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"Kosmos denotes the order of the world, the ordered universe, the ordered entirety of
God's creation, but considered as separated from God. Then, the abode of humanity, or
that order of things in which humanity moves or of which man is the centre . . . . ."
(English and Greek Lexicon--Bullinger).
John's testimony to the kosmos is that "it came into being through Him (The Word)",
whilst Paul noted that, "Sin came into the kosmos" (John 1: 10; Rom. 5: 12). An
original order thus became spoilt.
But this is not the end of the story, for "God loved the kosmos so, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life"; He sent His Son "into the kosmos . . . . . that the kosmos through Him
might be saved". That same Son, as the "Lamb of God" is the One Who "takes away the
sin of the kosmos" (John 3: 16, 17; 1: 29).
Whilst it would take a whole series of articles to do justice to the meaning of kosmos,
enough for the present subject to note that behind the word is the suggestion of order; an
order which proceeded originally from God, but which has become spoilt by sin and is
now considered as separated from, and antagonistic to, God. To be "of the kosmos" is
opposite to being "of God"; "the whole kosmos lies in the wicked one" (I John 4: 4-6;
5: 19). But through God's great love, a work of salvation has been wrought in the
kosmos, a work amongst men, by the Son of God. Through the Gospel of Christ men are
being called back to order, called to be "in the kosmos" but not of it (John 17: 14-16;
James 1: 27; II Pet. 1: 4, etc.), called to exhibit already in this life God's intended order,
by their manner of life:
"For by grace are ye saved . . . . . . . not of works . . . . . . . we are His workmanship
(Gr. poiema), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2: 8-10).
`For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and
beholding your order (Gr. taxis), and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ" (Col. 2: 5).
The Greek word poiema (related to the English "poem") is used in only two places in
the N.T.; in the passage quoted above and Rom. 1: 20. The connection between these
two occurrences is worthy of note, and bears upon the thought of order.
In Rom. 1: 20 the old creation (coming from the hand of God as "very good" and
exhibiting order) is considered evidence for perceiving "the invisible things" of God:
". . . . . ever since the world (kosmos) was created, His invisible nature, His everlasting
power and Divine Being, have been quite perceptible in what He has made (poiema)"
(Moffatt).
It is of course true that since "sin came into the kosmos" disorder has come in with it,
but there is still enough of the original order left to testify to even "His eternal power and
Godhead".
The new creation likewise is to testify to God's order. The members of the Body of
Christ, as part already of that new creation "in Christ Jesus", by their orderly lives, their