For the sake of clearness the various uses of «o(r>ios may be thus tabulated, with the proviso that at certain points classi- fication cannot be more than tentative.
(a) *c6(7^os = adomment (1 P 3-').
(6) = (metaphorically) a universe (Ja 3^.
(c)=oiitovp.evri, the 'world-wide abode of mankind (Ro 18, Col
18, 1 P 59).
(rf) = the Gentile world in contrast with the elect people (Ro 413 1112. 15).
(p)=the terrestrial order, without moral implication : simply as such (1 Co 84 1410, Eph 2'2 (?]), as related to the Creator (;Ac 1724, Ro 120, 1 Co 322, Eph 14, He 43 928, 1 P 120, 2 p 2= 36, Rev 138 178).
(/)=the terrestrial order without moral reference, but as especially associated with humankind (Ro 512> 13, 1 Ti 115 3I8 67, He 105, i,jn 4^), as associated with men and angels (1 Co 49), with the secular activities and relationships ol men (1 Co 731-34,
2 Co 112 [?]).
(.7) = mankind in general (1 Co 413, He 1138).
(/() = material possessions (1 Jn 317).
(i) = the terrestrial order, together with its inhabitants as lying under the power of evil (1 Co 120.21.27.28 213 319 510 62 1132, 2 Co 710, Gal 43 814, Eph 22, Col 28-20, ja 25, 1 Jn 417, Rev 1115).
(j) = the human race as sinful and needing redemption (Ro 36. 19, 2 Co 619, 1 Jn22 414).
(A;) = human society as definitely hostile to Christ, the gospel, and the Church (He 117, ja 127 44, 2 P 14 220, 1 Jn 216- l*- "
31. 13 41. 3. 4. 5. 17 54. 6. 19, 2 Jn 7).
To sum up, the world is an organic whole of being, a system (awiaTTjKO', Col V) in which there
WORLDLIXESS
WORLDLINESS
e9d
is a complete interrolation of parts ; liavinjja trans- itory existence, beginning in time and in time coming to an end, an 'a'on' within an encircling eternity ; not self-originating but created ; in the most ultimate sense God's worUl, because not only created but continually upheld and animateil by Him (Ac 17^); and not only God's world but Christ's, who niediatorially is the source of its exist- ence and the a<:tive principle of its unity (7. r. ). Hut while necessarily retaining its creatnrely depend- ence on God and its natural unity, it has fallen as a whole under the dominion of moral and conse- quently of physical evil. Sin and death entered into the human Cosmos through the disobedience of our first father (Ko 5'-, 1 Co 15'-"-), but anterior to this, and in some causal relation to it, sin was existent in the angelic Cosmos (2 Co 11-', 1 Ti S", 2 P 2^, 1 Jn 3"), and from this source human sin is still inspired (2 Co 4-', Eph 2-, etc.). Into the speculative question of the origin of evil apostolic thought does not enter. It is enough that sin is not inherent in the Cosmos, but entered into it, and that therefore its presence there may come to an end. Christ has come into the Cosmos, directly into the world of mankind, and God is in Him re- conciling it unto Himself. But the .scope of Christ's redeeming work is destined to include the whole Cosmos in both its physical and its spiritual elements (Ro 8'-i, Eph l'», Col 1™, 1 Co \5-*-^']. Yet this ultimate consummation will not be attained within the present ason. That must pass away througli the fires of Divine judgment, before Clirist is uni- versally triumphant, and God is all in all.
This scheme of the world and its history inevit- ably leaves vast (juestions shrouded in mystery, and in its conception of the intermediate process by which nature is operated and governed it moves in regions of ideas which are reniote from those of the modern mind. Yet essentially all that it endeavours to express in the terms of contemporary thought — that man is God's creature and child ; that, therefore, the existing condition of human life is radically abnormal and sinfully wrong, yet is salvable by the sacrificial love of God in Christ ; that the world is God's world, and that, therefore, its existing condition also is abnormal and cannot be otherwise regarded than as the correlate of sin ; that it is a fruitful source of temptation to the evil tendencies in man but also a school of salutary discipline and a field of moral victory for those wlio seek the things that are above ; and that, finally, a new and perfect environment is destined for tlie regenerate and perfected life — all this belongs to what is central and abiding in the Christian faith. See, further, art. Worldliness.
LlTER.vTORE.— V. H. Stanton. art. 'World' in BDB; A. Ritschl and J. Weiss, art. ' Welt ' in PRE3 ; H. Cremer, Lexicon of ST Gref'k'\ Eflinburph, 1880 ; commentaries, esp. J, Weiss, iter ersh' Konnt/ierhrief^, Tubingen, 1910 (particularly the note on l^y- 20), and B. F. Westcott, The Gospel aceordinft to St. John, 2 vols., London, 190S, i. 64 ff. ; W. Beyschlag. XT Theology, Eng. tr., 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1895, ii. 100-109; G. Dalman, The Words of Jesus, Enff. tr., do., 1902. pp. 147-179; W. Bousset, Die Retiai&n des Jtidentmns'^, Berlin, 1906, pp. 278-286 ; M. Dibelius, Die Geisterwelt im Glaubcndes Paulus, Gottingen, 1909. ROBEET LAW.