The World and the Church Part 2

                                                              

TEXT: Jn. 17:6-19

INTRODUCTION: God’s first requirement of Christians in this world is that they be different from those around them, observing God’s moral absolutes, practicing love, avoiding shameful license, and not losing their dignity as God’s image-bearers through any form of irresponsible self-indulgence (Rom.12:2; Eph.4:17-24; Col.3:5-11). A clean break with the world’s value-systems and life-style is called for, as a basis for practicing Christlikeness in positive terms (Eph.4:25-5:17). Christians are to involve themselves in all forms of lawful human activity, and by doing that in terms of the Christian value system and vision of life they will become salt (a preservative that makes things taste better) and light (an illumination that shows the way to go) in the human community (Matt.5:13-16). As Christians thus fulfil their vocation, Christianity becomes a transforming cultural force.  

A. IN THE BIBLE, SEPERATION USUALLY MEANS DIFFERENCE RATHER THAN DISTANCE (Read Lev.18:1-5)

In the Bible, separation usually means “Difference” rather than “Distance”. The Israelites move from one idol-infested country to another. AS God helped them form a new culture, he warned them to leave all aspects of their pagan background behind. He also warned them how easy it would be to slip into the pagan culture of Canaan, where they were going. Canaan’s society and religions appealed to worldly desires, especially sexual immorality and drunkenness. The Israelites were to keep themselves pure and set apart for God. God did not want his people absorbed into the surrounding culture and environment. Society may pressure us to conform to its way of life and thought, but yielding to that pressure will (1) create confusion as to which side we should be on and (2) eliminate our effectiveness in serving God. Follow God, and don’t let the culture around you mold your thoughts and actions.

Discuss some of the cultural practices of our day that the church should avoid. Why?      

B. SEPERATION, FOR A CHRISTIAN, MEANS STAYING CLOSE TO GOD

Separation from the world involves more than keeping our distance from sinners; it means staying close to God (see 2 Cor. 7:1-2). It involves more than avoiding entertainment that leads to sin; it extends to how we spend our time and money. There is no way to separate our self totally from all sinful influences. Nevertheless, we are to resist the sin around without either giving up or giving in.

“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (2Cor.6:14). Discuss this command from God.

C. GOD INTEND FOR US TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD AND STILL REACH OUT TO UNBELIEVERS?

1 Corinthians 5:9-11. . . When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or who are greedy or are swindlers or idol worshipers. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that What I meant was that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or abusive or a drunkard, or a swindler. Don’t even eat with such people.

Living in isolation from unbelievers is impractical and undesirable. God loved the world and so should we. But we must avoid becoming one in heart and spirit with the ungodly.

Comment on Mark 2:15-17

D. WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE OF SETTING HIS PEOPLE APART? Read Exo.19:5-6; Deut.14:2; 1 Pet. 1:1-2, 15

God wants us to have a covenant love relationship with him. To have it, we must obey him, accept Jesus Christ as Savior, and live godly lives on earth. By doing this, we set ourselves apart as being different from those who don’t know the Lord. Some people will want to know what makes us different, and we will be able to tell them about the love of god and our future with him in eternity. We must live like Christ on earth!

MEMORY VERSE: James 4:4

Church of Eternal Life Jos, Plateau state.

What the bible teaches about the world and the Church Part 1

   TEXT: EPH. 5:1-21

A. CHURCH                                                          

The word “church” is used in the New Testament to refer to the people of God who have obeyed the gospel by immersion into the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. In the New Testament the word “church” is used primarily to God’s people who have been called out (Greek : ecclesia) of the world. The church is God’s special holy nation of redeemed people whose citizenship is in heaven (Acts 20:28; Ph. 3:20-21; Tit.2:14; 1Pt. 1:18-19; 2:9). The church is made up of those on earth who have submitted to the reign of Jesus from heaven. The church is composed of those in whose hearts Jesus now reigns (Lk.17:20-21). Wherever the will of God is done on earth in the hearts of men as it is done in heaven (Mt.6:10), then the church exists. As a body filled with the Spirit of God (1Cor.6:19), the church is a vibrant community in this world to accomplish the work of God to bring men into eternity through obedience to the gospel.   

B. WORLD

World in the New Testament sometimes means what it means in the Old Testament, namely, this earth, the good natural order that God created. Usually, however, it means mankind as a whole, now fallen into sin and moral disorder and become radically anti-God and evil. Occasionally, the two senses seem to blend, so that statements about the world carry the complex touch of perverse people incurring guilt and shame by their misuse of created things.

C. THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

Christians are sent into the world by their Lord (John 17:18) to witness to it about God’s Christ and his kingdom (Matt. 24:14; cf. Rom. 10:18; Col. 1:6,23) and to serve its needs. But they are to do so without falling victim to its materialism (Matt.6:19-24,32), its unconcern about God and the next life (Luke 12:13-21), and its prideful pursuit of pleasure, profit, and position to the exclusion of everything else (1 John 2:15-17). The world is at present Satan’s kingdom (John 14:30; 2Cor.4:4; 1John 5:19; cf. Luke 4:5-7), and the outlook and mind-set of human societies reflect more of the pride seen in Satan than the humility seen in Christ.

Christians, like Christ, are to emphasize with people’s anxieties and needs in order to serve them and communicate with them effectively. They are to do so, however, on a basis of motivational detachment from this world, through which they are momentarily passing as they travel home to God and in which their single-minded purpose must be to please God (Col. 1:9-12; 1Pet. 2:11)

Discuss: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Also discuss 1 John 2:15-17

MEMORY VERSE: Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you (1 John 2:15 NLT).

Resource by Church of Eternal Life Jos, Plateau state.