JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q4. "In" Babylon, but not "of" Babylon - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q4. (18:4) We Christians are instructed to be "in the world" but not "of the world" (John 17:15-19). One interpretation has been to be hermits, ascetics, to distance ourselves from the political process, and to adopt stringent dress and behavior codes. Another interpretation is to be "salt and light" (Matthew 5:13-16) in the world so that we might bring about cleansing and change through God's spirit. Where do you think the balance lies? How and when should we fulfill the command, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins...."?

Right now we are still living "in the world" where generally speaking is about our living together with all kinds of people from all walks of life with different kinds of views and beliefs - believers and unbelievers at that.

Not "of the world" means that as professing Christians, we should not live as the world lives who doesn't know Jesus in their lives, satisfying their fleshly and worldly desires without the fear of the Lord. Rather, we should serve as salt and light to them, sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus the Christ - the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We should live our lives by example - what we confess, we also do and act on it by God's grace. There should be a difference shown from a life "taken out of darkness into His marvelous light" - a life "in the world" but not "of the world". Hallelujah!!!

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 23 2003, 04:36 AM, said:

Rev.18:4 "Come out of her, my people," ... This is not a request. This is a command. As to the 'How' and 'When' ... M't. 11:15 "Those who have ears, let them hear." All that we have is today. I believe that we choose to sleep today or we choose to obey, today! Psalm 63:1 Seek HIM early. Love ...Bro. Al

Pastor Ralph, on Oct 23 2003, 04:36 AM, said:

Where do you think the balance lies?
We are made separate by God’s truth therefore the balance lies within keeping God’s truth.

Hate the sin but love the sinner.
Jesus was frequently in the mist of sinners, yet He never sinned.

How and when should we fulfill the command, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins...."?
As soon as we become Christ’s we should come our of the impurity that is of the worlds ways; “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”. (Matt. 5:16)

Jesus never intended for us to be a hermit from the world, because how would we tell them about Him?

We should not take on the world - - to live as the world lives. To accept what the world teaches. In first John 4:1 - - we are told to test the spirits....we should measure all we do and say against the word of God - - sometimes it is not a comfortable position to be in.

We should not condemn the world, but we should lovingly point to what is sin and what is tru for God. We are aliens of this world and the world is commanded right now by Satan.

We need to be Holy - - set apart from the world

I think we need to live in this world bearing our banners as being one of those who stand out as being different. I don't think we should isolate ourselves from the world but use our lives to show unsaved people what the difference is between a believer and a non-believer. I am reading Jerry Jenkins' book "Soon"where the Christians, in order to remain living and working for God, had to go underground. Tthey had powerful forces looking for them in order to destroy them and their testimony. The way the world explains away God's miracles in the book make for intersting reading. I am wondering though how long I could hide my Christian beliefs. My esponse of "Praise the Lord" when I hear a good report would have to be changed. My response to a need "Would you like me to pray with ou" would have to be curbed. I would have to hide or give up my 15 to 20 Bibles. Actually the focus of my life would be moved and the adjustment would be difficult. My prayer is "Come soon Lord Jesus".

Q4. (18:4) We Christians are instructed to be "in the world" but not "of the world" (John 17:15-19). One interpretation has been to be hermits, ascetics, to distance ourselves from the political process, and to adopt stringent dress and behavior codes. Another interpretation is to be "salt and light" (Matthew 5:13-16) in the world so that we might bring about cleansing and change through God's spirit. Where do you think the balance lies? How and when should we fulfill the command, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins...."?

We cannot and must not distance ourselves from the political process! Because Christians have been too silent, our country is turning from God, on Whom our nation was founded, to anything goes if you feel like it! As Christians, we MUST stand for His principles. How? By being the "salt and light" that Christ said we must be--standing up for His law and standing behind our elected officers who demonstrate their reliance on Him! We must be in prayer for these leaders, as well as pray for God's will to be done in the world before it is too late!
If we draw out of the world, we cannot be salt and light for God to them! Yes, we must not be "of" the world, but lead to the truths of God that are not negotiable--if we want to bring our country back to Him! The balance? Each person must follow God's lead in his/her life as to how we can serve Him best. When we do that, we will find when and where we must be--in, but not of the world, or withdrawn from it, in order to spend time in prayer for our world.

As christians we have been given a new covenant
and as part of the covenant we must live in
this world, not only preaching, but living by
faith, as little as we have. We came from
darkness and today we live in the light of the
Spirit by God's grace.

I let every one know that I am a Christian
by the way we hold a conversation and by
the way I act, and I do every thing in His name

The balance is with in God and I am learning to
let go and let God.

I learned that life is difficult

With man many things are not possible

With God every thing is possible.

Please let this little group be in prayer for the
relief of the many people that suffer the fires
for those who lost their lives and for those
that still with us.

Thank you.

Be with God always. Jesus A.

Quote

God put us in the world for a reason. He did not hide us in caves or give us our own separate planet. He gave us this world so that we might testify so that all may become believers. We must live in this world but we must keep our priorities straight and remember our focus is on God and Godly living. How do we fufill the command: , "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins...." I think it means that when it is the appointed time for each of us, we must make that split second decision to let go of this world and go to God.


susan

There is no middle in this case. We are or we are not. We live in this world but we are a peculiar people. We are a light to a dark world. We come in contact with a lot of people but we are to influence them not be influenced by them. We are about winning soul. Even though we live in this world we do not have to do as the world do especially if it is against the word of God.

What is your stand in this world? Do you stand out or you a part of the crowd? We really need to separate ourselves now because there will come a time of separation.

GLORY BE TO GOD!

We are born into this world so we have no choice. As the other person said (don't remember who) we weren't put on another planet. but I know that since I have known the Lord my desires are different and I don't desire the things I used to and I don't "fit" in.. When I think about the prophets many of them seemed like hermits. I think its sometimes a price we pay for being christian so I don't know that that is wrong but they were salt and spoke Gods truth and that is what we should do and our lives public and private also should because God sees what we do and because we should want to do whats right and love the truth. Paul says in Philippians "only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ" Its easy to spout off words but it requires work ( however it furthers our process of sanctification). I pray tht you will all lives lives that are worthy of the gospel of Christ and me too. I just know I have a long way to go. Sometimes I have wondered if God has given up on me but He says He will complete the good work He started in me.

God Bless
Number6:24-26

Jen

[One interpretation has been to be hermits, ascetics, to distance ourselves from the political process, and to adopt stringent dress and behavior codes]

HAHAHAHA!!! Sorry but I had to laugh! "hermits?" yes, that would be great! but it ain't happening. I have to admit, there are times I wish I could find a nice comfortabe cave, set up house and stay there, until the Lords return..esp. in the world as it is today. (don't tell me no one else taking this study, has never felt the same...remember, all liars.....!)
If the only reason we got saved was to go to heaven, God 'woulda' struck us dead, when we got up from the alter.

We are told to occupy until He comes. We are in this world, in the sense of occupying it, but we definitly are not a part of it!
I have found the world and its system, a mystery to me anymore;
I don't understand 'it'..and it sure doesn't understand me, as a Christian.

Salt and Light...yes I see in the Word, we are to be just that;
But again, I don't believe the Word means we are to 'take-over' by conquering the world..this sounds too much like 'dominion teaching' which I don't adhere to. We're not going to 'cleanse' anything...only the blood of the Lamb, can cleanse anyone.
We are, as it says in Mark, to 'preach the Gospel, (good news), lay hands on the sick, cast out devils, etc.

["Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins...."? When?]

We are called out of the world at the time of our receiving salvation;
But just as the children of Israel, were taken out of Egypt, it took God 40 yrs. to take Egypt out of them.
I believe today though, we have no '40 yrs.'...God is calling all believers to leave the world, and its ways behind...for the time of His great appearing is almost upon us. Praise God!

love you all..jaunita

Positive self-talk and big bank accounts will provide no security for the proud from a fall. Do not be materialistic or go along with shifting ethics we see on tv, magazines, or movies.
Instead, reach out to others, to be the hands of Christ in their lives. Hold life precious and do not devalue human life. We are not living for Christ if we have selfish motives. If we respond to God's offer of mercy by trusting in Christ's sacrifice of Himself and declaring Christ as Lord in our lives we do not ever have to face the wrath of God.

We live in this world we do not separate ourselves from the people. It is our calling to reach the lost for Jesus to do that we must still talk to them and be around the ones of this world. We are different and must stay different for we are Holy and called to do the word of our Lord. We must live in this world but we must keep our priorities straight and remember our focus is on God and Godly living. How do we fulfill the command: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins." I think it means that when it is the appointed time for each of us, we must make a decision to let go of this world and live our lives for Jesus and do what he has called us to do. He commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel unto every one. We are not to be of this world even though we are in it. We are different and they should see we are different Holy and Righteous not by our on power but that of the blood of Jesus. Thank you Jesus for giving your life so we may live Holy and Righteous before God through your blood.

We are not to be a part of the sin of this world but we are to live in this world until we are called home by our Lord or the rapture. We are not to pertake in the sins that are going on and all that is evil in this world. We need to separate ourselves from the sin and tell other about Jesus this is our calling. We are Holy and Righteous only through the blood of Jesus and that is why we are called saints of God and we live in this world to lead others to the truth.

WE ARE IN THE WORLD FOR A MISSION ; WE ARE STILL IN THE WITINESS AGE UNTIL CHRIST RETURN. WE ARE TO LET THE CHRIST IN US SHINE WITHIN US;WINNING SOULS FOR HIS KINGDOM. THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU WILL COME OUT OF US IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE WHEN WE PUT CHRIST FIRST IN EVERYTHING WE DO.CHRIST TOLD US TO GO OUT INTO ALL THE WORLD TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. WE CAN'T DO THAT IF WE ARE HERMIT STAYING IN . WE HAVE TO LET OUR LIGHT SHINE WITHIN US.

According to Mt 5:13-16 salt and light to the world. We should by our showing our actions and by our talk. This is how we should be salt and light to the world. We should not take part in the world's activites. Such as going to bars. Watching *****. Reading dirty magazines or books. I believe this is also where we should come out of the world, so we will not take part in the sin of the world.

We are to stand out of the evil and godlessness like lights in the darkness, and we are called to be salt in that we are involved like Jesus in the lives of people who are sad and hurting. Our walk and talk should set us apart as God’s children. We should not compromise by being like those of the world (this is quite difficult in certain circumstances, but we are called to stand firm).

:) WE ARE NOT TO BE LAZY SETTING AROUND DOING NOTHING . WE ARE STILL I THE WITNESSING STAGE AND SHOULD BE DOING THE WORK CHRIST JESUS HAVE US TO DO. WHEN CHRIST WAS RETURNING BACK TO HEAVEN A COMMAND WAS GIVEN TO GO OUT INTO ALL THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES .....

Thye balance lies in not being full of the world, but involved enough to help people find their way to Christ. We should fulfill the command, "Come out of her, my people," as soon as we accept the Lord, Jesus Christ, as our savior. We can do this by altering our lives to filter out the things that are not pleasing to the Lord and to start showing others the errors in their ways. (Not judge them, but give counsel when asked.)