The Bible tells us that believers are “called out of this world” (John 17:15-16). In fact, the Greek word ekklesia (ἐκκλησία), which is translated as church, literally means “called out” or “called out ones.” Jesus said, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19).
The apostle Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
Paul emphasizes the significance of believers setting their minds on things above, not earthly things (Colossians 3:2) and putting to death everything that belongs to our earthly nature: “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:5-6).
These attributes are prevalent in our society and are becoming so entrenched in our culture that what was once considered taboo is now accepted and in fact celebrated. Ungodliness is the norm and the values of Hollywood, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro, etc. have saturated civilization and every form of depravity is now welcomed under the guise of tolerance.
Righteousness is ridiculed while corruption and compromise have become the pathway to success. Materialism has gripped the globe and wealth is the idol everyone talks about but few admit they bow to. Celebrities are worshipped as gods and sports have taken society captive as children dream of making it big and fans flock to stadiums to indulge their passions.
Prayer has been banned from schoolrooms while drag queens are invited in to read to kindergarten classes. The entertainment industry glorifies everything that God despises and pornography is now considered acceptable amusement by the majority. We’ve reached a point where sin is promoted as virtue and moral decay is evident throughout every aspect of our culture. In Canada, recent Christian concerts have been shut down and labeled as hateful due to the conviction that sinful behavior constitutes sin.
THE CHURCH HAS BEEN INFILTRATED
Even the church has been infiltrated with the notion that what the Bible calls sin is redefined as “love” in order to accommodate homosexuality and gender confusion. Certain pastors deny the notion of “original sin” and claim the theology was created by Augustine. However, Paul asserts in Romans 5:12 that sin entered the world through one man (Adam). In verse seventeen Paul adds that because of the trespass of one man, “death reigned through that one man.”
Our culture is so focused on accepting everyone and is afraid to offend anyone that it collectively offends God and will be judged for it. Every empire in the history of the world has fallen and crumbled and the current ones will too. Romans 1:18-19 warns us, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God has been made plain to them.”
Empires that reject God will be rejected by God. And in Romans 1:24-32, Paul explains this in explicit detail: “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth od God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have been filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
This was the Roman empire in the first century and today’s society mirrors that culture in a great many ways. That empire fell and the current world powers will as well. All kingdoms will fall and Christ will destroy all dominion, authority and power (1 Corinthians 15:24-25). Most of civilization is marching down the broad road that leads to destruction and doesn’t realize it. Jesus said the end will come without warning just as it did in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39).
Nonbelievers remain oblivious to the reality that biblical prophecy is unfolding right before their very eyes. Society today is the many waters where the great whore of Revelation 17 sits. This culture is the peoples, multitudes, nations and languages influenced by Mystery Babylon the Great. Revelation 18:4 declares, “Come out of her My people, so that you may not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; her sins have piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.”
Secular society should know better but continues in persistent obstinacy when it comes to the truth of Jesus, calling good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). “The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.” (Revelation 17:8b).
FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST HAVE A DISTINCT IDENTITY
Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Christians are to separate themselves from worldly practices and influences. Followers of Christ have a distinct identity that is disconnected from the core values of secular society and must divorce themselves from social peer pressure to redefine sin.
This doesn’t necessarily mean we are to segregate ourselves from the rest of civilization as some religious sects do, it simply means we must not be coupled together with unbelievers through common interests and values. It is a mindset that is Christ-centric in contrast to a self-centered lifestyle and self-indulgence.
Paul advises us in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” This will cost you friends and even family, and in extreme cases trigger outright persecution.
Jesus warned this would be the case. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18). And 1 John 2:15-16 teaches, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes from the world.”
Jesus is “the living Stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him – “ (1 Peter 2:4). “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,’ and ‘A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:7-9).
NOT A NEGATIVE SEPARATION
This is not a negative separation from worldly practices but a positive separation into a new life with Christ. Separation does not mean isolation (as some religious groups practice), but the deliberate pursuit of promoting the love of Christ in tangible and meaningful ways that impact society.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Paul teaches in Romans 9-11, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Believers must not be lukewarm or the church will blend in with everybody and impact nobody.
We are called out of the world but we still live in the world. However, we are challenged to openly reject the value system of the world and embrace the ways of Christ. Ekklesia (ἐκκλησία) is used 114 times in the New Testament and never in reference to a place but to people. We are the church and we are called out of the world of self and into the realm of selfless.
