IN THE WORLD NOT OF THE WORLD
John 17:14-17 NKJV
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
This 17th chapter of John records the prayer of Jesus before they went to the garden of Gethsemane. And it is quite a prayer. Jesus is praying about the relationship that will take place with those who will believe in Him. This chapter contains some wonderful truths revealing the depth of relationship with God that is available to believers.
In verses 14-17, Jesus speaks of the relationship between those who believe in Him and the world. He is speaking of the world's system that has no regard for God and His word. And Jesus makes it clear that believers are different from the world. Because of the word that believers receive, we are not of the world. We are separate from the world, and the world hates us. We see that hate manifested in everything from disdain to death. Some believers today in other nations are imprisoned and even killed because of their faith in Christ.
Jesus repeats the point that those who believe in Him are not of the world, just as He is not of the world. The disciples may not have understood what Jesus was referring to in being 'not of the world.' But after the cross and the resurrection, all who believe in His name are made new creations. Jesus called it being born again. So the spiritual change that has taken place in all who have received Christ unites them with the Lord and separates them from this world.
Jesus prayed and asked that the Father would not take them out of the world but rather keep them from the evil one. This prayer should give us an understanding that even though we are no longer of the world, we are not to live completely separate in terms of having no contact. This idea that we are not of the world led to some living completely separate lives from anyone who was an unbeliever. This type of separation gave birth to convents and monasteries. These were people determined to live separate from the world. Many good writings and records of the scriptures came from these monks and nuns, but most of us don't have the ability to live completely separate from the world. And that is not the Lord's plan.
What separates us from the world is not only the spiritual condition of being a new creation but also living according to God's truth, not the world's truth. This is why Jesus prayed that God would sanctify or separate us by His truth. God's Word is truth.
APPLICATION
Our takeaways from Jesus' prayer in the verses for today start with acknowledging the beauty and strength within us because of the spiritual change that has taken place. We truly are new creations and different from a world that is still separated from God and does not have His life in their spirits.
We acknowledge that our separation from the world is not physically removing ourselves but rather living differently while still living in and among those without Christ. We live differently because we live according to God's truth found in His word and by His Holy Spirit.
The best thing we can do is live as an example and shine our light to those who are in spiritual darkness. Some will continue to hate, but some will respond.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for the relationship that I have with You and with my Heavenly Father. Show me how to live in the world without allowing the world to live in me. Thank You for Your word, which is truth that strengthens me and separates me.