by: Russell McLaughlin

Standing Out From The World

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

Titus 2:11-12

            Are you worldly? We are warned in God’s word not to embrace the “world”. The world is not merely the material world we live in.  It is, rather, the moral and spiritual practices that stand in opposition to God.  All those who love and are influenced by the world are alienated from God.  What are some of the warnings Christians are given concerning the world?

            “Don’t be conformed to it.” (Romans 12:2) The people of the world are constantly pressuring us to be like them.  They do not want to do right, and they do not want anyone putting them to shame by doing right.  They harass, ridicule, denounce, curse, and sometimes inflict bodily injury in their attempt to make the righteous conform to their standards.  Paul says we must resist all such pressures in Romans 12:2, “2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We are called to be different, holy, and counter-cultural Christians. Why should children of God let wicked people determine how we talk, how we dress, what we will do for recreation, or how we will spend our money?  We have a Savior who died and is raised to become our Lord, our Ruler.  If you are a Christian, Christ sets your standards.  If the world dictates your behavior, you are not a Christian, regardless of how many times you go to worship, how often you read the word, how much you pray, or if you are baptized.

            “Don’t be a lover of it.” (I John 2: 15-17) John makes the issue truly clear in 1 John 2:15-17, “15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” We must make a choice between loving the world with its temptations, trinkets, and treasures and loving God.  Love for the world excludes love for God, because all that the world stands for is opposed to God and will sooner or later perish.

            “Don’t be polluted by it.”  (James 1:27) Worldly behavior in a Christian will soil and stain the fabric of his life. James states in James 1:27 “27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” Worldliness prevents the practice of pure undefiled service to God. Those who engage in the sins of the world advertise a low and ignorant view of the high standards taught in the New Testament.  They want to behave in the ways of the world while maintaining respectability in the Church.  It cannot be that way.  We cannot run with goats and not smell like them!  True disciples detest worldliness.

            The worldly church member not only invites the application of “hypocrite” upon himself, but upon the whole church.  Let us not be worldly but transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2). May we truly stand out from the world!

God Bless!