culture that had been built by humanity. This was the framework within which people lived in cities and villages, farmed the land, spoke common languages, and engaged in commerce. Their kosmos included government structures and religious institutions. Perhaps the closest equivalent for us today would be the concept of civilization. For the apostle John, the world (kosmos) is a hostile, dangerous place that is in rebellion against God. It has rejected God’s standards and embraced sin instead. To use
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