This is the first of a three-part series on the identity and manifestations of the spirit of the world. It is imperative that we understand this so that we can strive to do what St. Paul advises us in Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
INTRODUCTION
I once listened to a lecture in my parish on the identity and manifestations of the spirit of the world. As I listened, I thought at first that it was a peculiar message, but then I realised that I had been a victim of this spirit of the world from time to time.
The spirit of the world denies the supremacy and dominion of God as seen in the serpent’s utterance to Eve in Genesis 3:4-5 “…You certainly will not die! God knows well that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, who know good and evil.” He stated that we become like thieves when we succumb to this spirit of the world because God made us for Himself to be in union with Him and we are not meant to be gods unto ourselves, as Eve had tried to be. Eve succumbed to the spirit and robbed God by seeking to break away and be a god unto herself. How many times do we fall into this trap? I often hear people say that they are not proud, but just confident. The test is whether in esteeming themselves, they attribute all they have and are to God who gave them and made them for His pleasure or whether they adopt the stance that they are self-made.
HOW DOES IT MANIFEST
Now this spirit of the world is as cunning as the world in which it operates. 1 John 2:15-17 states, “Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remain forever.” This passage explains the five ways in which this spirit manifests:
- Concupiscence of the eyes, or enticement for the eyes, the lust of the eyes, avarice, covetousness
- Concupiscence of the flesh, or sensual lust, the lust of the flesh, inordinate desire for physical gratification
- Pride of life, or a pretentious life, arrogance or ostentation in one’s earthly style of life that reflects a wilful independence from God and others
- Disobedience of God’s law
- Abuse of created things
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains in paragraph 1264 that there is “an inclination to sin that Tradition calls concupiscence, or metaphorically, “the tinder for sin” (fomes peccati); since concupiscence ‘is left for us to wrestle with, it cannot harm those who do not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of Jesus Christ.’” This concupiscence is a tinder for sin and a flammable substance used to light a fire. It shows itself in an intense form of human desire which contradicts reason.
CONCUPISCENCE OF THE EYES
This is arguably the subtlest of all forms of manifestation, especially when we hear phrases like “there’s no harm in looking.” This tinder shows itself in an unwholesome curiosity and inordinate love of the world’s goods and material possessions. What better way for the spirit of the world to manifest than to show itself in this kind of love and attraction to things of the world? We should not forget that the eyes are the window of the soul so we should not adopt the adage that there is no harm in looking.
I recall having to pray my way out of an image that I automatically downloaded from a WhatsApp group. After such an ordeal, I immediately changed my WhatsApp settings to manual download. For those who have not yet done that, I highly recommend you do because all it takes is a single snapshot of the retina. I even go as far as not opening any image until I seek confirmation from the sender as to what it is. Social media is awash with so much gruesome and tempting images which pop into our minds at the most inopportune times and lure us to succumb to the spirit of the world against which we must protect ourselves indeed.
The importance of the eyes is littered in scripture; so much so that Jesus advises us to pluck out our eyes if they are causing us to sin in Matthew 18:9 – “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into fiery Gehenna”.
With regard to covetousness and longing for material possessions, I’ve realised that the more materials you acquire, the more your soul is endangered. No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 19:24 that “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Having an inordinate love of the world’s goods and material possessions robs us of charity, preventing us from truly giving ourselves in service of God and neighbour. God is charity, so in essence, we are robbing God when we find ourselves succumbing to this spirit.
Part 2 of this series will be published Sunday 25th February 2018.
Ndidi Edeoghon is a highly exposed and seasoned international lawyer. She holds a degree in Law and French from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a Masters (LL.M) in International Dispute Resolution from the University of London.
She is passionate about the youths, and her passion led her to form Ambassadors Initiative For Youth Development and Conflict Resolution, a non-governmental organisation which promotes the ideals of the UN in schools and helps groom future international leaders (www.una-nig.org). She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, lectures part time at the University of London, and is currently pursuing a PhD in International
Law.
