Studies from the book of Galatians-Part 1
Gal 1:4 ESV
…who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father…
The world as it is evil. By ‘world’ we refer to this present human age from Adam till today and not the earth. Everything in it is evil and not at all pleasing to God in this state. No matter the attractiveness in the world as it is, the spiritual system that governs it makes it evil. It is not in the state that God desires it to be and so we cannot rejoice in it. There is something that God is preparing that we are to look forward to and it is in this that we rejoice.
The structures in the world are evil. Though they plan to do some ‘good’ but they are motivated by an evil principle.
And why is the world evil? It lies under the power of the Evil one. The Bible calls him, ‘the god of this world’ and ‘the prince of this world.’ He is the brain behind the works in the world. The world itself is established on a principle of lust; lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life are all that are in the world.
So the world is not for the believer to pursue. The things of the world are not to be pursued as if they are our end. We may use the things of the world but must not be possessed by them. We are to seek our deliverance from this present evil age. We should look forward to the time when the Prince of peace would reign in righteousness. There cannot be justice and peace as long as Christ is not the King over the nations. No matter the policies that governments roll out in its constitutions etc, it will not work. It may satisfy the desires of the flesh and body but it will not set at peace the longings of the soul. But when Christ comes to take over the reign of the earth, then it shall be said, the Kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ, then peace and prosperity; equity and justice shall be established.
This world is evil and your hope of deliverance from it is in Christ alone.