missmuffet Posted December 1, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 34 Topic Count: 1,991 Topics Per Day: 0.48 Content Count: 48,689 Content Per Day: 11.81 Reputation: 30,343 Days Won: 226 Joined: 01/11/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted December 1, 2017 Question: "What does it mean that Christians are not of this world?" Answer: The phrase “not of this world” is perhaps most well-known for being a Christian apparel company (http://www.notw.com/). But what exactly does it mean that Christians are “not of this world”? The phrase comes from John 18:36 where Jesus says that His kingdom is “not of this world.” As His followers, Christians are members of His kingdom which is “not of this world,” that is, heaven (Philippians 3:20). Yes, we are on earth for now, but our earthly lives are nothing but a vapor (James 4:14). But eternity, now that is a long time, and that is where a Christian’s focus should really be (1 Peter 5:10). The things of this world, wars, famine, suffering, poverty, etc., impact Christians and non-Christians alike. By remembering that we are “not of this world,” remembering that these things are just for a little while, we can see them in a different light. We are still in this world but we are no longer of it (John 17:14). We are still surrounded by all the horrors and tragedy of this life, but this is not our life (Philippians 3:8-14). The knowledge that we are not of this world gives Christians hope even in the darkest times (1 Peter 1:6-9); hope that this will pass and at the end of it we will be in heaven with our God, face to face forever (Revelation 21:3-4). This cracked and broken place is not where we belong, and it is not where we will stay (1 Corinthians 3:12). Christians are not of this world. We have been adopted as heirs of heaven by God Himself and that is our world, our citizenship (Titus 3:7). And in the meanwhile we wait (2 Corinthians 5:12), and we hope (Romans 5:5), and we do what we can to bring others into the “not of this world” relationship with Jesus Christ. But this world is not our home, and never will be. https://www.gotquestions.org/not-of-this-world.html 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeyondET Posted December 6, 2017 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 118 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 2,868 Content Per Day: 1.23 Reputation: 816 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/29/2017 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/01/1968 Share Posted December 6, 2017 On July 11, 2017 at 12:15 PM, mat007 said: Working, attending school or planting trees (keeping the world natural and healthy) means loving the world? ("loving the world" in God's context) Does this mean we worship the evil one? Not the planet earth but of the things of the worldly possessions of wealth, fame, fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markie51 Posted March 13, 2022 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 107 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 21 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/07/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted March 13, 2022 Scripture states that “…the one called Devil, and Satan…” is shown to be the one “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) The apostle John said that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) He is therefore “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31) That is why James wrote that “the friendship with the world is enmity with God.”-James 4:4. The world’s spirit produces “works of the flesh” such as “fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritualism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these.” The simple truth is that the only way to have the world’s friendship is to become like it- to share its desires, ambitions, and prejudices, to admire its thinking and philosophies, and to take up its practices and ways.-Galatians 5:19-21. If we manifest the world’s spirit, share its viewpoint of life, identify ourselves as friends of the world and not of God, we will not inherit God’s kingdom. On the other hand, if we are God’s friends, we will have His spirit with its fruitage.-Galatians 5:22, 23. Compare what Jesus told his disciples at John 15:19, 20. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ani Tefillah Posted March 13, 2022 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 7 Topic Count: 337 Topics Per Day: 0.42 Content Count: 2,087 Content Per Day: 2.58 Reputation: 1,580 Days Won: 5 Joined: 02/06/2022 Status: Offline Share Posted March 13, 2022 5 hours ago, Markie51 said: Scripture states that “…the one called Devil, and Satan…” is shown to be the one “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) The apostle John said that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) He is therefore “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31) That is why James wrote that “the friendship with the world is enmity with God.”-James 4:4. The world’s spirit produces “works of the flesh” such as “fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritualism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these.” The simple truth is that the only way to have the world’s friendship is to become like it- to share its desires, ambitions, and prejudices, to admire its thinking and philosophies, and to take up its practices and ways.-Galatians 5:19-21. If we manifest the world’s spirit, share its viewpoint of life, identify ourselves as friends of the world and not of God, we will not inherit God’s kingdom. On the other hand, if we are God’s friends, we will have His spirit with its fruitage.-Galatians 5:22, 23. Compare what Jesus told his disciples at John 15:19, 20. Thank you for the share, so true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobie_ Posted March 13, 2022 Group: Seventh Day Adventist Followers: 6 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,786 Content Per Day: 0.33 Reputation: 717 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/24/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted March 13, 2022 On 7/11/2017 at 12:15 PM, mat007 said: Working, attending school or planting trees (keeping the world natural and healthy) means loving the world? ("loving the world" in God's context) Does this mean we worship the evil one? Think of something that will destroy your body, and yet you go back again and again to do it or take it....you are addicted to it...you love it more than life...you would die rather than give it up...so is sin.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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