This was a message I gave a Casa de Cristo on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007. The theme that month was: The Church Triumphant - In the world, Not of the world.

It's fun. As I was studying the Bible and doing research for my message, it evolved from just "what does it all mean" to "how do we get there". Enjoy!

Do you want to be transformed?

(Think about it. We'll get back to this in a little while.)

What's the traditional view of being "in the world, not of the world"?

We must be pure and holy, not soiled by the world. We're stuck here for the time being, so we will make the best of it and strive to remain acceptable in God's sight.

I don't swear, don't go to bars, bookstores or bath houses, attend church as much as I can, pray long and loudly, don't associate with sinners, no dancing or movies (other than G rated), yada, yada, yada.

All you'd need to do is add thorough hand washing before every meal and you, too, can be a Pharisee.

Who are you trying to impress?

• ...all our righteous acts are like filthy rags _{(Isaiah 64:6)}

• Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure -- I am clean and without sin"? _{(Proverbs 20:9)}

• There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. _{(Ecclesiastes 7:20)}

I would submit that we need to think of it as "AND", not "BUT"...

There's two parts to this....

1) We are "in the world" for a purpose, to tell people the good news of Jesus. We need to get our feet dirty!

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 2:9)}

2) We are not "of the world" -- we operate differently...

We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. _{(2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - NLT)}

The purpose of our lives is not to "survive" until Jesus comes, but to spread His light (his message) into the world!

We are to be aliens and strangers in the world...

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. _{(1 Peter 2:11-12)}

The key is that they see our good deeds. It's not just what we say, but what we do. Actions speak much louder than words.

And note that Peter describes us as "aliens and strangers". We may be living here, but it's expected that we will be different from everyone else.

So what's the difference between "the world" and Christians? Here are some examples...

World	vs.	Christians
money	vs.	God
grudges	vs.	love
revenge	vs.	forgiveness
pride	vs.	humility
dismissive	vs.	supportive
powerless	vs.	plugged in
power	vs.	true power
no joy	vs.	joy
despair, misery, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, woe	vs.	great happiness, pleasure

If you find that you can identify more with column one than column two, then maybe it's time for a change.

Paul has this take on it...

The acts of the sinful nature [a.k.a., the world] are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. _{(Galatians 5:19-23)}

So what about our church?

When we come to church, do we find "hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy", or do we find "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control"?

Ask yourself this question...

If everyone acted like I do, would I want to be here? Would I be uplifted or depressed? encouraged or discouraged? comforted or uneasy?

Most young people don't like Christians because they talk a good line, but once you look closely, they're hypocrites -- just like the rest of the world. They wrap themselves in the cloak of God, but underneath it's the same old horse pucky.

Yes, but most churches have problems like this!

And most churches are loosing membership. They are no longer seen as a force for good in the world. Why bother?

These people honor me with their lips,
  but their hearts are far from me. _{(Matthew 15:8)}

So, what are you hungry for?

The laborer's appetite works for him;
  his hunger drives him on. _{(Proverbs 16:26)}

You, as a Christian, get what you look for...

He who seeks good finds goodwill,
  but evil comes to him who searches for it. _{(Proverbs 11:27)}

Are you longing for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, etc.? Or are you sure it's all just hatred, discord, jealousy, dissensions, and factions?

Or are you just too burnt out to care any more?

OK, so how do I become this loving, self controlled, joyful alien being?

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. _{(Romans 12:2)}

Revolution, not Evolution!

Transformation is not fun, but it's needed! We can't change ourselves into what God wants, we need to be transformed by outside forces.

For example, how do you make gold? You dig it up, crush it, bathe it in acid, throw it into the furnace ... and out comes pure gold.

Can gold make itself? Not a chance. The first sight of that crushing mill or the fire, and we're out of here! God has to do it for us -- and to us.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. _{(Luke 3:16b)}

It is easy going thru the transformation process? Not a chance!  Are the results worth it? YES!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and [he will] purify us [transform us] from all unrighteousness. _{(1 John 1:9)}

Just as gold is purified thru fire, God purifies us...

For you, O God, tested us;
  you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
  and laid burdens on our backs
You let men ride over our heads
  we went through fire and water,
  but you brought us to a place of abundance. _{(Psalm 66:10-12)}

And this transformation is not a one-time thing, but an ongoing process!

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. _{(2 Corinthians 3:18 - NIV)}

(or, stated another way...)

So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord's Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord. _{(2 Corinthians 3:18 - CEV)}

The purpose of our lives is not to "survive" until Jesus comes, but to spread His light (the message of hope) into the world! We do that by staying attached to the source -- Jesus -- and allowing him to continually transform us.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ... This is for my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. _{(John 15:5,8)}

Why is this needed?

Hard times are coming, and we need to rebuild the church!

Do you want to just "survive" until Jesus comes, or do you want to spread His light into the world?

Jesus said that before he returns for us in "the last days"...

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most[!] will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. _{(Matthew 24:9-14)}

"However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" _{(Luke 18:8b)}

If God's word is true -- and we believe it is -- there are hard times coming for Christians. Many will fall away and their love will grow cold. Sadly, we see that happening already.

So remember, as it says in Proverbs...

If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! _{(Proverbs 24:10)}

I want us to be the strong Christian that has been transformed and no longer worries about food or clothing (Matthew 6:25-34), is full of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24), and to whom God says, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21).

I want us to be like the song...

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine. (from the R.E.M. song)

So...

Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. _{(Romans 12:1-2 - CEV)}

We are in the world ... and we're not like the world at all.