It is obvious that culture in this country is becoming more corrupt and carnal. Even people outside of Christ recognize the fact. Prisons and prisoners, addicts and drug dealers, pre-marital sex and out of marriage pregnancies, homosexuals and lesbians, robbers and rapists, car thefts and home break-ins, embezzlers and evil, crude speech — ALL ARE ON THE INCREASE! Since "evil companionships corrupt good morals" (I Cor. 15:33), it is becoming increasingly more difficult to follow in the footsteps of Christ, Who did no sin (I Pet. 2:21). Have You been affected by this trend?

There seems to be three classes of people on the earth: There are true Christian people, who have "overcome the world" (I John 5:4; 2:13,14); There are church members who have fallen victims to the world (II Pet. 2:17-22); There are many in the world who have never related to Christ and His sin-cleansing blood (I John 2:15-17; James4:4f; I Pet. 1:18-20). Someone has observed that a sheep may fall into a mudhole, but it is not satisfied to stay there, whereas a hog in a mudhole feels right at home! Where are you?

In Christ's prayer, shortly before He was crucified, He said several things about His people and the world. First, Jesus mentioned those who had been saved "out of the world," who truly were His (John 17:6). Christ’s words were given, and they received them (vv.7f; Matt. 4:4; John 8:31f).

Second, Jesus did not pray that His people would be taken out of the world, but He prayed that God would "keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15; cf. I John 2:12-17). If one will love the Lord and keep His word, God and Christ will dwell with him or her (John 14:23; II John v.9) — then the Devil and worldly ways will not have a chance (Rom. 12:20f; James 4:7; I John 4:4). This will be true because, as Jesus prayed, such souls "are not of the world" (vv. 14, 16).

Third, Jesus stated to God, “Sanctify them in the Truth,” because as God had sent Christ into the world, “even so sent I them into the world” (vv. 17, 18). Here is our mission while we are in the world — to redeem the time, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:15, 16) — to overcome the world and evil with good (Rom. 12:20f), truly being light for the world in darkness, and salt to season society (Matt. 5:13-16).

How fitting and thrilling it would be if each reader would join Jessie Brown Pounds to say: "Then I bid farewell to the ways of the world,

To walk in it never more
For my Lord says, ‘Come,’ and I seek my home, Where he waits at the open door!" 1

How tragic it would be if Albert M. Wells, Jr. were to be correct: "The reason the church is failing to effectively invade the world is because the world has invaded the church." 2

1 Alton Howard, "The Way of the Cross," Songs of Faith and Praise”, Howard Publishing Company, Inc., West Monroe, Louisiana, 1994, # 616.
2 Albert M. Wells, Jr., Inspiring Quotations, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1988, # 2932, p.219.