In the World, but Not of It: Part One

Part One: Transcendence Over the World, Not Isolation from It

Are you worldly? Are you godly? What would the world say? What does God say? What is biblical separation from the world? Jesus clarified in His prayer for His disciples:

“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 … 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. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:11-16).

Notice the precise wording: these are in the world, but they are not of the world. Clearly, we are in the world, but not to be of it. How? Three distinctions of true separation from the world formulate by perusing key passages that address the believer’s relationship with the world. 

The first distinction is transcendence over the world, not isolation from it. Jesus made it clear we are still in the world, but not to be of it. Jesus even specifically clarified, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Therefore, separation from the world is not a monastic approach of isolation from the world, but transcendence over the world through the power of the indwelling Christ. Jesus can lead us and empower us to navigate the world in which He has placed us. Multiple Bible passages confirm this conclusion. 

Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Transcendence over the world occurs through accessing by faith the overcoming life of Jesus. John the Apostle confirms, “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). 

James speaks of pure religion including  “keeping [oneself] unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). This precision implies we are in the world, and yet somehow, it is possible to keep oneself unstained by the world. 

Paul maintained that the grace of God “Teach[es]us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12). This reveals that through enabling grace, we may live godly in this present world. Again, the idea is transcendence (godly), not isolation (in this present world).

The Holy Spirit says repeatedly to the churches “To him that overcometh” (Revelation 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21). 

The emphasis of the New Testament regarding biblical separation from the world is transcendence over the world, not isolation from it. Otherwise, as Paul wrote, “for then ye must needs go out of the world” (1 Corinthians 5:10). 

This conclusion does not imply hanging out in places of wickedness. The psalmist clearly stated, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). Obviously, there are places devoted to wickedness that we should wisely avoid. But this conclusion does imply victory over the world as you walk through the normal course of life.

After spending sometime in the marketplace of Singapore, which is a hot climate where  people dress like it, a friend of mine commented at the end of the day, “It was wonderful to take grace and be free all day.” What a wonderful example of the overcoming, transcending life of Jesus in common everyday life experience!

We are in this world, but through the overcoming life of Jesus, we are enabled to not be of it. 

In Part Two, we will address a second distinction of biblical separation from the world.