Reader, take 5 minutes and understand the following text very carefully:
The Christians in the World
"Christians are indistinguishable from other men either by nationality, language or customs. They do not inhabit separate cities of their own, or speak a strange dialect, or follow some outlandish way of life. Their teaching is not based upon reveries inspired by the curiosity of men. Unlike some other people, they champion no purely human doctrine. With regard to dress, food and manner of life in general, they follow the customs of whatever city they happen to be living in, whether it is Greek or foreign.
And yet there is something extraordinary about their lives. They live in their own countries as though they were only passing through. They play their full role as citizens, but labor under all the disabilities of aliens. Any country can be their homeland, but for them their homeland, wherever it may be, is a foreign country. Like others, they marry and have children, but they do not expose[kill] them. They share their meals, but not their wives.
They live in the flesh, but they are not governed by the desires of the flesh. They pass their days upon earth, but they are citizens of heaven. Obedient to the laws, they yet live on a level that transcends the law. Christians love all men, but all men persecute them. Condemned because they are not understood, they are put to death, but raised to life again. They live in poverty, but enrich many; they are totally destitute, but possess an abundance of everything. They suffer dishonor, but that is their glory. They are defamed, but vindicated. A blessing is their answer to abuse, deference their response to insult. For the good they do they receive the punishment of malefactors, but even then they, rejoice, as though receiving the gift of life. They are attacked by the Jews as aliens, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet no one can explain the reason for this hatred.
To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body. As the soul is present in every part of the body, while remaining distinct from it, so Christians are found in all the cities of the world, but cannot be identified with the world. As the visible body contains the invisible soul, so Christians are seen living in the world, but their religious life remains unseen. The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures. Similarly, the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.
Christians love those who hate them just as the soul loves the body and all its members despite the body's hatred. It is by the soul, enclosed within the body, that the body is held together, and similarly, it is by the Christians, detained in the world as in a prison, that the world is held together. The soul, though immortal, has a mortal dwelling place; and Christians also live for a time amidst perishable things, while awaiting the freedom from change and decay that will be theirs in heaven. As the soul benefits from the deprivation of food and drink, so Christians flourish under persecution. Such is the Christian’s lofty and divinely appointed function, from which he is not permitted to excuse himself."
From a letter to Diognetus. (Chapters 5-6. AD130 or 200)
(http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/diognetus.html)
This was read last Sunday by Pastor Ryan Fullerton at my church, Immanuel Baptist. It is by an unknown author to a man named Diognetus. This letter cut to my heart rather hard. Could these things said of Christians in the second century, be said of Christians today? I don’t think, on average, they could. The Church has seemingly lost the ability to embrace culture and live with in it and enhance it. Either, we’re too afraid of it and don’t know how to act within the culture we live in. We then therefore make our own. Or, we are consumed by the culture and appear no different in regards to children, marriage, generosity, and morals.
I’ve had these issues on my mind for at least a month now attempting to work through the theological and practical issues surrounding ‘remaining unstained by the world’ but also the practical application of what it really is to live life in this world and be salt and light for Christ. How do I live in the culture I am within, and how do I love the people in it? I think these ramblings here have only started me on my way of working these issues out.
Like, what does it mean to live in the world and yet be not of it? Jesus prayed that we not be taken out of it, only that we are protected as we are in it. (John 17:15) We also know that God loves the world. (John 3:16) But that we are also to keep ourselves unstained from it. (James 1:27) There are two ways that the word ‘world’ is used in these passages I think. One refers to mankind (as in John 3:16) and the other, I believe, could be described as the fallen environment in which fallen mankind responds to one another and to his Creator in sinful ways. (I’m open for a better definition there, but that’s the best I could come up with for right now.)
So, my first area of concern is, exactly how do I go about life in this world remaining unstained by it? What a daunting task. I think that ‘unstained’ here might also be understood as ‘unaffected’ or ‘uninfluenced’. At least that’s what the context would seen to imply. I also don’t believe that the word ‘world’ in this verse = culture. Because culture is not inherently wrong. Most people, believers or not, get married in church buildings. That’s an aspect of culture. So is the fact that we shake hands when greeting someone and not kissing the cheek, as in European cultures. So if we think that going against the grain of culture by avoiding it and trying to be as different from it as possible is an act of ‘remaining unstained by the world’, we’re fooling ourselves. And we may even be participating in an even worse situation than merely misunderstanding scripture. Because often, when you totally remove yourself from culture, you are also totally removing yourself from the position of being able to love people.
Every culture on earth has aspects that can be very glorifying of God (art, music, justice, marriage...), and aspects that blaspheme him. It’s the parts that blaspheme His name which are the ones we are to remain unstained by. Recently, I read the book, Worldliness, by C.J. Mahaney and company. I highly recommend this book. It deals with four areas in which we as believers are easily able to be effected for the worse in the culture we find ourselves in. Tv/movies, music, stuff/possessions, and clothing/modesty are the four areas addressed. And maybe all of these, simultaneously, are not a struggle for any one believer, but I would bet that at least one of these areas is an area of struggle for every believer. Scripture calls Believers to very high standards (And less I become a legalist, I am not called to high standards to save myself in any way. I am called to a high standard because of the cross, not to merit the cross.) of living our lives in the world. Words like ‘unstained’ and ‘not even a hint’ are common words in scripture when speaking of guarding against sin and immorality. Another reason I think Worldliness is invaluable, is that the last chapter in the book is titled, “How To Love The World”. Which helps with my next question...
Exactly how do I go about life in this world by loving it as God loves it and remaining in it as Christ desired and being a light to a twisted and crooked generation (Phil. 2:15)? How do I become all things to all people in order that I might win some (I Cor. 9:22)?
I’ve been thinking of some practical applications of how to allow the two prior questions to influence how I raise and train my children, should the Lord bless me with marriage and children in the future. The more life I live, the more pain I see, the more devastation, the more hurt, the more I want my children to know the world very well. Because in order to love something well, it must be known well. I want to teach my children doctrine and theology very young. I want them to know of the Cross and it’s all invasive implications into each and every tiny crevice of our lives. I also don’t want them to be naive about sin. I want them to see the effects and the consequences. And this not necessarily to scare them (Though it should and will.). But to understand from scripture, how much God hates it and how holy and just He is, but also how kind and merciful He is to allow man to turn from it and to repent. I want my children to know of homosexuality, and murder, and prostitution, and drunkenness, and drugs as early as they can understand God’s hatred of all sin and also of His great and sovereign love for people. I want my children to be able to see the man made in God’s image who is the drunkard, and hate the sin this man commits with the bottle, but to love that man who is in bondage, and desire his freedom. I want my children to love the prostitute as a woman who is made in God’s image, and hate the sin she commits that is enslaving her. I want my children to see their own sin, and know that it is just as terrible and ugly and blasphemous to God, as is the sin of the drunkard, addict, murderer, and prostitute. My desire is that my children not only know and are able to recite the two great commandments (“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself...”) but they are able to live it out with their lives.
How is this going to work? I have no clue. Am I being an idealist? Maybe. I don’t have this all figured out. I’m still learning how to even love people in this way, (and have far to go...) let alone raise children and care for their soul. But should I not start with a ideal that is Biblical and right, merely because it sounds impossible?
“Jesus shed his blood to rescue the creation from the curse of sin. And the cleansing blood of Christ must reach not only into the hearts and lives of individuals, but into every corner of the creation which the curse has affected.”
- Richard J. Mouw, When the Kings Come Marching In
Anna came over before hand to hang and help make food. And then Mark came over to help make sure all the food was fine for everyone else to eat. ;) 
