Questions are a good way to teach, that is if reader in this case, is willing to answer the questions. So, lets you and I give it try. Here is the first question, “Do you walk on the world, or do you walk on the earth? Do you dig in earth or do you dig in world? Do you teach the earth or teach the world? Is there a difference between and the earth and the worltd?
When Jesus gave apostles commission, “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”(Mark 16:15), just what was he demanding of them? When in Acts, Jesus said to the apostles to go “unto the uttermost part of the earth” and be witnesses; what did he mean? Is there a difference between the two commands? The word “world” appears 287 times in the Bible and the word earth appears 987 times (KJV). This is not to say that the word “earth” is more important or that the word “world” is less important but informative. As Jesus used both words in giving the commission to the apostles.
While in India I learned how they translated Mark 16:15, as they put it, the apostles were to go and preach in every language, in every tongue and this included the hundreds of tongues in India. They were saying that not one language was to be left out! This sets well with Jesus’ words! However, is there a difference between what Jesus commanded in Mark 16:15 and Acts 1:8? Or is it that these verses compliment each other? Just to get back to our two words, world and earth, did Jesus command the apostles to go and walk in the world in one place, then, in another, tell them to preach the gospel to the whole earth? What would the earth do with the gospel, as it as no ears to hear!
Here is a good text to help us understand the difference in how our two words are used in the New Testament. “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth ( standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:4-7). What was destroyed, the “world” or the “earth?” Go read this text again. Was the “world” destroyed by water or was it the “earth” that was destroyed? The ungodly of that day, like so many today, fail to understand the word of God! It was the “world” that perished and not the earth. We still stand and walk upon the earth that Noah did! “World” after “world” has come and gone but the “earth” still stands! It will stand so long as it pleases God. And the same gosplel the apostles preached we are commissioned to preach as the church of our Lord is taught to preach; “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” Eph 3:11 “According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:9-10). So, let us walk upon God’s earth as we take the soul saving gospel to the world. Are you walking upon God’s earth as you teach the gospel.
How beautiful are the words of God, given by the Holy Spirit, that we might handle it right, Paul wrote these timely words, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Then he continued with these words: “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him” (2 Tim. 2:11).
–Frank R. Williams