How Does God View The World Today?
HOW DOES GOD VIEW THE WORLD TODAY?
Yeow Chin Kiong
We cannot know God's perspective of the world today and His will for its inhabitants beyond what He has revealed in the inspired scriptures (Deuteronomy 29:29; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Similarly, we cannot declare His views about mankind's condition and what He intends to do about it unless we are informed of such matters by His oracles (1 Peter 4:11). After all, as God Himself tells us in Isaiah 55:8-9 " 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.' "
Sadly, man's misplaced self-confidence in his own knowledge and ability almost always leads to him coming up with plans and policies which,- though intended to bring about good,- ultimately lead to death and destruction. "There is way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). In Jeremiah 10:23-24, the prophet admits, "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. O Lord, correct me, but with jistice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing." Hence, the need for Christ's disciples to search the scriptures to ascertain our Father's views on our human condition and its dire consequences. And, acquiring God's truth from scripture (John 17:17), we will know what to do to escape the dire consequence we would otherwise suffer (John 8:32).
Scripture is the lens God has provided us through which we are to perceive ourselves and the world around us as our Father perceives it. In our world, we only see wars between nations, crime within and across borders, poverty and great want among some societies and extravegant indulgence in others, global enviromental dislocation resulting from climate change, disease and death. Among humankind, the difference is only the degree of personal suffering individuals experience; physical death awaits us all. And scripture says we ourselves are the cause,- ultimate or proximate, direct or indirect,- of the pain, sorrow and loss we suffer as earth-dwellers.
Three passages of scripture tell us in stark language what is going on in the world as God sees it and we should too. Jesus Christ told His disciples, "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). This is a comprehensive bird's eye view of the woeful human predicament and God's solution. The apostle John was Divinely-inspired to write, "15 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. 16 For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17). This passage describes the self-destructive elements which characterise "all that is in the world" about to meet their end, compared to that which abides forever and how to acquire it.
Also under inspiration, the apostle Paul instructs, "1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4). This is a comment on what should be our correct focus,- our next, eternal life and not our present world!
The completed work of God's only-begotten Son to bring about man's salvation (Matthew 1:21; 18:11) is the only light in what God in His revelation considers a dark world of sinners (Ephesians 6:12; John 3:19-20; 8:12; Colossians 1:13). By itself, this present world and the occupants thereof groan in suffering arising fron the futility and corruption of sin, awaìting in hope for their redemption (Romans 8:18-25, especially verses 21-23). And, for the most part, the suffering is the result of mankind's abuse and misuse of God-given free will, with very little thought to bring about obedience to God's revealed will. God declares in Jeremiah 17:9-10 "9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruits of his doings."
According to God's determination, the final destruction of our fallen world is put off for the moment because He is gracious to give sinners more time to repent (2 Peter 3:9-10). The faithful eagerly await for a far, far better existence than our present world can offer (Revelation 21:1-8; 22:12-14, 20).
[Join us during Year-end Seminar 2026, from 2.00 to 5.30 PM on Saturday 14 November at the assembly premises of the Klang church of Christ (11, Jalan Teluk Pulai, 41100 Klang), when this topic will be elaborated upon from God's word, along with another presentation, "Navigating Through A Chaotic World," both with this year's seminar theme,
"LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS: LIVING AS GOD'S PEOPLE AMID GLOBAL CRISIS"].