I mistakenly thought that the phrase "Be in this world, but not of it" was in the Bible. It is not, but there are passages that strongly allude to such an idea, such as John 15:19, 17:14-19 and Romans 12:2.
I see Christians that lean more toward "in the world" side of things and Christians that lean more toward the "not of the world" side (the latter perhaps seeming prude and old-fashioned). Which side is better to take? What should the balance be? Heck if I know. But I'm going to talk about it anyway.
Here's an illustration: I know Christians who do not drink, do not visit bars, and avoid associating with drunk people and "partiers."I know others who say, "In order to reach out to the drinkers and the partiers, we must be like them, to show them that we're normal, sane, relatable people."
Perhaps I err in choosing a topic in which I know where I stand (however, I fail to live up to my own standards). I think the middle ground is most appropriate. Although many modern Christians believe drinking is in itself, wrong, the Bible says nothing of the kind (not that there are not perfectly legitimate reasons to abstain). What the Bible does say is that drunkenness is wrong. So, as Christians, we have options. We have the freedom to attend parties, to drink, to befriend other people who do so, but we are not to abandon all moral principle for the sake of those we are trying to relate and reach out to.
Here is another instance where the middle ground is probably most appropriate, but where I see many people trying too hard to be "in the world." Many Christians have given up any semblance of verbal purity. It no longer matters if a particular word is "improper" or not; say it! Put people at ease! There is no such thing as proper and improper anymore. It was recently pointed out to me that many modern pastors have started throwing cuss words into their sermons and everyday language. Pastors cannot be without sin, of course, but their behavior is actually encouraged. It helps them "relate" to the people. It makes them more "approachable." However, the Bible has a lot to say about keeping the mouth and tongue pure.
I, personally, try to be "not of this world" in this arena; I don't use cuss words at all unless I am quoting or reading something, and even then I try to censor what I say. There are certainly many other ways that I have impure speech that I need to work on. Some people love how unfiltered and borderline vulgar I can be at times; I am rude and offensive and sarcastic, either for blunt honesty's sake or for the sake of humor, but I see these as areas I desperately need to work on.
How, then, do I respond to other people who do not have pure speech? Do I reject them? Do I become offended by their words? Do I accept them with no questions asked? Do I lovingly point out their sin? I find that if someone, especially a non-Christian, is talking to me and they use a cuss word and, sensing my stance on proper/improper language, apologize, I shrug and say, "I don't mind at all. I don't say those words, but I don't mind hearing them." Is it right for me to say this? Is it even true? (Not really.) Sometimes I really am offended! Is it right for be to be? Should I just get over it? Is it loving to allow this behavior? Is it unloving to be offended by it? Or is my personal purity more important? I don't have the answer to this.
It is obviously important to be "set-apart" and refrain from sin at any cost. But to what degree must we be in the world (rather than retreating to our Christian bubbles, as I so often find myself doing)? How much must we immerse and surround ourselves with the culture, without actively participating in it? Must we put ourselves in tempting situations on behalf of the world, hoping that we stand up under the temptation and do not sin? The fact of the matter is that here we are, on Planet Earth. And the fact of the matter is that we are aliens here, mere visitors. Our citizenship is in Heaven. When in Rome, do we do as the Romans do? Or do remember our identity as Americans and behave as such?
Please post your thoughts in the comment section below, or other examples if you can think of any. I would love to dialogue about this.
God bless.
From what I've seen the bible and even Paul alone has numerous cases of swearing and using vulgar language. In Philippians 3:8 Paul speaks of his former life as, "rubbish". But the real word in Greek is a swear word that means, "Rubbish and muck of many kinds: excrement, rotten food, bits left at a meal as not worth eating, a rotting corpse. Nastiness and decay are the constant elements of its meaning; it is a coarse, ugly, violent word implying worthlessness, uselessness, and repulsiveness.” Other cases include Isaiah 64:6 comparing our self-righteousness to used menstrual rags, Ezekiel 23:20, and 1 cor. 4:13.
ReplyDeleteWhile that up there argues your point, this is what I really think is important. Since Christ has fully redeemed believers (Rom. 8:1) we have no reason to focus on our own sin(Rom. 6:14). Under the new covenant, changing what we do no longer changes who we are (Rom 6:13). Our identity is secure and unchanging in Christ, sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13). Our focus needs to be on God, not our sin (Rom 7:6). While we shouldn't swear, we should be wary of a focus on things like swearing. Rather, our focus should be on loving others with our words (though the two are not always mutually exclusive). If we do focus on such menial "issues", we should be wary of ignoring the weightier portions of the law.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel." - Mt 23:23-24
I used a few sources in this, I can cite them later if necessary. Also reading all of Rom 6-8 is good. Understanding the difference between living under law and living under grace is life-changing.
Hey Jon,
DeleteWhile I understand what you're saying, please understand that the issues discussed in this post are meant to be examples only, not the point of the post. The point is that there is a balance between living in the world but behaving like a citizen of Heaven. Of course I know that there are bigger issues to worry about, but if you want to talk about our use of words, please don't forget about Matthew 15:18, 12:36-37, Proverbs 29:20, and James 1:26. What we say really is a big deal.
While we are covered by grace, we deeply err to ignore our sin. If you have been saved by grace but continue to live in sin, you are deceiving yourself. As Christians we are called to a higher standard of living and behavior. When the Spirit enters our heart, we are transformed from the inside out, and therefore should not sin. We are FREED from our sin. Sin is never menial.
While we are called above all else to love God and people, refusing to acknowledge that we must repent from our sin is insanely foolish.
Thanks for your input and the discussion, Jon. Let me know what you think.