All of us, at some point in time, have a mutual desire. To be accepted. To feel wanted, loved and appreciated. Most of us want it so bad, we lose sight of our faith in the Lord. Paul warns us about this very thing in Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
As a child, I remember an older translation reading, "Do not be conformed to the WAYS of this world." Which holds a more deeper truth than what we just read. These days, people are obsessed with the luxuries this world has to offer. Most of us dream of living in a big fancy house, driving an expensive luxurious sports car of some kind. Some of us have dreams of Hollywood. Becoming rich and famous. Rubbing elbows with the elite of the silver screen. What we fail to realize is such dreams can be like the lure of a rattlesnake. Mystic and mysterious, enticing our curiosity to come closer and closer. That is, until it's too late. Without warning, we're struck with a venomous bite that is sure to snatch our very lives.
The Bible warns about being enticed with such luxurious temptations. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." How many people do you know who dream of winning the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpots? They are so determined to win the prize, they fritter away several, if not hundreds of dollars for a chance to win. Only to be disappointed when they lose.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where is your heart today? Is your heart set on winning a billion-dollar jackpot? Or is your heart set on the things of God, where it belongs? That's what most of us fail to realize. Our heart belongs set on the things of God and not of this world.
My Pastor has said on many occasions, "Compromise with the world is treason in the courts of Heaven." And yes, even doing something as seemingly as harmless as buying a lottery ticket is compromise with the world. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, "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. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
It's so easy to be enticed with something as grand as a billion-dollar jackpot. But Jesus said not to lay our treasure up here on earth where it can be corrupted, stolen, even destroyed by moth and rust. Paul writes in the above passage that God Himself said to come out from among this world and be separate. Do not touch the unclean thing. What unclean thing? Whatever entices you, like a multi-million-dollar jackpot, fame, fortune, the lifestyles of the rich and famous even. Anything that causes you to take part in the ways of the world, such as the lottery, Hollywood, things that give you a sinful mentality or makes you forget the ways of God and the Will of the Lord, should be considered the unclean thing. What's enticing you today? What dreams do you have? Are they dreams that line up with the Will of God? Or the ways of this wretched, sin filled, God-less world?
John 15:18-25, "“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
Now, most people in the church would argue that God has and will always want his people to prosper, own their own land, be wealthy financially, and so on and so forth. This is a dangerous doctrine if it is not understood properly. Yes, God blessed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with great wealth and prosperity. And yes, the Bible does say that God wants His people to prosper. But, there's a catch to it.
3 John, verse's 2-4, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." First of all, these are the words of John under the inspiration or the anointing rather of God. Second of all, he says that his prayer is that we prosper in ALL things, not just money or wealth, but ALL things, even as our SOUL prospers. And finally, he says that he has no greater joy than to hear that God's children are walking in truth.
True prosperity will not come unless our soul prospers as well. How does our soul prosper? Through the reading and studying of His Word, through our fellowship with Christ, through our prayers, through our praise and our worship, and through our obedience to His Word. Tithing for example. Notice in the cases of Abraham and Jacob especially, their prosperity never came until they first acknowledged God and obeyed His Word? Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14. Why? What was so special about this King of Salem?
Genesis 14:18-20, "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all."
This was before God changed Abram's name to Abraham, obviously. But notice here in verse 18 that the Bible says that Melchizedek was "the priest of God"? So, Abraham giving his tithes to Melchizedek was like you and I giving our tithes in church to our Pastor. Our Pastor is the man of God that God has appointed to be the "priest of God" we bring our tithes to. We bring them physically to the man of God, just as Abram did here. But we all know the tithes belong to God Himself. It hurts my heart to hear people refuse to give their tithes to the church because they do not trust the Pastor to do right with it. What happens to our tithes and offerings physically is between the "priest" and God. If that man or woman misuses or dishonors the tithe you have faithfully brought to the Lord, they will answer to God for that. It has no reflection on you!
You have obeyed God's Word bringing the tithes to Him. If the man or woman of God does something sinful or deceitful with it, God will deal with them for it. It's not for you to prosecute and judge. God said that he would bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us. If a man or woman of God does something dishonest with the tithes the church brings to them, they have cursed you and your faith. And God said HE would deal with that.
When we bring our tithes and offerings to the house of God, we are obeying His Word in Malachi 3:10 when He says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.' But we must be careful not to just rest on this small part of scripture alone. We must always be mindful of the full message here.
Malachi 3:8-12, "“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts; “And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts."
I don't know about you, but I don't want to be cursed under ANY circumstances! With a curse or otherwise! Especially from God! And when we indulge of the ways of this world, we are asking for just that! So, how do we live as God expects us too? We've just seen what we're getting into just by indulging such things as the lottery, wanting to live like the elite of Hollywood and putting such desires of materialistic things like that. But what else?
1 Corinthians 5:9-11, "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person."
Confusing, I know. But Paul makes a great, great point here. If we are not to keep company with such people whether in the church or not, how then can do what Paul writes us do in Ephesians 5:1-2 and be imitators of God? After all, when Jesus was on this earth, He spent His time, as the Pharisees pointed out, with "tax collectors and sinners". How can we imitate God, let alone the Son of God, if we don't do what He even did? "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and gave Himself for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."
One of the greatest dilemmas faced by every Christian and one that probably causes the most stress in a Christian's life is the problem of living a holy and a pure life in a world that is unholy and impure. The problem, as Dave Knutson, a Bible professor at Great Lakes Bible College says, is the following:
"Surrounded by the world, living in the world and participating fully in the human experience, how can we avoid becoming worldly?" The answer to this problem is provided by Paul the Apostle in his epistle to the Corinthians (5:9-13).
Paul was writing to a church located in a very immoral and worldly city. The city of Corinth, located in Greece, was filled with idolatry and sexual immorality. For example, to 'Corinthianize' something meant to pollute it or to debase it. So, Paul deals with the very real problem of Christians trying to live holy lives surrounded by an unholy and wicked environment. His answer to this dilemma is that those who desire to live a holy life have to actually confront the wickedness and the worldliness around them. In other words, Paul would be saying in today's jargon, the best defense is offense.
When the Pharisees questioned the disciples as to why their Master ate with sinners, Jesus answered that question Himself with an answer that should have ended the debate right then and there! Mark 2:17, Jesus answered, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor. But the sick. But you should understand what this means. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance!" We should adopt the same principle here. If we only kept company with those who are in the church, what good does that do? That would be like what Jesus said in Luke 6:32-36.
“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."
That kind of love is called "Charity". Ever notice how older translations of the King James Bible use the word "charity" in place of "love" in 1 Corinthians 13? Why? Because charity is the only selfless love there is. When you give out of charity, true charity, you don't expect anything in return. Not even a "Thank you." Charity should be done not to be a reward to us, but to those in need of our help. When you volunteer at soup kitchen, or a food bank, or a homeless shelter, we should never allow ourselves to think about what's in it for us. We should always be mindful of what is in it for those who are in need.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:42-46, "For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” That's charity. And that's how it should always be.
Nowadays, it's everyone for themselves. It's all about what's in it for them. There was a time when people cared about each other. People helped each other. And not one time did the thought enter their mind, "What's in it for me?" Now, that's all people think about anymore. Even people in the church ask this question throughout the week! We need to do as the Bible says and come out from among this world and be separate! But how?
In biblical terms there are three ways to confront and thus separate ourselves from the world and its immorality and evil, its disbelief and wickedness, or whatever you want to call it.
1. Confront the World in Judgment! 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, "For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”
We sometimes think that this is some kind of passive stance that Paul is proposing here. We think that he is advocating that we should ignore the world's evil and injustice and create some kind of "Fortress Church of Christ." We think that the world can do what it does, so long as we're safely locked into our comfortable religious routines, we're safe or we've done all we need to do. After all, we're not of the world, God will judge them later. All we need to do is carry on with our brotherhood concerns and God will work it out in the end.
This kind of attitude is why we have so little impact on the world at large; this is why we (in the Churches) have not produced a single voice since Alexander Campbell, who has had credibility on a national stage (let alone a world stage) of opinion. This is why every other religious group around us continues to expand and grow, while we dwindle, because we do not recognize the fact that part of not being of the world includes a denunciation of that world in no uncertain terms.
When Paul says, "God will judge" or "what do I have to do with judging outsiders." He's not abandoning his duty to call on men to receive Christ or be lost. He's not forsaking his call to preach against the "rulers and the powers and the world forces of this darkness" which have their root in the spiritual realm, but they're very concrete expression in the physical world. He's not backing away from calling on kings to repent and pagans to abandon their idols.
He's acknowledging the fact that his task is not to judge the world, his task is to warn the world that it will be judged by God. In the last 50 years or so we've retreated so far into ourselves for fear of offending or seeming intolerant or judgmental, that we've tolerated just about anything without comment or complaint.
In Canada and the United States, it's easy to avoid exposing the injustice and the immorality and the ungodliness of the world, because we ourselves as Christians are rich. Great wealth seduces the church into ignoring the corruption around it because we secretly crave our place at the table.
The danger is that if we don't speak up to reveal the judgment of God when this is an unpopular message during a time of prosperity, we will have no credibility to preach the same message at another time, when because of national calamity and trouble, people will be more disposed to hearing it.
The first step in not being of the world that we live in, is to act as its conscience. Just as our conscience is in our bodies, but not of our bodies at times. As Paul says in Romans 2:15, "the conscience bearing witness accusing or defending." Bearing witness to the world that God will judge it through Christ is the act that continually separates us from the world, while we live in the world.
"But I want people to like me!" "I want to be accepted by my classmates and co-workers!" "I'm tired of feeling hated and rejected where ever I go!" "I'm tired of feeling lonely and unwanted!" What did Jesus say about just this very subject? Didn't we cover this at the beginning? Well, let's refresh our memories, shall we?
John 15:18-25, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
Next, confronting the world by exposing its sure judgment. Through our public preaching and teaching
Through our holy conduct. Through our faithful service. Through our loving attitude. Through our warning of the consequences of sin and disbelief. This will not only identify who we are in the world, it will also inoculate us against the world. A second way to confront the world is to confront the world.
2. Confront the World in the Church. 1 Corinthians 5:13, "Remove the wicked man from among yourselves." We talk a lot about sin in the world, but not about sin in the church and we do even less about it. Note that in this passage Paul was clearly encouraging these brethren in Corinth to take action against worldliness inside the church. There are many such admonitions in the New Testament. For example, Matthew 18:15 is the most familiar one in dealing with a one-on-one issue of sinfulness and personal offenses.
In Romans 16:17, Paul instructs the church to expose and turn away from those who cause division and roadblocks to faith. 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 are Paul's instructions on dealing with sexually immoral conduct in the church at Corinth. Galatians 6:1 provides instructions on the process of restoring a fallen brother to spiritual health and well being. 2 Thessalonians 3:6, there is the command to withdraw from those who are disobedient to the teachings of Christ and to admonish such people. 1 Timothy 5:1-20 provides Timothy with instructions on how to deal with unruly members of all ages, including elders.
In Titus 3:10, Paul advises Titus to deal sharply with false teachers. Even the Apostle John provides a warning to members of the church in protecting themselves and their households from heretics in 2 John 10. Why have I gone to the trouble to make reference to all of these scriptures? In order to drive home two important points:
A. The New Testament recognizes that there are all kinds of situations that require discipline in the church. This includes personal conflicts, immoral behavior, false teaching, divisiveness, personal faithlessness, and the list goes on and on. Not every solution and every response are the same. For example, the way to deal with a false teacher is different than the way to deal with a brother who has personally offended you. But there are times when discipline is needed, and the Bible provides instruction for each different situation. The key is to identify the truth and correct problem and use the proper New Testament teaching to apply discipline.
B. Once you've identified the need for discipline, you must do it! A child will be spoiled without proper discipline and so will a church. As a parent, a large portion of my parenting duty involved the meeting out of discipline that was fair and loving. It gets tiring at times. You wish they would just grow up. You might be tempted to slack off on the youngest child, but good parents are active in discipline, because they love their children, all of them. Why hasn't this concept been transferred over into the church?
The responsibility for this lack of discipline may lie with two groups in the church at large. The preachers who may fail to preach and carefully teach on this subject; and the other times it may be elders, who are afraid of disturbing the status quo in the local congregation.
If we cannot define our "other-worldliness" by our conduct in the church, what witness do we have for those who are in the darkness without Christ? If we cannot even denounce and correct those who have confessed Jesus, but they live outside of Christ, what possible use are we to God in announcing His judgement about the world? Our only defense against the world gaining a foothold within the church is to vigorously confront it at every turn. It's a painful and difficult process, but it is also the manner in which the spirit continually purifies the bride of Christ. And then a final way to confront the world...
3. Confront it in Yourself.
Paul does not talk about this in this particular passage, but the idea runs throughout the book. The title for this lesson is quite in line with the true experience of each Christian. Yes, we live in this world and we have to deal with all of the issues of normal living that others face, others without Christ. We have to earn a living, we have babies, we amass goods, we enjoy pleasure, we also feel the pain of burying our loved ones. These things are the substance of our outer experience in this world, but the experience of our "inner man," this is very different, very much not of the world.
Paul talks about this unique Christian experience, which is not of this world, in Romans 7, where he actually explains what he only alludes to in 1 Corinthians. In Romans 7, Paul gives us a glimpse into the daily battle that rages within himself, as he pursues the perfection of Christ while still trapped in the imperfect body of his flesh. He gives us a kind of microcosmic view of the constant struggle to maintain the spiritual, while still firmly held in the material world.
Some have entitled chapter seven of Romans, "Saved Yet Struggling." Yes, we are saved. Yes, we are no longer judged by the system of law, but we are still subject to the effects of the sin that lingers in our flesh. Yes, Christ is Lord. And yes, the Holy Spirit leads us in our walk, but the problem is that this regenerated spirit still lives within a sinful nature. Sin no longer dominates, but it continually challenges the supremacy of the Spirit of Christ within us. Yes, we are not of the world, but the world still affects us, because we are in it still for a time.
The answer to this dilemma is threefold. A. Recognize that the struggle is normal and ongoing for every Christian. Do not be discouraged that there is sin around you and at times it affects you and it tempts you. Satan's most useful weapon is discouragement and seeing the enormity of the world and the smallness of our personal strength can lead some people to be discouraged and to quit.
B. Confront personal sin without hesitation. Paul says that it is a struggle because there's an effort involved. The constant challenge of Satan to dominate and to overwhelm us must be met with the equally constant faith and reliance on Jesus Christ who saves us every single day, while we struggle in this world. Salvation was paid for long ago on the cross of Calvary, but it is renewed every single day through our constant faith in Jesus Christ.
C. Accept the fact that we really are in this world. The struggle to confront the world in ourselves is sometimes painful, but it's easier to deal with once we understand and accept it for what it really is. The place for personal and community sinlessness is heaven, but we're not there yet, we are still in this world and this is not always easy for a spiritual person to deal with.
There's a saying that goes something like this: "when you have found your place in the world, it may simply mean that the world has found its place in you." Confronting the world in judgment, confronting it when it crops up in the church, confronting it when it aspires to dominate your spirit personally, this is the aggressive posture needed to remain separate from the world while we live and breathe in it.
So, as I close, I want to remind us as we struggle with this duality of experience, this in the world, not of the world challenge, that we're not only talking about, but we actually live out each day. Some practical things that may help.
1. Remember that this is every Christian's struggle. Don't think Paul was unique when he cried out, "Wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death," in Romans 7:14. What he describes and agonizes over is the struggle of every Christian as we strive to serve Christ in the midst of a sinful world and with the burden of a weakened flesh. This is not an excuse for lukewarmness, but it does help us to understand why even knowing and wanting to do our very best for Christ does not always guarantee the results that we desire.
2. Remember that the struggle is really a sign of spiritual life. Don't be discouraged if what you see in Christ is not always what you accomplish in the world. The fact that you see that there is a difference, that you desire to be separate from the world, the fact that for you there is a tension between the two, this is proof that Christ is in you and leads you and not the world. The unregenerate person, whether he is an unbeliever or he claims some affiliation with Christ, the unregenerate person is always easy to spot because he has no struggle, he has found a way to be comfortable in this world.
3. Always remember that God will provide. Paul knew that God did and would provide for his daily struggle through Jesus Christ. He says so in Romans 7:25 when he answers his own question about who will save him from his dilemma. And what does he say? "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Paul had hope because through Christ he had help and encouragement to deal with the struggle in his life, so he could aspire to the next life. Jesus Christ judges the world, purifies the church and guarantees that one day our struggle will be over.
So be happy therefore brethren, rejoice in the constant battle against the world, because it is your witness to this world and to the world to come that you do belong to Christ, you do belong to His kingdom forever more, amen.
Can we pray? "Heavenly Father, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We cry out to you today for guidance, for strength, and for faith in these trying times. Dear Jesus, help us to stay faithful to You and Your Word. Do not let this world overtake us with all its glitz and glamour! But humble our hearts and our minds to stay forever focused on You. Lead us in the paths that You have prepared for us. Let us be a beacon of hope to those who are lost and without You. Let us be an encouragement to those who are fearful and do not know that they have a blessed hope in You, Lord. Touch our minds, our hearts, and our very souls with the grace, the mercy, and the love of the Living God! Our Father Who art in Heaven! The Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Lord God Almighty! The Great I Am! Who commands the winds and holds the seas in the palms of His Holy hands! Lord Jesus, release angels to come and surround us everywhere we go. Let the angels of God watch over us and keep us in Your ways, O God! Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Father God! Yours truly is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory now and forever!!! In Jesus precious Name we pray and ask it in faith believing and expecting! Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! Who takes away the sins of the world! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise ye the Lord! PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME TODAY!!!!!
