Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Being In It

 


 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.  The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.  Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.  John 16:7-11

 

What is the difference between being of the world and in the world?  They sound so similar.  I liken it to one of my favorite football players.  The player is ‘of’ the Miami Dolphins, which is my favorite football team.  The player is also ‘in’ the National Football League.  When you are of something, that is who you represent.  When you are in something, you are part of a similar but larger collective.  It’s a subtle but important difference.  We are all living ‘in’ the world, but we are ‘of’ the Christian faith.  But here is what’s important to remember.  All because a person is not ‘of’ the Christian faith does not mean that they are not ‘in’ our world for a reason.  In fact, one might argue God placed them ‘in’ our lives to introduce Christ to them.

We should always be conscious of the differences between people of this world versus in the world itself.  There are many times that I have heard others call people ‘evil’ and ‘of this world.’  I never truly bought into that, but I was not able to figure out why because people would commit sin and do things wrongfully.  It would make sense to call them evil or worldly, right?  But note what Jesus said here.  He said, “The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.  He is not condemning an individual.  He condemned ‘the world’ or as it would be clearer The Devil.  Why is this important?  It means that no person can truly be judged by us as either ‘evil’ or ‘of this world.’  That’s not to say they won’t be sinful, commit evil acts, or either choose the world over Christ or refuse Him.  What it does mean is no one is beyond redemption.  In the book of Luke, Zechariah, prophesying the coming of Christ, said, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.” (Luke 1:68) Our role is not to levy our standards on others (note what Jesus said about the ruler of this world).  It is to tell those the message of Christ for if they are given His truth, they too can distinguish between being in the world versus being of the world.

God loves us.  It’s not about what we feel about others.  It’s about how God would want us to respond to them.  It is clear what He would say, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).  Let us focus on being the lover of God’s people and separate the evil of the world from the people who live in it.  Who have you wrongfully condemned?  Where can you replace judgment with love?  My prayer is that we show mercy toward others and recognize our opportunity to save those in the world to become of God's Kingdom.  Amen.

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