OUT OF THIS WORLD!

OUT OF THIS WORLD!

John 15:18-19

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Jude 22-23

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

The idea of being taken “out of” the world and being snatched “out of” the fire is the same. We would never consider returning to the flames once we had been snatched from destruction and neither should we ponder returning to the world.  

WHY THE WORLD IS SO DESTRUCTIVE TO TRUE BELIEVERS!

1. PRACTICAL ATHEISM.

Those who are in the world are atheistic in spirit, behavior and purpose. When the world knew God they glorified him not as God but for all practical purposes conducted their lives as if He did not exist. (Romans 1:21) Most of the time God was never thought of but at those times when it was expedient to have a god nearby he was benign and grotesque.

2. FUNCTIONAL MATERIALISM.

The world without God has no practical recognition of a spiritual universe. The wonderful acts of creation are not attributed to God but to immeasurable time, explosions and gaseous mixtures. The satisfaction of the flesh and the accumulation of stuff are the goals of the worldly system.

3. MERCILESS SELFISHNESS.

Phil 2:21

21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

James 4:1-3

4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

The “world” is antagonistic to and irreconcilable with God!  “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7)

Dear Lord, I am in the world but by your mercy I have been taken “out of” the world. Keep me unspotted and uncomfortable with the world’s system until we meet face to face. AMEN