In the World Not of the World

“In the world but not of the world.”  What did Jesus mean?

To join a cloister tucked away from society to keep the world’s filth from contaminating us? Guess what, when you entered the cloister, you ruined it for everyone else — we are the problem!

Did Jesus mean to dress like we came out of the 1800s, or early 1900s, or — pick your century? That’s not godly; that’s just weird.

April (sometimes March) is the time we pause and reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and the joy of the resurrection. Our focus is on the Gospel passages surrounding these events. One of my favourites is to read John’s account of the final events of Jesus’ life on earth. John wrote his gospel much later than the other three. He gives us some insight into their last night together that we don’t find in the other gospel records.

Take some time to read John 17, especially verses 14-21.

In my translation, the word world is used nineteen times! That’s significant. And twice Jesus says exactly the same thing: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (v. 14, 16).

Jesus said many significant things about why He came to earth. He came to make the Father known to us (John 17:6), to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), to lay down His life for the sheep (John 10:11), and to seek and to save that which was lost (Mt 18:11), to name just a few (answering this question would make a great personal study!).

Jesus was very in the world. But as He said to Pilate, His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). He was very present while on earth, constantly mixing with the crowds, finding a particular man or woman or even child that needed His special attention, teaching His disciples, and the list goes on.

So how do we like Jesus be in the world and not of the world?

In the midst of all the ministry, our Lord took the time — much time — to be alone with the Father, even giving up sleep to cultivate that intimacy.

The Lord tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

It’s that simple. It’s that difficult.

As Precept leaders, we have a great love for the Word of God. We spend much time digging for truth and helping others to do likewise. But sometimes we can get lost in the forest for all the trees. How utterly sorrowful to see those who once taught the Word of God and led others in the Word drift away from the heart of the Lord as their hearts grow cold and hard. It doesn’t happen overnight. It happens when we are more interested in teaching about the Lord than knowing the Lord God Himself and cultivating intimacy with Him.

Therefore, not being of the world can’t mean living on earth and staying cloistered or dressing differently or any of the other many ways that we come up with to try to be different.

The only way to be in the world and not of the world, the only way to be genuinely different from the world, is to guard our hearts against growing cold and hard.

I would challenge you to spend time with the Lord daily — not so that you can prepare for class — but so that you spend time with Him, conversing — as He speaks to you through His Word and as you communicate back in prayer.

Here are a few practices that might help:

• Work your way through the Psalms by reading one of the Psalms every morning and making it your prayer.
• Every night before bed, read a portion from the Gospels so that you keep the Lord Jesus central.
• Go for a walk and use the time to memorize a meaningful scripture passage.
• Practice the presence of the Lord. Pray to the Lord all the time, no matter when it is: when you are thinking of Him or thinking of a friend who needs you to petition God for them, or when you are appreciating His creation. Don’t just have thoughts — actually talk to the Lord about your thoughts.

There are so many ways. Perhaps you can take this short list of four and add two more. The Lord is near to you — draw near to Him.