Christians Who Are Kept From Evil & Advancing In Holiness

 

"The Lord doesn't want us 'out of the world' but neither does He want us 'of the world.' We are to be in it but not of it. The tendency is one of two extremes: to be in the world and so saturated with it that there is no difference between the Christians and the world system or to get out of the world system and to be so isolated from it that our commendable lifestyle is not seen by this world." - Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary

 

"The world hates Christians because Christians' values differ from the world's, and because Christians expose the world's values for what they are - absolutely worthless. Because Christ's followers don't cooperate with the world by joining in their sin, they are living accusations against the world's immorality. The world follows Satan's agenda, and Satan is the avowed enemy of Jesus and His people." - Life Application Commentary

 

Receiving the Word of God into one's life - whereby it totally transforms its direction and bent - causes one major effect. It sparks the world's hatred and wrath.

 

This Word weans the believer from the wealth of this world...turns him against its wickedness...and conforms him to Jesus - resulting in a non-conformity to the world's thinking and principles.

 

The Lord explained it so well in John 17:8 and 14 in His prayer to the Father - "For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me...I have given them Thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

 

This Word - is not of men nor agreeable to carnal reasoning...magnifies the grace of God...destroys any boastings in men...and is set against the worldly lusts and views of men. When it is not only read but received into one's life and followed through with obedient acts, it differentiates from the world at large. It demands taking a radical stand for Jesus against a system of belief that in character - is opposed to the character of God...has Self for its foundation rather than God and Christ...seeks after present things rather than future...walks by sight rather than by faith... holds by the carnal rather than the spiritual...and glories in the human rather than the Divine. This Word - when it reigns in the believers's life - withdraws the heart from the world - its maxims, opinions, amusements, and debaucheries.

 

In His prayer to the Father, the Lord Jesus stressed -

"...they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."(John 17:14).

"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world"(John 17:16).

 

Within two verses, we see Him repeating the exact same words -

"...they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."(John 17:14).

Even though the world is a disagreeable and dangerous environment...is and always will be Christ's adversary...and is a sinful place where the prince of evil resides with his snares, works, and conquests - yet Jesus prayed that His followers would not be taken out of its hands. They must remain - even in the midst of trials and persecutions - to show the power of His grace - which converts the sinner and comforts the saint.

 

The Scriptures offer us many examples where it is more advantageous to remain on this earth to proclaim the truth unto others -

Psalm 30:9 says - "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? shall it declare Thy truth?"

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says - "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

Isaiah 38:18-19 says - "For the grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise Thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known Thy truth."

 

The Lord's first priority was that His followers would be "kept...from the evil" of this world. This would include the power of the tempter and destroyer...evil in general...sinking in trials...or apostasy.

 

Throughout the Scriptures, we find this emphasis on "the keeping of the saints" from the evil one -

Genesis 48:16 gives Jacob's testimony - "The Angel which redeemed me from all evil..."

1 Chronicles 4:10 offers Jabez's prayer - "...and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!..."

Psalm 121:7 gives David's prayer - "The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul."

In Matthew 6:13, the Lord Jesus taught us to pray - "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil..."

The Apostle Paul said of the Lord Jesus in Galatians 1:4 - "Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world..."

Again, he said in 2 Thessalonians 3:3 - "But the Lord is faithful, Who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil."

And lastly, the Apostle John said in 1 John 5:18 - "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not."  

 

How are believers "kept" from the "evil" of this world? They are "sanctified" - made holy, separated, and set apart for the purposes of worshipping and serving God...being near to Him...living for Him...and being like Him. This is all accomplished through their devotion to the Truth of His Word.

 

The Lord offered His second petition to the Father and said - "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth"(John 17:17).

 

Initially, the believer is cleansed from all sin and made pure at salvation. However, his sanctification is also progressive. More and more, he finds himself becoming like Jesus and less attached to the world and and is weaned from earthly objects and attractions. This total consecration comes about as a result of the influence of the Truth upon his heart.

 

Throughout the Scriptures, we find the Truth's power to sanctify or set apart -

John 8:32 says - "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 15:3 says - "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."

Psalm 19:7 says - "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul..."

Psalm 119:9 says - "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word."

Ephesians 5:26 says - "That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word."

James 1:21 says - "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

1 Peter 1:22 says - "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit..."

 

The Lord Jesus - our Great High Priest - is interceding for us right now at the Father's right hand. He is praying - "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil...Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth."

 

It is God's will for every believer to be kept from evil and to be advancing in holiness.

The Lord Jesus is doing His part, but the question is - are you doing yours?

 

There is much work to be done. The world must be reached for Christ. But they will never be reached if the church refuses to receive God's Truth which causes persecution from the world but also is the means for their being kept from the world and its evil influence.

 

Are you "a living accusation against the world's immorality"?  You should be if you are one who claims to have received God's Word into your life.  

 

May God Bless His Word.