'In' But Not 'Of' The World

January 25

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?

"For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them, and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you,’” II Corinthians 6:14-17.

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” II Corinthians 7:1

Our holy and righteous God wants us to be like Him. He does not want us to frequent our former haunts or indulge our former habits. He wants us to separate ourselves from the unclean things of our former lifestyle as He wants our hearts to be cleansed of the sin that once resided there in order that the Holy Spirit might dwell within us.

He wants us to renew our minds, according to Romans 12:2, renouncing even our former thoughts and reconfiguring our ponderings to those that are edifying to our spirit rather than those that contemplate the advancement of the flesh. We are no longer to be preoccupied with the world and its trappings of power or wealth or association; we are to desire the things of God and association with His people.

We tend to think those verses of scripture admonish against marriage between believer and unbeliever, and indeed they do, although Paul is quick to adjure the one who is married to an unbeliever that he or she must do everything possible to make the marriage work and to pray for the salvation of the unsaved spouse—(see I Corinthians 7) but it also applies to other relationships.

We are to choose our friendships from among God’s people as well as our business associates. In so doing, we will spare ourselves the inevitable conflict of interest that will arise when a different system of values manifests discord between the believer and the unbeliever.

Of course, it is impossible to select our neighbors or our employers or…the list is extensive…from among only those of “like precious faith,” II Peter 1:1, nor are we to attempt to do so, for we cannot be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-16) to a lost and dying world if we separate ourselves from it.

No, we are to be in the world but not of the world; as Paul says in Romans 12:2, we are to “be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

May He help us to so live our lives in conformity to the life of Jesus that men who look upon us may see not ourselves but Him. May they long for the goodness and mercy and power that they see in us so they, too, will desire to be separate from the world, having died to themselves and become alive to Christ (see I Corinthians 15:31.)