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"Love Not the World"

Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by NetChaplain, Apr 30, 2014.

  1. NetChaplain

    NetChaplain Well-Known Member
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    The principle of the world began in the garden of Eden, when Eve, disregarding the word of God, saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise. There are the elements of the world. "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but are of the world" (1 John 2:16).

    It will help us to be able to distinguish between what is of the world and what is of God. The distinction is simply this: when what is visible influences and controls our feelings or actions, it is the world. "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4). Is it the mind of God which influences me and controls my actions, or is it the order of things around me, that is, the world? The world, in its influence on me, is the rival of God's Word, and many a one who know what faith is for the safety of his soul, is nevertheless not safe from the world.

    In order to set him free form the things of the world, you must either remove the things altogether, or you must remove the state in which he is; that is, he must be set above the man in the flesh. Hence the one and only effectual way of delivering a saint from the world is by presenting to him a Person who entirely eclipses himself, and places him in the most heavenly position. Therefore it is said, "Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5:5). It is not merely the faith which effects the deliverance, but the Person.

    Before the death of the Lord Jesus, faith always proved itself in the way it carried the believing one above the order and influence of things here; yet as man in the flesh, this was not set aside, there was not a call for the action of faith beyond the maintenance of the faith then revealed; there was not absolute and continual abnegation of the world, because there was not absolute and complete institution of a new order of creation in the Person of the Son of God. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation . . . all things are become new" (2 Cor 5:17).

    Now, for the Christian, our separation from the world is to be no less than His; we are not of the world, even as He is not of the world. This is our definite and established position. We are not merely like the Old Testament and pre-Pentecost saints, called to prove ourselves for God in overcoming special things; but we are called to overcome everything. To us it is said, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1 John 2:15).

    The believer can discharge the responsibilities of his calling according to God, but then he must distinguish between what He has appointed and what the world inculcates. The domestic relations are of God, and they are the very channels through which the grace of the Lord Jesus flows. Hence I do not learn from the world how I am to act in them; I am taught of my Father. I have a new life and enablement; and as to the powers that be, I am simply subject to them. Thus I neither follow the fashion of the world, nor am I eccentric, but all things are done decently and in order (1 Co 14:40) .

    The Holy Spirit is the power to separate us from the world and its ways, because He gives the only enablement to preserve us from the flesh and its ways. If we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16). We are sustained by union through the Spirit with the heavenly Man. We move in the sphere of the first man, but our fellowship is with the Lord Jesus Christ above, therefore we walk down here by faith.

    -J B Stoney


    Liberty For All -MJS
    http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/
     
  2. The Biblicist

    The Biblicist Well-Known Member
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    No, this definition is close but not accurate. The world consists of the INVISIBLE as well. The true distinction is that the world consists of the visible and invisible system that opposes the principles and practices revealed in God's Word of which are both invisibly and visibly manifested.

    Furthermore, it is not merely our POSITION and the PERSON of Christ that distinguish us from the world or make us not "of the world." It is our CONDITION - new birth - that makes us not of this world but born FROM ABOVE and then in addition whether we walk IN THE FLESH or IN THE SPIRIT that separates us from the world.

    The distinction between living and walking "in the flesh" and "in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25) is not merely "visible" versus "invisible" as the visible world is operated by invisible forces. Invisible forces operated in us before the new birth that were anti-Christ (Eph. 2:2-3). The difference is that we operate both invisibly and visibly under the principles of the Word of God - "Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth." The difference is HEART MOTIVE as we operate from a heart that is motivated to glorify God in all that we say and do whereas the lost "come short of the glory of God" not merely by words and deeds but due to wrong heart motive behind such words and deeds.
     
  3. NetChaplain

    NetChaplain Well-Known Member
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    Hi Biblicist - I believe what the author intended by "when what is visible influences and controls our feelings or actions, it is the world" is that what we see should not be the major factor in determining our ultimate decisions, but rather it is to be the Word of God that has the ultimate influence in our life, rather than that which pertains to this life only.

    My understanding concerning our condition is that which relates to our physicality, the dying body and corrupt nature which still affects the believer. Our position is greater than our condition and causes us to live a godly life, which is due to our rebirth, which is our position in Christ.

    Of course all this is dependent upon how it is interpreted by one's understanding, which often varies between believers in non-essential doctrine.
     
  4. The Biblicist

    The Biblicist Well-Known Member
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    hello NetChaplain,

    I understood what he was trying to say. He just didn't convey it quite accurately. The invisible plays as much part, if not more than the visible in moving us away from practical godliness or toward godliness.

    Our POSITION is a major in connection with justification but a MINOR in connection with living a godly life. The major is our regenerate CONDIITION as all godliness that eminents within and without us originates and is empowered from the regenerate CONDITION in union with the indwelling Spirit. Our Position provides assurance and increases or strengthens our faith but it is our reborn CONDITION that determines the effect of godliness in our daily life.

    You are doing a good job and I don't mean to take away any truth you are trying to convey. But the misplaced emphasis on position versus condition is significant in regard to actual godliness - Gal. 5:25. Positional godliness does not translate into Personal godliness except through our reborn CONDITION as the new inward man is what God both works through to will and to do according to his good pleasure in our actual daily life. Worldliness can be expressed in religious conformation to the Word of God or rebellious reaction to the Word of God. However, true godliness has its source not in our position in heaven but in our regenerated spirit where God actually abides and works through and out into our life and that is INVISIBLE until expressed.

    The "world" refers to a system of INVISIBLE thinking and VISIBLE action that is contrary to both the INVISIBLE spirit and visible truth of God's Word.
     
    #4 The Biblicist, May 1, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: May 1, 2014
  5. prophet

    prophet Active Member
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    God is Sanctifying all who are positionally in Him.
    He has foreordained and predestinated them unto good works, and He shepherds them, chastening, guiding and directing their lives, perfecting them through preaching, and teaching, washing them by His Word.

    So, positional isn't detached from physical....in that sense.

    Not that I disagree with you.
     
  6. NetChaplain

    NetChaplain Well-Known Member
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    Thanks for the compliment, and I believe you do well with being analytical, which results in good inquiries. I also think we are close enough in our understanding here to be somewhat semantic in our explanations.
     
  7. The Biblicist

    The Biblicist Well-Known Member
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    Sanctification is progressive and in different degrees with different saints. All persevere in saving faith but not all persevere equally in sanctification (manifest godliness). God has a distinct purpose for each child of God and their time, growth and usage are all ultimately determined by the measure of grace and faith He soveriegnly bestows according to the good purpose He has for each. Paul said, 'I am what I am by the grace of God." Someone else has said, I thank God I am not what I was nor what I will be but I am what I am by the grace of God.
     
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