How can you be in the world and not of it according to Jesus?

Question

Jesus commands that we should be in the world not of it. How can we do that? How can I apply that to Youth Ministry?

Answer 1

You are in this world because you are here, but your home is in Heaven, therefore you are not of this world.

Make sense?

Answer 2

Because you are considering the wrong world. You cannot really see the world because it only exists in the human heart and mind. That is the world that Jesus overcame and that is His kingdom.

You can see the results of this unseen "world" in the creations of men but even then you cannot always see the spirit/motive that produced what you see. What you are really seeing is not the world but the fruits of the world. God created things are not of the world but the earth.

They show you a photo of space and call it the world. Not so. It is a photo of the earth. Any details of what man has produced are worldly and are only the fruits of the world within.

Those who are born again (which means to be baptized by the spirit of Jesus Christ) find themselves at once no longer in the world but still of it. The next step is to take on the mind of Christ so that one is no longer conformed to the world but transformed. Every spirit filled Christian has the power to do this and the worst Christian has the urge to do it.

Many stay in bondage to the world for years, right at the point you have made with your question, and fall away or get caught up in the busy work of religion; becoming very moral but never really free.

You can find all the Scriptures about the world and the earth. The most direct Scripute I know is Ecc. 3:11. Also read Ecc. 7:14 and Romans 8:20.

The answer to your question deals with the world of the unseen. It is a world where God is still in charge and controls things by hope placed in every human heart. In the earth, before our eyes, he sets out adversity and prosperity that men might seek Him.

If you overcome the world, the one inside, (and Jesus made that possible) the only thing left on earth is your body. To keep that alive you must still function with the worldy and traffic with them in social and even religious settings. God will even remove you from so-called good work (really wordly busy work) as you take steps to remove any worldliness of your own.

The things we see on earth that were not created by God; are all produced by ideas coming from the worldly realm of the human soul. People try to divide church and state. Both issue from the same world and one is no better than the other.

God looks upon nothing but the heart and calls all from bondage to the world they found themselves born into. Those who deal with the world inside will live and display a holy life. You take care of that world daily at the cross and God will take care of the earth and those that are destroying it.

Jesus said He has overcome the world. Do you really see that in your history book or the daily news? The world He spoke of is within us, unseen. In hearts, He started a new creation some 2000 years ago. This new creation will last. The creation we see now will shortly pass. God is creating a new heaven and a new earth -- not a new world.

Sorry to go so long. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Though you may be hesitant to the idea, I suggest you investigate mysticism. Many, if not most, of the Christian Saints, not to mention Jesus, were Christian mystics. How is this related? Well, most Christian mystics argue that the words of Jesus have many levels of knowledge, the most important being a deeper hidden meaning that ultimately reveals how we may realize that we are at one with God. To be in the world but not of it refers to the fact that one must release the world to embrace God. In terms of the mind, one must stop the internal dialogue, or watch the thoughts, rather than be the thoughts. One must fulfill the duties of life in the world, while inwardly remaining in the Holy Spirit.

As far as how to apply that to Youth Ministry..... Teach meditation or deep communion prayer.... Talk about the importance of keeping mindful of the mind, and of Holy Spirit while in all activities in the world. To be in the world but not of it is the calling of the Spiritual Warrior. You can talk about the importance of being a Spiritual Warrior, but not many are willing to take up that path. A good book on this is Dan Millman's The Way of the Peaceful Warrior.

Answer 4

True worshipers are no part of the world. When on trial before the Roman ruler Pilate, Jesus said: “My kingdom is no part of this world.” (John 18:36) No matter what country they live in, Jesus’ true followers are subjects of his heavenly Kingdom and thus maintain strict neutrality in the world’s political affairs. They take no part in its conflicts. This would also mean not interfering with what others choose to do about joining a political party, running for office, or voting. And while God’s true worshipers are neutral regarding politics, they are law-abiding. Why? Because God’s Word commands them to “be in subjection” to the governmental “superior authorities.” (Romans 13:1) Where there is a conflict between what God requires and what a political system requires, true worshipers follow the example of the apostles, who said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”—Acts 5:29; Mark 12:17

Does that make sense?

Answer 5

Jesus is our best example of your question. He was in the world, he went to the public places, talked to everyone from tax collectors to whores....but he didn't have the Spirit of the world.....GREED,VANITY,PRIDE,HATE,ETC.
To apply this to your Youth Ministry? First, if you don't know how to apply that or if you are getting spiritual answers regarding the feeding of young sheep from the net and not from seeking God maybe you should question your position as a youth minister and study to be better equipped..that way, you won't be responsible for leading anyone astray.

Answer 6

Well, we have to physically be in the world but we do not have to partake of the world "system". We operate on a different level or system, that of God and his Word. We need to be different, or as Jesus said, the salt of the earth. Salt is very purifying. Billy Graham gave a good illustration one time = he said that before you are a Christian you are part of this river of sewage coming down a hill. When you become a Christian, you turn around and all of a sudden, you are going up this hill and all the garbage is coming at you. That is so true.

Answer 7

This is a Spiritual Saying.
All you have to do to "be IN (Physically) the World but not OF IT (Spiritually)" is-------Get Your Spirit Recreated by getting Born-Again (Saved).
When you get Saved, you (a Spirit) gets Translated INTO the Kingdom of GOD.
You can Handle the Power of GOD that is Always Flowing in HIS KINGDOM.
Befor you got Saved, your Spirit was Messed Up and you WERE NOT in the Kingdom of GOD, even Though the Kingdom of GOD is All Around you.

Answer 8

Read 1John 1:5-9. In part it says that we can not walk in the world (darkness) and be with Jesus (fellowship with Him) at the same time. Maybe this will help.

Answer 9

Well to illustrate this point, last March, my youth minister did this thing he called a month long camp experience. Basically, he asked us to abstain from tv, the internet, cell phones (as much as possible), sex, drugs, alcohol, and things like that.

Answer 10

It basically means material gains, that is worldly. What belongs to God are priceless things, like hope, faith, charity, peace, honor, but above all ~ LOVE. True unconditional "lay down my life for yours" love. It is hard in this society ~ but nothing is impossible esp. w/ God on your side!:o]