1 Corinthians 6:1 (KJV) 1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
1 Corinthians 6:1 (TMSG) 1. And how dare you take each other to court! When you think you have been wronged, does it make any sense to go before a court that knows nothing of Gods ways instead of a family of Christians?
We have talked about how we believers in Jesus Christ cannot hold those who don't claim Him as Lord accountable to the same moral code as we do ourselves. As Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice (John 10:27). Those that are not of His flock do not, cannot hear His voice or understand His ways.
In today's verse Paul is pointing out what had perhaps become a custom in the church at Corinth, that believers were taking their grievances with each other to the secular courts. He's reminding us that as "called out ones" who were called out of the world, we cannot mix and match those two operating systems at our every whim. If we claim to be followers of Christ, then we must follow His ways. We must deal with other believers of Christ according to the operating system or moral code that Jesus has set forth. We must not try to apply the moral code of the world to a situation with another believer just because we might be able to extract a harsher punishment against them. Where's the love in that!!!
A house divided against itself cannot stand. (Mark 3:25)
You cannot love both God and mammon (wealth; greed for...Matthew 6:24)
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15b)
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
1 Corinthians 5:11 - 13 (NASB) 11. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13. But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
1 Corinthians 5:11 - 13 (NLT) 11. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. 12. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (Deuteronomy 17:7)
One of the big reasons we’re not supposed to “judge” outsiders (those not in the body of Christ) is that they will see it as criticism and then be closed to hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Remember, the person that does not know Jesus lives by the rules and systems of this earthly world. Look around, there are basically no morals or values that we as Christians can consider “godly” in this earthly world! So, when you start judging or criticizing someone for acting the only way they know how, they think you are nuts.
But, if we come to them in love, overlooking their actions, whether it be drugs, promiscuity or something else, and tell them about how knowing Jesus has changed our lives, God can work in their hearts through us.
That’s how the body of Christ is supposed to work. Our churches are to take the Gospel to a hurting world, not being concerned with how they’re acting, or how they look, but being concerned with their eternal souls and telling them and showing them about Jesus.
Of course if someone in the fellowship of believers is acting and talking just like the person without Christ, the witness of the church will be meaningless to those who don’t know Jesus. That’s why Paul emphasizes that we have to discipline those within our fellowship. If we are to save the ‘lost’, we must show them that he changes us.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - 20 (NLT) 17. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18. And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
1 Corinthians 5:11 - 13 (NLT) 11. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. 12. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (Deuteronomy 17:7)
One of the big reasons we’re not supposed to “judge” outsiders (those not in the body of Christ) is that they will see it as criticism and then be closed to hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Remember, the person that does not know Jesus lives by the rules and systems of this earthly world. Look around, there are basically no morals or values that we as Christians can consider “godly” in this earthly world! So, when you start judging or criticizing someone for acting the only way they know how, they think you are nuts.
But, if we come to them in love, overlooking their actions, whether it be drugs, promiscuity or something else, and tell them about how knowing Jesus has changed our lives, God can work in their hearts through us.
That’s how the body of Christ is supposed to work. Our churches are to take the Gospel to a hurting world, not being concerned with how they’re acting, or how they look, but being concerned with their eternal souls and telling them and showing them about Jesus.
Of course if someone in the fellowship of believers is acting and talking just like the person without Christ, the witness of the church will be meaningless to those who don’t know Jesus. That’s why Paul emphasizes that we have to discipline those within our fellowship. If we are to save the ‘lost’, we must show them that he changes us.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - 20 (NLT) 17. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18. And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
Thursday, August 24, 2006
1 Corinthians 5:9 - 10 (NASB) 9. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10. I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
Paul is saying we shouldn't be allowing this sin to exist among those who call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ. Would we not be condoning their sin if we did and, in doing so, become participators with them in it?
But notice that Paul has expanded the principle. It is not just people who commit sexual sin that we must discipline as a church and avoid when they refuse the discipline; it is people who openly and repeatedly commit ANY sin.
He adds the sins of:
Now wait a minute, do you mean to tell me that if I see that a brother or sister in Christ is spending more time on their hobbies than they are with God, I'm not supposed to associate with them?
Well, let me ask this. Do you know they don't spend time with God or, are you assuming? Have you talked with them, in love, about this topic and know for a fact that their Christian life is "just talk" or are you talking with everybody else about what you think they are doing?
If you have done everything in your power, including massive amounts of prayer, to help your brother or sister to overcome their covetousness, or cheating, or immoral living, or worship of anything other than God, then YES! God's Word says we shouldn't be hanging out with them.
It goes back to the yeast thing. If we as a church allow a little bit of sin to be openly displayed in our fellowship, it won't be long until it develops and grows into a bigger problem.
On the other hand, if we do nothing about it and don't talk with them, we are just as guilty as they are.
Wow, this "we" thing is tough! But, when the church is united in love for God first and each other second, it works the way God intended. People will be coming to Christ, the church will grow and the Lord's work will be obvious to all.
But don't forget, God is calling you to first examine your own life. Take that log out of your own eye before you try to remove the splinter from your brothers (Matthew 7:3-5).
Let's commit to loving each other with God's kind of love (1 Corinthians 13), not the superficial way the world does! Let's be different! Let's be a holy people, set apart to do it God's way...
Paul is saying we shouldn't be allowing this sin to exist among those who call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ. Would we not be condoning their sin if we did and, in doing so, become participators with them in it?
But notice that Paul has expanded the principle. It is not just people who commit sexual sin that we must discipline as a church and avoid when they refuse the discipline; it is people who openly and repeatedly commit ANY sin.
He adds the sins of:
COVETING
Desiring something that someone else has (Keeping up with the Jones?)
CHEATING OR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS
Lying in real estate deals, not reporting income on your taxes, charging too much for a service, etc.
IDOL WORSHIP
Anything that gets in between God and you can be considered idol worship. Do you spend more time watching TV or on the computer than you do reading God's Word and talking with Him? Or maybe your real love is restoring that '52 Caddie and you don't really have any extra time because you have to work too.
Now wait a minute, do you mean to tell me that if I see that a brother or sister in Christ is spending more time on their hobbies than they are with God, I'm not supposed to associate with them?
Well, let me ask this. Do you know they don't spend time with God or, are you assuming? Have you talked with them, in love, about this topic and know for a fact that their Christian life is "just talk" or are you talking with everybody else about what you think they are doing?
If you have done everything in your power, including massive amounts of prayer, to help your brother or sister to overcome their covetousness, or cheating, or immoral living, or worship of anything other than God, then YES! God's Word says we shouldn't be hanging out with them.
It goes back to the yeast thing. If we as a church allow a little bit of sin to be openly displayed in our fellowship, it won't be long until it develops and grows into a bigger problem.
On the other hand, if we do nothing about it and don't talk with them, we are just as guilty as they are.
Wow, this "we" thing is tough! But, when the church is united in love for God first and each other second, it works the way God intended. People will be coming to Christ, the church will grow and the Lord's work will be obvious to all.
But don't forget, God is calling you to first examine your own life. Take that log out of your own eye before you try to remove the splinter from your brothers (Matthew 7:3-5).
Let's commit to loving each other with God's kind of love (1 Corinthians 13), not the superficial way the world does! Let's be different! Let's be a holy people, set apart to do it God's way...
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
1 Corinthians 5:6 - 8 (KJV) 6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5:6 - 8 (NLT) 6. Your boasting about this is terrible. Dont you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7. Get rid of the old yeast by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.
Pauls illustration with the yeast points out how serious it is when the church allows one (or more) of its members to live openly in sin.
God has given us major clues in how the body of Christ is to function. We must separate ourselves from the ways of the world and dedicate ourselves to fulfilling Christs wishes for our lives and HIS church.
As the scripture above says, Christ already died for us. We are to celebrate the festival, the Passover festival where God passed over our sins as Christ became the sacrifice for them. Jesus Christ is our unleavened (without sin!) bread. He is truth.
Lets work at having a 'yeast free' church by first examining our own lives and then by helping each other in the love of Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:6 - 8 (NLT) 6. Your boasting about this is terrible. Dont you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? 7. Get rid of the old yeast by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.
Pauls illustration with the yeast points out how serious it is when the church allows one (or more) of its members to live openly in sin.
Church discipline is important
Loving each other is important
Uplifting and encouraging each other is important
Edifying or building up CHRISTS BODY is important
Staying separated to God is important
God has given us major clues in how the body of Christ is to function. We must separate ourselves from the ways of the world and dedicate ourselves to fulfilling Christs wishes for our lives and HIS church.
As the scripture above says, Christ already died for us. We are to celebrate the festival, the Passover festival where God passed over our sins as Christ became the sacrifice for them. Jesus Christ is our unleavened (without sin!) bread. He is truth.
John 6:35 (KJV) 35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 14:6 (KJV) 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Lets work at having a 'yeast free' church by first examining our own lives and then by helping each other in the love of Christ.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
1 Corinthians 5:3b - 5 (Young’s Literal Translation) … have already judged, as being present, him who so wrought this thing: 4. in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—ye being gathered together, also my spirit—with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5. to deliver up such a one to the Adversary for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
The Greek word translated here ‘destruction’ is olethros
Thayer’s Greek Definitions says that word means:
Previously in verse 2 Paul had said the proper treatment would have been to remove this man from the fellowship of the church. This indicates that this man had been continuing to sin in this fashion, by sleeping with his father’s wife. It was not just a one time thing. As we discussed earlier, the church’s responsibility with sin in the believer’s life is first of all to restore (Galatians 6).
Here we read that this man was to be delivered up to “the Adversary for the destruction of the flesh” in order that his spirit might be saved. The probable idea behind it is that once excluded from the fellowship of believers, the man who was sinning would be convicted of that sin, confess and repent.
We read in the first letter of John of this principle:
The brother committing a “sin not unto death” is not repeating that sin over and over after being confronted by his brother or sister in Christ. But the “sin to death” is one that, even after the person has been confronted, they continue to go on repeating that sin. There is no repentance. This is the person that Paul was telling the Corinthians they should expel; the person who continued to live in that sin.
Do you see how important it is that we go to our brothers and sisters who are sinning and try to help them, through God’s Word, see their error?
Of course that means we need to be living right before our Lord and be praying for guidance and the right words to say, in love.
Does the sin have to be as outrageous as sleeping with your father’s wife?
By no means! If any believer continues to openly commit ANY sin, it is an affront to God and weakens the body of Christ.
Pray for each other. Encourage each other. And, when necessary, confront each other, in love, so as to preserve the sanctity of the body of Christ.
1 Peter 1:14 - 16 (NASB) 14. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15. but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16. because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
The Greek word translated here ‘destruction’ is olethros
Thayer’s Greek Definitions says that word means:
1) ruin, destroy, death
1a) for the destruction of the flesh, said of the external ills and troubles by which the lusts of the flesh are subdued and destroyed
Previously in verse 2 Paul had said the proper treatment would have been to remove this man from the fellowship of the church. This indicates that this man had been continuing to sin in this fashion, by sleeping with his father’s wife. It was not just a one time thing. As we discussed earlier, the church’s responsibility with sin in the believer’s life is first of all to restore (Galatians 6).
Here we read that this man was to be delivered up to “the Adversary for the destruction of the flesh” in order that his spirit might be saved. The probable idea behind it is that once excluded from the fellowship of believers, the man who was sinning would be convicted of that sin, confess and repent.
We read in the first letter of John of this principle:
1 John 5:16 (YLT) 16. If any one may see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask (God), and He (God) shall give to him life to those sinning not unto death; there is sin to death, not concerning it do I speak that he may beseech;
The brother committing a “sin not unto death” is not repeating that sin over and over after being confronted by his brother or sister in Christ. But the “sin to death” is one that, even after the person has been confronted, they continue to go on repeating that sin. There is no repentance. This is the person that Paul was telling the Corinthians they should expel; the person who continued to live in that sin.
Do you see how important it is that we go to our brothers and sisters who are sinning and try to help them, through God’s Word, see their error?
Of course that means we need to be living right before our Lord and be praying for guidance and the right words to say, in love.
Does the sin have to be as outrageous as sleeping with your father’s wife?
By no means! If any believer continues to openly commit ANY sin, it is an affront to God and weakens the body of Christ.
Pray for each other. Encourage each other. And, when necessary, confront each other, in love, so as to preserve the sanctity of the body of Christ.
1 Peter 1:14 - 16 (NASB) 14. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15. but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16. because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”
Monday, August 21, 2006
1 Corinthians 5:3 (NASB) 3. For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
Previously we read in 1 Corinthians 4:5,
As we discussed, there Paul is dealing with judging peoples intentions, their motives of their hearts. But only God knows fully our intentions and motivation.
In todays passage we are dealing with an outright sin. The man is sleeping with his fathers wife (probably stepmother) and that he was doing with the knowledge of those in the church, and on top of that, they were doing nothing about it! This act of sin was strictly forbidden in the law that was handed down by God to Moses.
It was not a matter of intention; it was an act of wrong doing according to Gods Word. If someone in the church is knowingly and openly committing an act of sin, the church is responsible to gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (Galatians 6:1).
We are the "called out ones", the church, the body of Christ. God does not dwell in the presence of evil.
If we ignore evil in our midst and allow it to dwell there, how can the presence of God empower us as the church?
Previously we read in 1 Corinthians 4:5,
5. therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of mens hearts; and then each mans praise will come to him from God.
As we discussed, there Paul is dealing with judging peoples intentions, their motives of their hearts. But only God knows fully our intentions and motivation.
In todays passage we are dealing with an outright sin. The man is sleeping with his fathers wife (probably stepmother) and that he was doing with the knowledge of those in the church, and on top of that, they were doing nothing about it! This act of sin was strictly forbidden in the law that was handed down by God to Moses.
Leviticus 18:8 (NLT) 8. Do not have sexual relations with any of your fathers wives, for this would violate your father.
Deuteronomy 22:30 (NLT) 30. A man must not marry his fathers former wife, for this would violate his father.
It was not a matter of intention; it was an act of wrong doing according to Gods Word. If someone in the church is knowingly and openly committing an act of sin, the church is responsible to gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (Galatians 6:1).
We are the "called out ones", the church, the body of Christ. God does not dwell in the presence of evil.
Psalms 5:4 (NASB) 4. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You.
If we ignore evil in our midst and allow it to dwell there, how can the presence of God empower us as the church?
1 Corinthians 5:3 (NASB) 3. For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.
Previously we read in 1 Corinthians 4:5,
As we discussed, there Paul is dealing with judging peoples intentions, their motives of their hearts. But only God knows fully our intentions and motivation.
In todays passage we are dealing with an outright sin. The man is sleeping with his fathers wife (probably stepmother) and that he was doing with the knowledge of those in the church, and on top of that, they were doing nothing about it! This act of sin was strictly forbidden in the law that was handed down by God to Moses.
It was not a matter of intention; it was an act of wrong doing according to Gods Word. If someone in the church is knowingly and openly committing an act of sin, the church is responsible to gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (Galatians 6:1).
We are the "called out ones", the church, the body of Christ. God does not dwell in the presence of evil.
If we ignore evil in our midst and allow it to dwell there, how can the presence of God empower us as the church?
Previously we read in 1 Corinthians 4:5,
5. therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of mens hearts; and then each mans praise will come to him from God.
As we discussed, there Paul is dealing with judging peoples intentions, their motives of their hearts. But only God knows fully our intentions and motivation.
In todays passage we are dealing with an outright sin. The man is sleeping with his fathers wife (probably stepmother) and that he was doing with the knowledge of those in the church, and on top of that, they were doing nothing about it! This act of sin was strictly forbidden in the law that was handed down by God to Moses.
Leviticus 18:8 (NLT) 8. Do not have sexual relations with any of your fathers wives, for this would violate your father.
Deuteronomy 22:30 (NLT) 30. A man must not marry his fathers former wife, for this would violate his father.
It was not a matter of intention; it was an act of wrong doing according to Gods Word. If someone in the church is knowingly and openly committing an act of sin, the church is responsible to gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path (Galatians 6:1).
We are the "called out ones", the church, the body of Christ. God does not dwell in the presence of evil.
Psalms 5:4 (NASB) 4. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You.
If we ignore evil in our midst and allow it to dwell there, how can the presence of God empower us as the church?
Sunday, August 20, 2006
1 Corinthians 5:1 - 2 (NASB) 1. It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. 2. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
1 Corinthians 5:1 - 2 (NLT) 1. I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. 2. You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.
What is the churches responsibility when one of its members is openly living in sin? Paul is quite clear here. He should not be permitted to be in fellowship with the assembly of believers.
Because he has been allowed to stay in fellowship, in essence the church is condoning his actions. God however tells us to separate ourselves from the world system. We are to be a people dedicated and set apart for the God of all Creation.
In 2 Corinthians 6:17, we hear an Old Testament principle from Isaiah 52:11,
What should the church have done rather than let this go on? Again we must look to God’s Word for the answer.
Does this type of thing go on today? Absolutely! I know of one church where one of the relatives of a church leader was living with someone, not their spouse, and allowed to lead worship in the church. There was another instance where the church condoned one of its pastors in marrying a believer to a non-believer. Should these church leaders have been dealt with according to the words found in Matthew? Absolutely! And, those church leaders should have been dealing with the person living with another as well as counseling, according to God's Word, the believer that wished to marry the non-believer. We are called to live above the standards of the world. Remember, the word "church" means "called out ones." We are called out of the world system to live for God according to His system.
15. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15 - 17 (NASB)
1 Corinthians 5:1 - 2 (NLT) 1. I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. 2. You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.
What is the churches responsibility when one of its members is openly living in sin? Paul is quite clear here. He should not be permitted to be in fellowship with the assembly of believers.
“…For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14
Because he has been allowed to stay in fellowship, in essence the church is condoning his actions. God however tells us to separate ourselves from the world system. We are to be a people dedicated and set apart for the God of all Creation.
In 2 Corinthians 6:17, we hear an Old Testament principle from Isaiah 52:11,
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord…”
What should the church have done rather than let this go on? Again we must look to God’s Word for the answer.
15. “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Matthew 18:15 - 17 (NASB)
Does this type of thing go on today? Absolutely! I know of one church where one of the relatives of a church leader was living with someone, not their spouse, and allowed to lead worship in the church. There was another instance where the church condoned one of its pastors in marrying a believer to a non-believer. Should these church leaders have been dealt with according to the words found in Matthew? Absolutely! And, those church leaders should have been dealing with the person living with another as well as counseling, according to God's Word, the believer that wished to marry the non-believer. We are called to live above the standards of the world. Remember, the word "church" means "called out ones." We are called out of the world system to live for God according to His system.
15. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15 - 17 (NASB)
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