Pages

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Considerations ~ In the World, Not of the World


Here is much needed teaching for how God's children face the deteriorating condition of our world. On the night before Jesus' crucifixion, he prayed for his disciples:

"I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world" (John 17:15-18).

Jesus does not want us living "out of the world". He himself has sent his church "into the world".

However, the church going "into the world" is after the pattern and example of the way Jesus went "into the world". In other words, there is no room for worldly, godless, carnal living on one side, and we must be busy in our Father's business in this world just as Jesus was always doing whatever he saw his Father doing (John 5:19).

While living in this world, we must trust in our Father to "keep them (us) from the evil one". He has given his church the "whole armor of God" to "put on" (Ephesians 6:10-20), and so he answers his own prayer by acting in our lives by his grace. It is ours to receive by faith.

When Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth", he was asking his Father to set his disciples apart from the world. While the world fills up its sin to the full,[1] the Father will set his children aside, or apart, as holy and blameless in his sight.

However, this sanctifying work of God is accomplished "in the truth". And so, Jesus clarifies that, "your word is truth".

Guess why the evil one works so hard to keep God's children from spending time in the word of truth?

Doesn't it make clear why the church is to "take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"?

© 2016 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)




[1] Cf Romans 1:18-32; II Timothy 3:1-9

No comments:

Post a Comment