What does it mean to be “in” the world, but not “of” the world? What are the things that are in this world and those not of this world? How does a young Christian decide what kind of movies he ought not to watch, what kind of environments he ought to avoid or what activities are “out of bounds”?
Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the
world; we are physically present; this we can’t help. Our Lord says: “I pray
not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest
keep them from the evil” (John 17:15). The only sure ways for a Christian
to be not in the world is by death or migrate to another planet. Paul said we
would have to leave the world altogether if we wanted to truly separate
ourselves from immoral and “worldly” people (1 Corinthians 5:10).
Still, we can be in but
not of the world; this we can help. The things of this
world are those things which are evil, that is, sinful in the sight of God, and
it is those sinful things we should keep away; we need not be a part of them.
As Christians, we have been set apart from the world to a life of holiness
(Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9). It means we have to separate ourselves from
certain worldly activities. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the
world promotes, but we are to transform our minds to that of Jesus Christ
(Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.
The things in this world tend towards worldliness. What
are some of those things? John answers: “Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not
of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”
(1 John 2:15-17).
The “lust of the flesh” refers to the desires
which spring from the appetites and passions, and include any sensual and
impure desires. The “lust of the eyes” refers to any desires aroused by
appeals made to our eyes (example, Matthew 5:28). And the “pride of life”
refers to the vain glory of the world. Those three things belong to the world.
James says the Christian must “keep himself unspotted from the world”
(James 1:27).
Human beings are consumed by lusts. But by remembering
that we are “not of this world,” remembering that these things are just for a
little while and will pass away, perhaps then, we can see them in a different
light (Philippians 3:8-14). We will look forward for something that is eternal
(2 Corinthians 4:18).
We are to follow in the example of faithful Abraham. He
considered his life on this earth as living "in a foreign land …
looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is
God" (Hebrews 11:9-10, ESV). He look forward towards a better
country that is heavenly (Hebrews 11:16).
Abraham was in the world but not of the world. How did
Abraham and the faithful Old Testament men and women of God do it? By faith: “These
all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13,
emphasis mine).
Note those words in bold letters. What do they tell us?
They did not enter heaven in their lifetime; heaven is not a place open for
tourists’ visitation. But they saw it through the eyes of faith and were fully
persuaded, that is, they had no doubt of its existence. They even embraced it
as if they already had it. The word “embraced” also has the idea “to welcome,
to greet” (Strong’s Definition). The picture is of sailors in a ship waving to
a land as it approaches.
Do you have such faith as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses,
and many others Old Testament heroes? When we set our sight on the heavenly
home, we will see the things of this world in different light. We will even see
our suffering in different perspective (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
We are not of this world. Let us set our sight on
heaven. I am waving at it now; are you?
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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