The Christian in the World
1 John 2:15
The word “world”
is used in a variety of ways throughout Scripture. World here does not refer to the physical
world. Instead, it refers to the system,
the program, the attitudes, the values, ethos, morality, the way things are
seen, the loves, the goals and so forth.
An illustration
might be found in political parties.
Democrats and Republicans and Tea Partiers and so forth see issues
differently than one another. While the
Democrats are running things, society is going to reflect their ideology. Citizens who identify as Republicans must
live through a system that is run by Democrats way of seeing and doing things.
The
system is corrupt because the one running it is corrupt. Satan governs this world (verses: god of this world, the whole world is under
the control of the evil one, prince of this world, prince of the power of the
air).
But this is of no
concern to us. What is of concern is
that we see the Church, while existing in the world is becoming more and more
like the world. “The world is characterized by the
subtle and relentless pressure it brings to bear upon us to conform to its
values and practices. It creeps up on us little by little. What was once
unthinkable becomes thinkable, then doable, and finally acceptable to society
at large. Sin becomes respectable, and so Christians are no more than five to
ten years behind the world in embracing most sinful practices.
Author: Jerry
Bridges, Source: The Discipline of Grace, p. 202-203.
So let me make 3 points about the Christian’s
relationship with the world.
#1: We do not belong to the world.
1 Pet 2:11; John 15:19; Col. 1:13;
3:1-4; Heb 11:38. We do not belong to
the world. Jesus said in John 17:14, “They
are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”
Like being an American
in a foreign country; like wearing a Red Wings jersey in Chicago; like a cowboy
in the city, like a Democrat at a Republican Rally or vice versa - as
Christians we just don’t fit in to this world.
That’s because we do not officially belong to the world. We used to, but, not anymore. We belong to Christ. We belong to the world that is coming. Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world,
and, neither is our citizenship. Our
citizenship is a heavenly one.
Since we belong
to Christ we will feel out of place here.
We can never really quite feel at home here in this world. How could we feel at home here when Jesus
said He is preparing a home for us in His Father’s house (John 14:2-3)? No, as Christians, we can never settle down
on this earth. Deep down there will always
be a certain sense of restlessness for us because we understand that this isn’t
home, and, we are just passing through.
Turn to Hebrews 11:13
Deep down we know
that this world can’t satisfy in us that which only being with Christ can. Like Psalm 73:25 says, “Whom have I in heaven but
You? And earth has nothing I desire
besides you.” We know there is
nothing here that satisfies our souls like our Lord. And so, while we are here, in these tents,
longing to be at home with the Lord, in the city that will come, we are like the
Israelites wandering in the desert, living in tents, longing to be settled in
the place God promised them. Like our
Lord, who always had His sights set on leaving this world and going back to His
Father, said “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but I have no place to
rest my head.” We long for a country and
a city that is coming. We long for our
Savior to appear so we can be with Him where He is.
#2: We do not let our brains focus on the world
Rom
13:14; Romans 8:5; Hebrews 11:13-16
Secondly, we do
not let our brains focus on the world. Turn
with me to Colossians 3:1-2 [Read]. “Do
not set your mind on earthly things”.
First John 2:15 says don’t set your heart on earthly things, “Do
not love the world or anything in the world.”
What do you think
about? What’s going on in your
head? Do you find yourself obsessing
with the things of this world? Clothes? Looks?
Money? Success? Possessions?
Praise from people? Do not love
the world or anything in it. Their god
is their stomach. Do not worry about
what you will eat or drink. Pursue His
righteousness and His kingdom. Set your
sights on things above. We look not to
the things which are seen and temporal, but, to the things which are unseen and
eternal.
It
is here, in the mind, that we overcome the attractions of the world. But
it is here, in our minds that we overcome through the attractions of Jesus Christ. Christianity removes the
attraction of the earth; and this is one way in which it diminishes men's
burden. It makes them citizens of another world (Henry Drummond). It’s very simple: if we want to lose our attraction to the
world, we have to become attracted to Jesus Christ. He is more attractive than the world. He is our best thought; when we think of Him
we are thinking the greatest thoughts. Just
like the old hymn, “Be Thou My Vision”
says:
Be thou my vision O Lord of my heart/
Naught be all else to me save that thou art/
Thou my
best thought by day or by night/
Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light
This means
training our minds to think less of the world and more of Christ. Second Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we
fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen
is eternal.” Philippians 3:19
says, “Their destiny is their destruction, their god is their stomach, and
their glory is in their shame. Their
mind is on earthly things.”
R. Kent Hughes in
his book Disciplines of a Godly Man says this:
It is impossible for any Christian
who spends the bulk of his evenings, month after month, week upon week, day in
and day out watching the major TV networks or contemporary videos to have a
Christian mind. This is always true of all Christians in every situation! A
Biblical mental program cannot coexist with worldly programming.”
Part
of a Biblical mental program is
#3: We do not behave like the world.
Rom. 12:1-2; Job 21:11-15; 1 Cor. 3:1-3; Eph.
4:14; Titus 2:12; 2 Cor 5:15; 1 Pet 2:11, 15; 4:2-3; Col 3:5-10
Lastly, we do not
behave like the world. Romans 12:2 says,
“Do
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind.” Let your
conduct no longer be patterned after this world. Peter says this is so they [pagans] will have
nothing bad to say about you - silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Not behaving like the world is what is meant
when Jesus tells us to be the light and the salt. Paul says in Philippians 2 that we are to
shine like stars in this dark and corrupt generation. Turn to 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 with me. When addressing the Corinthians Paul said in
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 that he could not address them as spiritual, but worldly,
mere men.
You see this idea
so clearly in Scripture so often, where we are instructed to no longer live in
a worldly way. Turn with me to
Colossians 3:5-10 [Read]. Turn to Titus
3:1-4 [Read]
When you realize
your sins are forgiven, that God’s own Son paid for them, and you become born
again, and God puts His Holy Spirit inside of you, it makes a difference. Like 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “And
He died for all that those who live whould no longer live for themselves but
for Him who died for them and was raised again.”
It starts to make
a difference in the way you live your life.
It will continue to make a difference more and more as you grow. And the more you grow, the more you realize
that God and the world are mutually exclusive.
James 4:4 warns us that friendship
with the world is hatred towards God and that anyone who is a friend of the
world is an enemy of God. First John
2:15 says “Do not love the world or anything in the world, if anyone loves the
world the love of the Father is not in him.” Jesus warned in Matthew 6 that we can’t love both God and Money.
Worldliness is what makes sin look normal in
any age and righteousness seem odd. David F Wells
What happens when Christians are worldly? They normalize sin, blunt people’s
consciences,
Worldliness is any preoccupation with or interest in the temporal
system of life that places anything perishable before that which is eternal Author:
John
MacArthur Worldliness: it involves love for
earthly things, esteem for earthly values, and preoccupation with earthly
cares. Scripture plainly labels it sin - and sin of the worst stripe. It is a
spiritual form of adultery that sets one against God Himself. MacArthur
Too often today we listen to be entertained instead of instructed,
to be moved emotionally rather than moved to obedience.
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