In But Not Of The World
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
To be ‘In’ but not ‘Of’ the world is the prayer Jesus prayed to the father in John chapter 17 for all those who are called by his name. Chosen were we by the Lord, but his prayer was not that we should be taken out of the world, but that we would undertake that which he began while in the world.
Sadly many Christians (Nominal or genuine) seem desirous to be a part of the world and befriending it. James admonition in James 4:4 that all who would be friends with the world are the enemies of God, seems quite lost on those who care less about offending the one who’s name they profess.
As a result we have a world that has been infiltrated by God-ignoring Christians, clothed in the garb of the world.
Satan must be furious seeing his tares infested with the wheat!
At a time we celebrate Fathers Day, it is vital that men begin to take stock of that which matters most, and what matters most is that those who are not of the world could impact those who are in the world removing them from the trouble lest they be overcome by the evil in the world.
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