this world with eternity in mind or we don’t. As Blakey put it, we must ask ourselves: “Do I want the new Heaven and new Earth later or this world now?”

Asking the question, however, is just the beginning. We should have an answer to it as well. Especially because our answer to that question says a lot about what we love, where our hope is placed, and, perhaps most strikingly, where we may be headed when we’re no longer walking the earth. Our answer is a matter of life or death; obedience or rebellion; truth or deceit. Our answer may well determine whether we truly understand the difference between being in the world and being of the world.

To desire this world implies a desire for the temporary. Fading pleasures and perishable goods often lure people astray. Instant gratification and selfish ambition cause many to feel as though this world offers more than it really does. After all, life is a highway, right? “We only live once,” as they say, so why not make the most of it by doing whatever we want whenever we want?

To choose this world now inevitably means whatever lies beyond the grave is a mere afterthought — if even a thought at all. The author of Ecclesiastes makes this point throughout the whole book: “All is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 8:15a states, “And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful.” Within its proper context, this verse is not advocating for a hedonistic lifestyle — one that places pleasure as the highest good and aims for pleasure. Rather, the point it’s making reflects the primary theme of Ecclesiastes, namely, that nothing really matters apart from God.

All is vanity when we try to live separately from our Creator and rely on our own devices. Our purpose is uprooted and lost in a flood of uncertainty. Hopes and dreams may live on, but to what end? Without objective truth in mind, love, joy, peace, and all biblical fruit carry completely different meanings. In fact, at the heart of some of the most secular ideas is this sense of “I can be my own god,” “no truth is final,” and “this life is ultimately about me.” Almost anyone can walk around believing they’re not voluntarily choosing hell. Who in their right mind would boast about such a choice? However, by choosing this world, one is, in effect, choosing that which we dare not consider.

It’s easy to laugh off the decisions we make in our day-to-day. “Oh, I didn’t know any better.” “I was just having a bad day.” “We all make mistakes, right?” Sure, we are allowed to make mistakes and have bad days. The natural conclusion of living as sinners in a fallen world is that we will make mistakes and have bad days. But for those who are called to righteousness, we cannot allow that to become our excuse for letting poor decisions and misguided priorities be the norm.

As Christians, we should not crave the world we currently reside in but look to God for what He has for us when Jesus Christ returns first to rapture the Saints and then to pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world. Biblical end-times prophecies reveal that Satan’s rule over planet Earth is coming to an end. What is next on God’s agenda for planet Earth is Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. Jesus and the glorified Saints will rule and reign on this Earth for 1000 years to complete the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants. This Earth still has 1,000 years with Jesus and the Saints ruling with a rod of iron. “

“She gave birth to a male child (Jesus), one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.” Revelation 12:5-6

“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.” Revelation 2:26-27

“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.“ Revelation 19:15a

It is obvious that on the new Heaven and new Earth where only righteousness dwells Jesus and the Saints will not need to rule with a rod of iron. Jesus Millennial Kingdom is a transition period. Jesus must reign over his kingdom until he has defeated all his enemies. Once this is accomplished, Jesus will hand over the kingdom to the Father. When the Kingdom of God is handed over to the Father, it will be free of sin and death, identifying it as the Eternal State (Revelation 21:4, 8).

” Peter described us as “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11). The truth is, we don’t actually belong here. When we were born again we were made to be with Christ, worshipping and having fellowship with Him and His people. As Christians, we understand we have a role in this world and should strive to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. We should be salt and light, using our gifts and abilities to serve, bless, and care for others. Christians should be trying to have influence, and we do so by tying everything back to the gospel.

As forgiven sinners, Christians should be defined by our gratitude for what Christ did on the cross for our sake. Believers should be bursting at the seams to share this gloriously Good News with those who are of the world! We do this because we are not of the world. We’re merely in it for a time. We’re just passing through. The church cannot choose this world now because our entire existence is rooted in what comes next – Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom.