"In the world, but not of the world"

As Christians we are to be "in the world, but not of it." In church history it seems we have gone for 2 different extremes in trying to live this out. Both of these extremes that I have witnessed come from an old covenant mentality. We need to realize that we have a new covenant, built on better promises than the old. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law. Trying to live out this phrase "in the world but not of it" will not work under the law or old covenant. This is how it has played out...

One of the extremes seen in church history is the "poverty gospel." This "gospel" was created to try in our greatest human strength to not be "of the world." What does the world want? Money and possessions. How could we be opposite of that? Have no money or possessions. In this "poverty gospel" the less stuff you have the more Christian you are. I'm sure we can all look back and see examples of this throughout church history, or even in church today. We have used the phrase "money is the root of all evil" as proof that we need to reject anything of the world and honor God by living impoverished. Somehow being a poor, weak, uneducated, lowly Christian is something God is cheering on from Heaven (Silk, Culture of Honor, pg 121). So just like you want your kids to get no education and live impoverished lives so does God the Father? Doesn't make much sense does it? This "poverty gospel" is man's attempt at living not "of this world." This is a works based way of living. This is old covenant thinking. This is the curse of the law. This way of living does not work because it is not based in our reality. The reality of our new covenant. This poverty gospel also forgets the first part of this phrase "be in the world."

We have seen how this "poverty gospel" falls flat and people aren't stupid. If you read the Bible and see how many times it tells you about receiving riches and honor because of your favor with God and man, it's not hard to guess the "poverty gospel" won't fly with everyone. So what happens? We go to the other extreme. We create a "wealth gospel." This "gospel" tells us that "No we should not be impoverished, actually, we should make the most money out of anybody, drive the nicest cars and have the most comfortable lifestyles." "God wants us to be rich right?" So what this "wealth gospel" has done is taken the "in the world" to the extreme and forgot about "but not of it." They see themselves living in a kind of old covenant 2.0. It's like the new and improved old covenant. So it is still all works based, but hey we get to be the richest people. Really this is no different than anyone else in the world. If we really want to live out what God intended in the statement "in the world, but not of it," we need to see it from a new covenant, redeemed perspective.

God wants us to live in the reality of the new covenant instead of the old covenant. The world lives in a works based old covenant. We are to live in the midst of this old covenant mentality in our world, living in the new covenant. This is how we are in the world but not of it. We will live completely different lifestyles, because our covenant is not based on works, but in the grace of God.

Also we are wealthy, but it isn't the type of riches where we live all comfortable lifestyles. We are rich because under the new covenant, we can go to God with any need and He will provide for us. Any problem any person could ever face has its solution in Christ and His new covenant. That is riches. Living in the world but not of it, we go into the world as powerful people for we have a God that will provide us with our every need, and for every need of those around us. We live in the midst of this darkness of works based old covenant life, and walk around as beacons of light proclaiming the truth of our redemption and Life provided for us by Christ inviting everyone to share in this Life. Light penetrates darkness. It cannot stay when light comes. We will live in the world as light, not of the world that is dark.