One of the mantras I often heard as a boy (without really understanding) is, “In the world but not of the world.” Unfortunately, some Christian families become so worried about the world and its influence that they attempt to almost cloister their children or they live a segregated lifestyle within their own communities. This, in itself, can be problematic and often the children really aren’t adequately equipped to make sound decisions – sometimes leading to a kind of “syndrome” where the young people leave and then “go wild.”
Some teachings, along this vein, seem even contradictory as reflected in the title of two popular hymns I learned while growing up: “This World Is Not My Home” and “This Is My Father’s World.” Another contradictory message (for me anyway) concerns how some groups can so thoroughly condemn “the flesh” and all its “evil desires” – sometimes even to the extent of abusing their bodies in various ways - only to also embrace the teaching that our bodies are the temple of God and we are to lovingly and reverently care for them. In other words, the concept of “the flesh” isn’t really very well understood leading to various distortions – sometimes even to self-abuse.
So when there seems to be contradiction and/or differing points of view, how does one resolve them? If you start from the viewpoint that there really is continuity and harmony within the basic message of Christianity, then anything that seems to be a contradiction must be looked at (along with how we’ve come to understand or interpret it) within the context of how it’s messaged within and throughout the Bible.
First, I’ve come to believe this is indeed my Father’s world. He created it and we all are born into it – and therefore are part of it (in other words, we are indeed “of this world”). As Christians, we are directed (through Christ’s teachings) that we must be “born again.” It would be during the process of being born again that we affirm the “new” self which, born of the spirit, is no longer “of this world.” Even then, we must continue living each day “in the world” and by knowing this fact we are also aware that our years remain counted and limited.
In the fall of mankind as outlined in Genesis 3, Adam is sentenced to work the earth and live by the sweat of his brow. Further, he was denied access to “the tree of life” and this would ultimately lead to his death returning him to the earth (dust to dust). I read this as meaning that his choice determined what followed - he would be restricted to a limited lifespan that was sustained strictly by means of what this world could provide. Once access to the tree of life was blocked, everything else was insufficient to sustain him beyond a limited time.
Not only did Adam have to die, his very DNA (fashioned by the Creator Himself) has become just a shadow of what it would have been back in the Garden of Eden - after countless replications. Whatever it is that the tree of life supplied, thousands of years of harvesting and working the earth have failed to supply our DNA with that missing life-sustaining element... nevertheless, we must continue to work in “the world” if we want to eat and live out what days we do have.
The idea of being ‘in this world not of this world’ appears in several places in scripture. John 17 is perhaps one of the more thought of texts where the idea appears. Here, it is part of a prayer where Christ was asking His Father for the continued protection of His disciples after He (Christ) would leave this world. In that same prayer verse (15) He asks His Father, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” Even though the battle (as well as man’s redemption) had been won, He wished that the Father keep the faithful living here, on this world. There is a reason and work for each to do – then and now. Part of His message is that there will be a time when this world will ultimately be recreated and made new... after going through a series of events still to come.
When I think about Christ’s prayer (I just referenced) in light of everything else, there is consistency that goes from creation through to today. Man was created with the unique gift (and responsibility) of having a free will – not only was he given the ability to choose, but also the right to choose. Man was created to live by the choices he makes and the resulting consequences (then and now). Physically, our choices relate to the world we are in and, as a consequence, a part of. Spiritually we also make choices and I think it is at this level where we decide if we are a part of the kingdom of this world or God’s kingdom. This was the case with the apostles and it remains so today.
