We live in a time in which the concept of separation from the world is foreign to many believers. The church has so focused itself upon being relevant to the culture that it has absorbed the world rather than influence it for God. A minority of believers have over-reacted to this by pulling away from the mainstream church and forming small, legalistic groups who try to obey God by codifying Christ. Neither is the correct mind set for a Christian who desires to live a godly life.
Separation from the world is an important part of our sanctification. We are not to be like the world but neither are we to segregate ourselves from it. Jesus tells us that we are to be in the world but not of it. This seems an impossible task and it is impossible without the Holy Spirit. The separation that a Christian is commanded to practice is not like the separation that God desired from the children of Israel. God separated His chosen people so that He might preserve them as a people. From them came the Messiah, Jesus the Christ through Whom God would preserve the world. We who are in Christ have been called out for that same purpose, (in the Bible we are compared to salt which is a preservative). Our separation is not physical but spiritual and can only be accomplished in the Spirit for the world is as near to us as to be present in our very members. It is only in making our flesh subject to the Spirit, to the mind of Christ that dwells in us, that we have any hope of being holy as God is Holy.
If we rely upon rules and regulations to achieve Biblical separation, it is not long before our thought life and prayer life is filled with nothing but that which we must avoid. Creating a code of do's and, mostly, don'ts to follow soon fills our mind with the world which casts a dark shadow over the Light that is within us. When the Light in us becomes darkness, we are inevitably overcome by sin. To overcome the darkness that dwells in our flesh, we must turn our thoughts toward, Jesus. When we keep our mind upon Him and meditate upon His Character an amazing process is set in motion. As the Light within us that is Jesus is magnified, we soon begin to forget the darkness as all that hides there is brought to the Light and the true substance of what the world has to offer is made known and loses its appeal. The nearer we draw to Jesus the less often these things even tempt us. As we mature in Christ we begin to desire what God desires. When this process of sanctification is complete, we will be just like Jesus and the world and its ruler, Satan will no longer have any control over us.
Oh, child of God, do not bow to the world seeking to be like it! Cultural relevance brings no one to Christ. That is the work of the Holy Spirit only and not of any man or woman. Though the Holy Spirit may use you as a mouthpiece it does not rely upon you for method. Neither can Christ be codified for He is not precept and principle. He is the risen Savior and He lives! He lives in you! Set your eyes firmly upon Him! Take every thought captive to Him! Allow His Glory to shine through you as you find your relevance in Him. Obey Him from the heart. Obey from a heart that has been changed through spiritual rebirth in Christ. Obey not from slavish human effort that can only hope to produce reformation without true inward change.
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus! Look full in His wonderful face! And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the Light of His Glory and Grace!"
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