Maybe you’ve heard this phrase: Be in the world, but not of the world. After hearing the phrase maybe you’ve thought, “Huh?” It’s a catchy phrase that tries to explain a balance that God’s people have been trying to achieve for a long time: being a part of the world but not being affected by the world, or living for God while impacting the world. Let’s face it, it’s hard to live a gospel-driven life in a world that is driven by anything but the gospel.
It’s always been that way. In fact, just a few years after Jesus was on earth, the apostle John wrote a series of letters (1, 2, 3 John) to give his friends insight and resolve about how to live in the world but not succumb to the ways of the world. The verses of 1 John 2:15-17 might give us the help we need to strike the proper balance.
The What
You may want to print the passage below to help notice the detail. As you read the passage, do a couple things:
1. Circle every reference to the world (including things that describe the world).
2. Underline every reference to things of God.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).
The So What
Take a minute to internalize what you just found in Scripture by prayerfully responding to these micro-exercises. You may want to journal your thoughts on a sheet of paper or in an eDoc.
How does John describe what is in the world? What three elements are given as examples of all that is in the world (hint: two desires and a pride)?
To what extent can the love of the world and the love of the Father coexist?
John defines things in the world as desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes and the pride of life. Let’s try to get a handle on those. List three or four things that you would classify as desires of the flesh (one is a given: lust, but there are more desires than that).
List three or four things that you would classify as desires of the eyes.
List three or four things that you would classify as the pride of life.
According to verse 17, what is the eventual fate of the things you have on these lists?
List three or four things that you would classify as doing the will of God.
According to verse 17, what is the eventual fate of the things you have listed as doing the will of God?
Putting into Practice
Perhaps the thing to keep in mind is that everything you see and desire in the world will fade. In fact, it’s fading before your very eyes (according to v. 17). Everything you do that’s related to the will of God will last forever. In fact, you can tap into forever by doing the will of God right now.
So, grab an idea from your list of things you’d classify as doing the will of God. In fact, grab three or four ideas. Convert them into specific tasks. (Example: Convert “visiting the sick” to “visit my friend’s aunt in the hospital”). Then commit to doing these tasks during the upcoming week.
That, then, is how you can be in the world, but not of the world. It’s a balance that’s easier to strike than you might think.
