What Does It Mean To Be In The World Not Of The World?

I was asked an interesting question the other day by a fellow Christian I would like to share. It was, "How can we honestly live in this world and not be a part of it as we are instructed in 1 John 2:15-17?" It is written in scripture like this, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Then she went on, "Isn't that unrealistic? I mean, the world is all around me. How can I not be a part of it?" It's a legitimate question!
First of all, we must understand the context in which Jesus used the word 'world.' Of course, there is our physical earth: the physical globe, the physical universe (Hebrews 1:2; John 13:1). We can see these as concrete objects. However, most of the time when the Bible speaks about the world it is referring to the humanistic, corrupt value system that is at odds with God (Matthew 18:7; John 15:19; John 4:5). Confusion may arise for some when they read GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD. That sounds like a contradiction if we're asked NOT to love the world but God does? To the worldly or unlearned, it is a contradiction! But in reality, it is not. We have to keep things in context.

The Bible also informs us, "Satan is the god of this world." Satan is the god of everything that's wrong, everything that's evil, not concrete things in and of themselves. Satan's value system is contrary to God's (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 2:16). When the Bible says God so loved the world, it is referring to the human beings who live here (1 John 4:9). The scripture which says, "Satan is the god of this world" is something entirely different. It is the corrupt moral system of the world we are not to love because Satan's world promotes: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life: 1 John 2:16, "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." Every sin imaginable can be summed up in those three evils. As examples: envy, adultery, pride, lying, selfishness, etc. These are not concrete things. These deal with the spirit /heart/mind of man, not his physicality. So we can see then, Jesus is asking us not to love the things which will destroy our soul and they most certainly will if we remain in them. He is not telling us it is a sin to play golf, enjoy wholesome music, be successful, or enjoy a glass of wine. God is concerned with the inner man. For if the inner man is rotten, the entire body is spoiled.

Think about this as an example. I love the outdoors. Many years ago I owned a tough-skinned, 10-foot inflatable raft that had a wooden floor and was propelled by a boat motor. Every Saturday I would Bungee cord it to the roof of my Jeep and take it out to the lake. My raft was designed to float and to protect me from the water - not sink. And though I was surrounded on all sides by water, water was not to infiltrate my raft, otherwise, great harm such as death from drowning could occur. The key was, the raft was only as safe as the inside was dry ... as long as no water could leak in despite the fact I was surrounded on all sides with great danger. In the same sense this example can be applied spiritually. We are in the world (raft) but we are not to be of it (the lake water). As soon as we let the things of the world enter us (like a boat filling with water) we will drown in our sin. Your only hope after your boat fills with water and begins to sink is a life jacket. Your only hope when you're drowning in sin is JESUS, your life preserver.

Our goal as followers of Christ is to actively engage our culture with the Gospel, by living the Gospel, without allowing the culture's ungodly morals, values, attitudes, and behaviors to infiltrate our lives. So, how can we live in a way that impacts the world for Christ without allowing the world to impact us? Admittedly, being out in the world but not like it can be brutally difficult-much like paddling upstream. Which I've done! But some days it may be more like trying to go up Niagara Falls. Well, to help us live in this world, we can refer to these words of Jesus for comfort. He was praying to the Father for us and said this: “My prayer 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. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:15-21)

Jesus did not ask the Father to take His followers out of the world. In fact, Jesus commissioned them to go into the world as His ambassadors. Instead, He asked the Father to protect them from Satan and his schemes, to guard them against temptation, and to make them holy through the truth of His word. Did you notice that Jesus’ prayer was not just for that handful of disciples? Jesus included you and me in that prayer! He said, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one those who will believe in me through their message.” The truth principles also apply to us. We must guard our own hearts and lives against temptation. Take an inventory of your life. Where are you weak? In what areas are you most tempted? Ask God to help you identify those weaknesses and then take steps to protect them. Take precautionary measures. Find an accountability partner. Take things out of your life that constantly cause temptation. Patch the holes in your boat! And so importantly, immerse yourself in God’s Word. Know the truth inside and out so you can recognize lies when you hear them. Obey what God shows you in His Word so your life will be holy and above reproach. Then get your boat in the water! There are some drowning souls in need of rescue.
Until next time,
-Pat-