‘This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith’ (1 John 5:4).
The word ‘world’ is clearly used in a metaphorical sense. In fact, John gives us a definition of what he means by the world–
For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (I John 2:16).
There are some who see John’s definition paralleling the temptations that Jesus faced in the desert. He was confronted by three suggestions–‘the cravings of sinful man’; ‘the lust of the eyes’; and ‘the boastings of what he has and does.’
Just as Jesus overcame these temptations, so can we. God has designed us to exercise mastery over the world and all its allurements. In order to exercise mastery over the world, it is first necessary to master ourselves. The original word for ‘self’ in Scripture is ‘flesh’. Basically, it means the sinful human nature. Living in the image of God means exercising mastery over oneself.
To read more on this topic see Living in the Image of God, Barry Chant (Miranda: Tabor, 2012 available in eBook and Paperback) from which this edited extract is taken.