We were attending a Bible study home group when the question arose whether there was anyone in control of the world and society, or whether it was spiralling out of control because it did not have and did not recognise a 'captain' who had the right to exercise ultimate control, be deferred to, command respect and obedience.

The central role of a captain

Imagine a cruise ship or jetliner where the crew did not acknowledge the authority of the captain. Imagine the football or cricket team running onto the field minus a leader.

The first action of Cricket Australia after the departure of the team captain was to appoint a new leader: a necessary role to be filled for exercising command on the field.

Decisions had to be made on the field, not by someone on the sideline or in the coach's box. The field had to be set for the next bowler. Did the football team kick for goal or attempt to score a try? Someone 'at the coalface' had to make that decision which had to be respected and obeyed by the rest of the team, otherwise chaos would follow.

Is anyone in control of 'team world'?

We live on (and call home) planet earth as it rockets through space at nearly 30 kilometres per second or 108,000 kms per hour. Does our rocket ship have a captain?

At that Bible study I mentioned that the world was under the control of Satan. We know that the whole world is under the control of the evil one (1 John chapter 5 verse 19).

When Jesus was tempted by Satan who showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world, Satan said: "I will give You all their authority and splendour if You worship me. Jesus replied: Worship the LORD your God and serve Him only" (Luke chapter 4 verse 8).

Regarding Satan's control, the startling events reported daily on the evening news and in the print media confirm the truth of 1John chapter 5, verse 19.

Team world is unravelling as predicted in the Bible (Revelation), but sadly/tragically the majority of the team does not recognise the Captain nor respect His authority.

The ultimate reality is that: the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John chapter 4 verse 4) even though those who are of this world merely speak from the viewpoint of the world and [tragically] the world [only] listens to them (1 John chapter 4, verse 5).

Knowledge, effectiveness and productiveness

My statement shocked a lady in the group who protested that I was incorrect. Regrettably (on this point) this lady did not know her Bible. God expects and requires us to grow in knowledge. That's why He tells us to make every effort to add to your faith goodness and [to add to your goodness] knowledge (2 Peter chapter 1 verses 5/6).

The effect of such growth is then explained. If you possess these qualities in increasing measure they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ (2 Peter chapter 1 verse 8).

God then explains what will be the opposite outcome. But if anyone does not have [these described qualities in increasing measure] they are shortsighted and blind (2 Peter chapter 1 verse 9). We run the risk of being as uninformed now as when we entered the church.

The same divine thought was expressed some 10 centuries before Christ. It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way (Proverbs chapter 19 verse 2). And this warning: do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him (Proverbs chapter 29 verse 20).

George Eliot put it thus: "Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact."

Is Satan in ultimate control?

Now is the time for judgment on this world: now the prince of this world [Satan] will be driven out: "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth will draw all men to Myself. He said this to show the kind of death He was going to die" (John chapter 12 verses 31-33).

Jesus' kingdom of righteousness is not established militarily and it has not been established in this world yet. His prayer for us to His heavenly Father is: "not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of it" (John chapter 17 verses 15/16).

The Captain of team world

Comfortingly, Satan is on the end of God's short leash; it is God Who is ultimately in firm control. The world does have a Captain, and each of us living in 'team world' needs to both recognise and acknowledge Him, and become an effective, energetic team player. Otherwise the headlines are only going to become progressively worse.