How to view this world?

[MattersOfTheHeart]

Fellow Christians, seeing this is not a debate section of the website. I was just curious how you think about the many parts of the New Testament that speak to how we should live in this world, feel about this world, and view this world?

Examples:

Roman 12:2

[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
[2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1st Corinthians 1:20

[20] Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

2nd Corinthians 4:4

[4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ephesians 2:2

[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

John 15:19

[19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

1st John 2:15

[15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

And many other similar passages.


One of my questions is, if we rationalize these passages to mean something different than what they say, isn't that in essence a backdoor into being able to participate more intimately with this world, when we are commanded not to?

If we are to be Holy (Separated) from this world, so that we are like candles in the darkness, isn't part of that making sure we look much different from those in the world, we act differently, and in fact look for a new world, and dislike this one very much?

Many Christians I have met in my life, tend to rationalize these verses, to say something that allows them to continue to be pretty much like everyone else?

Are most Christians afraid to stand out and be ridiculed for walking the straight line asked of us?

Is it more important to fit in this world, so we don't have such a bad or ridiculed life, than it is to sacrifice our life to make sure people know where we stand?

Love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Shiranui117]

IMHO, we are pilgrims in this world. We may be in this world for a time, wandering from place to place, running into new friends along the road of the world. We may lodge in a place and rest from our traveling for a while. But the stops along the road are just that, and we must never forget that we are journeying to our true home, our true rest, which is with God in Heaven. We cannot become entangled in the affairs of the villages through which we pass as if we belonged there or as if our true home is there, because it is not. We can offer what support we can to the people there, make friends with them and encourage them to come along with us on our journey home. But these people, passions, hobbies, activities, careers and other things that we encounter must never distract us from our pilgrimage to Heaven.

To speak more clearly, it is good to make friends in this world, and to love the people in this world. It is good to help the world through our work and our prayers. But we cannot be the seeds that have the life choked out of them by the thorns of worldly cares, affairs and passions. Always be sure that you are planted in good soil, ready to be harvested by God and taken home.

 

[collectivedementia]

You are also taught to love your neighbor as Christ loves you, and to judge not lest ye be judged.

 

[MattersOfTheHeart]

You are also taught to love your neighbor as Christ loves you, and to judge not lest ye be judged.

And how does this relate with the topic at hand? Not arguing, just want to understand why you mention it.

 

[Pegg]

Fellow Christians, seeing this is not a debate section of the website. I was just curious how you think about the many parts of the New Testament that speak to how we should live in this world, feel about this world, and view this world?

Examples:

Roman 12:2 1st Corinthians 1:20
2nd Corinthians 4:4
Ephesians 2:2
John 15:19
1st John 2:15And many other similar passages.


One of my questions is, if we rationalize these passages to mean something different than what they say, isn't that in essence a backdoor into being able to participate more intimately with this world, when we are commanded not to?

If we are to be Holy (Separated) from this world, so that we are like candles in the darkness, isn't part of that making sure we look much different from those in the world, we act differently, and in fact look for a new world, and dislike this one very much?

Many Christians I have met in my life, tend to rationalize these verses, to say something that allows them to continue to be pretty much like everyone else?

Are most Christians afraid to stand out and be ridiculed for walking the straight line asked of us?

Is it more important to fit in this world, so we don't have such a bad or ridiculed life, than it is to sacrifice our life to make sure people know where we stand?

Love to hear your thoughts.

As Jehovahs Witnesses, we are taught to take these verses very seriously. For that reason we go to great lengths to remove ourselves as much as possible from the worlds customs. There is a lot we can do to apply these scriptures if we think about it deeply. There are many customs that are traditions in the world which we really dont need to follow....birthday's, valentines, christmas, easter, mothers day, fathers day etc, there are also various holidays which are practiced as a matter of tradition such as StPatricks day, special war memorial days and such things which we can choose not to participate in.

there is also politics which people get very involved in...politics is something we stay right away from... we refuse to vote in elections for this reason.

There are also fashions that we choose avoid and things the world consider to be normal like living together before marriage, smoking, drinking excessively for fun, drugs for recreation, even some sporting events are avoided due to the danger of them or the nature of them.

 

[mjweissen]

I understand the dilemma in this very well because to stand apart is to be easily criticized and hard to connect with, but to blend in is to potentially compromise the validity of the words you speak in relation to your faith.

My thoughts on this concept come from the beginning. Literally from Genesis. In Genesis chapter 1, God says he made humans in his "image". These words have been interpreted by many people as meaning many things (we look like him, we have features similar to his, etc...), but I believe a more accurate understanding comes from the original Hebrew words. The word for "image" in Genesis 1:26 in Hebrew is "tselem", which is frequently used as the word for "idol" in other passages. The idea that God made us as "idols" is something I don't think pastors would want to preach because as humans we would interpret that as a means to glorify ourselves so that others worship us.

However--in the ancient world, idols were man made figures that were a representation of their God. People believed (and some cultures still do) that when you pray to a physical idol, that God has heard you because that idol is connected to its God. This is how I view the role of the Christian in our world today. We are to be idols, or more appropriately in our language "ambassadors". We represent our God and when people speak with us, they should feel like they are in fellowship with our God. We are not to blend in or compromise our actions or beliefs so that we feel more comfortable. What does that mean for you personally? I have no idea. For me it means that I speak my thoughts and my beliefs no matter my environment or the potential backlash of others.

Do I live in a hut so that I am not conforming to the living standards of this world? No. I take these passages to mean that in my actions, my lifestyles, my speech, and my beliefs I should be a reflection of God and point others to Him.