Have you ever seen the merchandise that says "NOTW"? It took me forever
to actually figure out what it means and stands for. It is short for "Not of this World".
So I got to thinking about this a lot and wanted to see what it takes
to actually "not be of this world". I mean - does it seriously take
slapping a sticker on your car or wearing a shirt around to let me know
that you are not from here?
Lets look at what the Bible says it takes to be "not of this world"!
John 17:14 (13-19)
"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Jesus states that He has given them Your word (logos - His image) and they are hated by the world because they are not of the world - just like Jesus is not of the world. So we know that there is the WORLD and that there is something NOT OF THE WORLD.
John 15:18-20
"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
The world loves those of the world. Jesus chose us out of the world and this is a reason the world hates you. BIG NOTE HERE: Jesus chooses - just like in verse 16 of the same chapter - "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My Name He may give it to you." Someone that God chooses is going to bear fruit! I always thought I picked God because I went to church. Sounds like it might be different...
John 8:21-24
Then He said again to them, "I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." So the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
Those from below (man) are in sin and are of this world. Jesus is from above and without sin. And unless we BELIEVE that Jesus is the I AM, we will die in sin.
So it takes the removal of sin to be from above or not of this world.
1 John 2:15-17
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. 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. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
So this Scripture shows some of the things that make up the world. These things were not in Jesus making Him not of this world. If we love the world - the Father is not in us.
BUT TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE = WE MUST DO THE FATHERS WILL!
Galatians 5:21 (18-24)
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we practice these things in the flesh - we are guaranteed not to inherit the kingdom of God. These deeds are not of the Spirit but are of mans flesh - things of the world. The fruit of the Spirit are the exact opposite of the deeds of the flesh. And if you are struggling with these things, God gives a way to get rid of them - crucify the flesh with its PASSIONS AND DESIRES. Want to know more about this, let me know!
John 18:36
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
OK! Now we have some pieces to put together:
1. Jesus is not of this world.
2. Jesus chose His disciples and because of this the world hates them
3. Those in sin are of the world (all mankind is) Jesus is from above, we are from below. But He says that we must believe that He is the I AM or else we will die in our sins. So it takes FAITH!
4. The world is made up of lust and pride and is passing away. To love the world means the Father is not in us.
5. Those that practice these lusts and deeds of the world will not inherit Gods kingdom. If you dont like what you do then God gives a way out - crucify your flesh (Check out Romans 6 if you are interested in this. He who has died is free from sin!)
6. Jesus' kingdom or the kingdom of God IS NOT OF THIS WORLD!
Matthew 7:21 - "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
To actually be NOT OF THIS WORLD takes more then throwing your shirt on in the morning. It takes being in the Kingdom of God/heaven WHICH IS AT HAND. And it takes doing the FATHERS WILL. Just like it said in 1 John - "but the one who does the will of God lives forever."
Lets look at what the Bible says it takes to be "not of this world"!
John 17:14 (13-19)
"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. "For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Jesus states that He has given them Your word (logos - His image) and they are hated by the world because they are not of the world - just like Jesus is not of the world. So we know that there is the WORLD and that there is something NOT OF THE WORLD.
John 15:18-20
"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
The world loves those of the world. Jesus chose us out of the world and this is a reason the world hates you. BIG NOTE HERE: Jesus chooses - just like in verse 16 of the same chapter - "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My Name He may give it to you." Someone that God chooses is going to bear fruit! I always thought I picked God because I went to church. Sounds like it might be different...
John 8:21-24
Then He said again to them, "I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." So the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."
Those from below (man) are in sin and are of this world. Jesus is from above and without sin. And unless we BELIEVE that Jesus is the I AM, we will die in sin.
So it takes the removal of sin to be from above or not of this world.
1 John 2:15-17
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. 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. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
So this Scripture shows some of the things that make up the world. These things were not in Jesus making Him not of this world. If we love the world - the Father is not in us.
BUT TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE = WE MUST DO THE FATHERS WILL!
Galatians 5:21 (18-24)
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we practice these things in the flesh - we are guaranteed not to inherit the kingdom of God. These deeds are not of the Spirit but are of mans flesh - things of the world. The fruit of the Spirit are the exact opposite of the deeds of the flesh. And if you are struggling with these things, God gives a way to get rid of them - crucify the flesh with its PASSIONS AND DESIRES. Want to know more about this, let me know!
John 18:36
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
OK! Now we have some pieces to put together:
1. Jesus is not of this world.
2. Jesus chose His disciples and because of this the world hates them
3. Those in sin are of the world (all mankind is) Jesus is from above, we are from below. But He says that we must believe that He is the I AM or else we will die in our sins. So it takes FAITH!
4. The world is made up of lust and pride and is passing away. To love the world means the Father is not in us.
5. Those that practice these lusts and deeds of the world will not inherit Gods kingdom. If you dont like what you do then God gives a way out - crucify your flesh (Check out Romans 6 if you are interested in this. He who has died is free from sin!)
6. Jesus' kingdom or the kingdom of God IS NOT OF THIS WORLD!
Matthew 7:21 - "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
To actually be NOT OF THIS WORLD takes more then throwing your shirt on in the morning. It takes being in the Kingdom of God/heaven WHICH IS AT HAND. And it takes doing the FATHERS WILL. Just like it said in 1 John - "but the one who does the will of God lives forever."