THE CHRISTIAN'S
RELATIONSHIP TO WORLDLY SOCIETY

1. Christians do
not belong to this world (society):

Jn.15:19  Ye are not of the world, but I have
chosen you out of the world

A. We are citizens
of Heaven:

Heb.11:14               They...declare
plainly that they seek a country

Heb.11:15,16          Now
they desire a better country...an Heavenly

Heb.13:14               Here
have we no continuing city...we seek one to come

Jn.14:2,3 I go to prepare a place for you...that where I
am, there ye may be also

(See
also Jn.18:36)

B. We're sojourners
in this world, pilgrims passing through:

Heb.11:13               Confessed
they were strangers & pilgrims on the earth

Psa.39:12b             I
am a stranger with Thee, & a sojourner

Psa.119:19a            I
am a stranger in the earth

C. Earthly lands
& homes are only temporary:

Lev.25:23b             The
land is Mine (God's); for ye are strangers & sojourners with
Me

D. Our life on
earth is brief, so we do not settle here:

1Chr.29:15              We
are strangers before Thee, & sojourners...our days on the earth are as a
shadow

1Pet.1:17                Pass
time of your sojourning here in fear (of God)

(See
also Psa.39:4,5)

E. Guard against
thinking this world is your permanent home:

Psa.49:11,12           Their
inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, & their
dwelling places

2. Though in
this world, we are not to be part of it:

A. Christians are
not part of this present worldly society:

Jn.17:14-16             They
are not of the world, even as I (Jesus) am not

Rom.12:2a              Be
not conformed to this world

Eph.2:2,3                In
time past ye walked according to the course of this world

Gal.6:14  The cross of...Christ, by whom the world
is crucified (dead) unto me, & I unto the world

Phi.2:15  The sons of God...in the midst of a
crooked & perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world

1Jn.4:4-6 They are of the world...we are of God

1Jn.5:19  We are of God, & the whole world
lieth in wickedness (malignant evil)

(See
also 1Pet.2:9)

B. We are not to be
unequally yoked with unbelievers:

2Cor.6:14                Be
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness?

2Cor.6:15                What
part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

C. We are not to
have close friendship with the Christ-rejecting worldly:

Pro.1:15  My son, walk not thou...with them;
refrain thy foot

Pro.24:1  Be not envious against (of) evil men,
neither desire to be with them

1Cor.10:20,21         I
would not that ye should fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the
Lord, &...of devils

Eph.5:11 Have no fellowship with the...works of darkness

(See
also Pro.4:14-17; 13:20.)

D. We are to be separate
from the worldly:

Isa.52:11 Go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing;
go ye out of the midst of [them]; be ye clean

2Cor.6:17                Come
out from among them, & be separate...touch not

Rev.18:4 Come out of her, My people, that ye be not
partakers

E. Do not become entirely
separate; we must witness:

Jn.17:15  Not that Thou shouldest take them out
of the world, but ...keep them from the evil

Jn.17:18  As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even
so have I sent them into the world [to witness]

Mk.16:15                Go
ye into all the world, & preach the gospel

F. Marriage with
the unbelieving & worldly is discouraged:

Deut.7:3,4              Neither
shalt thou make marriages with them...for they will turn away thy son from
following Me

Josh.23:12,13         If
ye do in any wise...make marriages with them...they shall be snares & traps
unto you

1Ki.11:1-8               King
Solomon loved many strange women...his wives turned away his heart after other
gods

Neh.13:26,27          Solomon...was
beloved of his God...nevertheless even him did outlandish women
cause to sin

1Cor.7:39                She
is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only [let her marry] in the Lord

1Cor.7:12-16          [If
already married to an unbeliever, have faith, you may yet win them by your
Christian example]

(See
also Gen.26:34,35; 27:46; Judg.14:1-3; Ezra 9:1,2; Mal.2:11,12.)

3. Our attitude
toward worldly values:

A. Caution not
to love this present world:

Jam.4:4   The friendship of the world is
enmity with God

1Jn.2:15,16             Love
not the world, neither the things that are in world

B. The pilgrim's
attitude:

1Pet.2:11                As
strangers & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly [worldly] lusts, which war
against the soul

Tit.2:12,13              Denying
ungodliness & worldly lusts...live soberly...in this present world; looking
for that blessed hope

Heb.11:24-27         Moses...choosing
rather to suffer affliction with the people of God...forsook Egypt

Jam.1:27 Pure religion...to keep unspotted from the
world

1Pet.1:17                (God)
judgeth...every man's work, [so] pass the time of your sojourning here in fear

2Pet.3:11,14           Seeing
then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye
to be

1Jn.2:16,17             The
lust of the flesh, & the lust of the eyes...is of the world. And the world
passeth away

C. We should resist
being influenced by trends, fads & media:

Exo.23:2a                Thou
shalt not follow a multitude to do evil

Psa.1:1    Blessed is man that walketh
not in counsel of ungodly

Pro.1:10  My son, if sinners entice thee, consent
thou not

Rom.12:2a              Be
not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed

1Cor.7:31b             The
fashion of this world passeth away

Col.2:8    Beware lest any man spoil you
through...vain deceit (See 1Pet.3:2-4 re: fashions.)

D. Warning against
indiscriminate worldly entertainment:

Psa.101:3                I
will set no wicked thing before mine eyes

Psa.119:37              Turn
away mine eyes from beholding vanity

Isa.33:15 He that walketh righteously...shutteth his eyes
from seeing evil

2Ki.17:15b              They
followed vanity, & became vain, & went after the heathen that were
round about them

E. The detrimental
effect of this wicked world on believers:

2Pet.2:7,8               Lot...in
seeing & hearing [filthy Sodomites], vexed (tormented) his righteous
soul...with their unlawful deeds

2Pet.3:17                Beware
lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your
steadfastness

F. Peer pressure
& influence:

1Ki.12:3-16             [King
Rehoboam foolishly followed the counsel of] the young men that were grown up
with him

G. Don't compromise
or tolerate worldly ways:

Exo.23:32                Make
no covenant with them, nor with their gods

Exo.23:33                They
shall not dwell in thy land...for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a
snare unto thee

1Tim.5:22               Neither
be partaker of other men's sins: keep...pure

H. Avoid wanton
worldly parties & activities:

Rom.13:13,14         Not
in rioting & drunkenness, not in chambering (licentiousness)...fulfil [not]
lusts

1Pet.4:3,4               [We
are not to indulge in drunken parties & revellings]

(See
also Eph.2:2,3; Tit.2:12.)

I. But don't go to
the opposite extreme:

Mat.9:9-13             [The
self-righteous demanded:] Why eateth your Master with publicans & sinners?

1Cor.10:27              [We
can accept invitations to banquets & feasts]

4. If possible,
live peaceably with others in order to win them to the Lord:

A. Peaceable
relations with others are preferable:

Rom.12:18              As
much as lieth in (depends upon) you, live peaceably with all men

Pro.16:7  Lord...maketh even his enemies to be at
peace w/ him

Jer.29:7   Seek the peace of the city...&
pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace

Mat.5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly...lest at
any time

Col.4:5    Walk in wisdom toward them
that are without

1Tim.2:1,2              [Pray]
that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life

B. Try to relate to
their way of thinking, in order to win them:

1Cor.9:19-22          Unto
the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews. I am made all things to all
men

1Cor.10:32              Give
none offence, neither to Jews, nor to Gentiles

1Cor.10:33              I
please all men...that they may be saved

C. Identify with
them by giving your secular background & credentials:

Acts
22:3               I
am a man...brought up in this city...taught according to the law of the
fathers...as ye all are

Acts
21:39             I
am...of Tarsus, a citizen of no mean city

(See
also Acts 16:36-38; 22:25-28.)

5. Caution against
compromising with the world:

Gal.1:10  Do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased
men, I should not be the servant of Christ

A. Caution against
pleasing to the point of compromising:

Lk.6:26    Woe unto you, when all men
speak well of you

2Ki.5:17,18             In
this thing the Lord pardon Thy servant, that...I bow myself in the house of
Rimmon (a heathen god)

B. We should stand
up for, & not be ashamed of, our faith:

Mk.8:38  Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me & of
My Words in this ...sinful generation; of him shall (I) be ashamed

Rom.1:16                I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ

2Tim.1:8a               Be
not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord

1Pet.4:16                If
any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed

C. We are not of
this world, & it hates us for that:

Lk.6:22    Men...shall separate you from
their company, & reproach

Jn.15:18,19             Because
ye are not of the world...world hateth you

1Pet.4:4  They think it strange that ye run not
with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you

6. The importance
of an honest, sincere example:

A. Be a good
example:

Mat.5:16 Let your light so shine...that they may see
your good works, & glorify your Father in Heaven

Rom.13:3b              Do...good,
& thou shalt have praise of the [rulers]

1Thes.5:22             Abstain
from all appearance of evil

1Tim.4:12               Be
thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity (love)

1Pet.2:13,14           Submit
yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake...for the praise of
them

1Pet.2:15                With
well doing...put to silence ignorance of foolish

Lk.6:27    Love your enemies, do good to
them which hate you

B. We are commanded
to be honest in our dealings:

Rom.12:17b            Provide
things honest in the sight of all men

2Cor.8:21                Providing
for honest things...in the sight of men

1Thes.4:12a           Walk
honestly toward them that are without

Tit.2:10a Not purloining (stealing, pilfering), but
showing all good fidelity

1Pet.2:12                Having
your (way of life) honest among the Gentiles

(See
also Rom.13:13a; Heb.13:18.)

C. Do not bring
reproach upon the cause of Christ:

Rom.14:16              Let
not then your good be evil spoken of

2Cor.6:3  Giving none offence in any thing, that
the ministry be not blamed

1Tim.5:14b             Give
none occasion to adversary to speak reproachfully

(See
also Rom.2:23,24; 1Tim.6:1; Tit.2:5.)

D. Be blameless
& innocent:

Mat.10:16               Sheep
in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, & harmless
(innocent) as doves

Phi.2:15  Blameless & harmless, the sons of
God, without rebuke

Tit.1:6     Blameless...having
children not accused of riot

E. Don't let your
liberties become a "stumbling block" to others:

Rom.14:13-21         No
man put a stumblingblock...in his brother's way [that we may be]...approved of
men

1Cor.6:12                All
things are lawful...but all things not expedient

1Cor.8:8-13            Take
heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them
that are weak

1Pet.2:16                Not
using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness

7. Secular work
& employment:

A. Christians are
instructed to do honest work:

Eph.4:28 Let him labour, working with his hands the
thing (profession) which is good

1Thes.4:11,12        Work
with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may have lack of nothing

2Thes.3:10-12        If
any would not work, neither should he eat

Tit.3:14   Let ours learn to maintain good
works (profess honest trades) for necessary uses

B. We must keep our
priorities straight:

Acts
20:35             Labouring
ye ought to support weak...blessed to give

Eph.4:28 Let him labour, working...that he may have to give

1Cor.7:31                They
that use this world, as not abusing it

C. Don't labour to
be rich, but merely for your needs:

Lk.12:15  Beware of covetousness...a man's life
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth

1Tim.6:8 Having food & raiment let us therewith be
content

D. Consider the
fate of those who covet riches:

Psa.49:16-20          [The
fate of those who seek riches in this world]

Mk.10:24,25           How
hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter

1Tim.6:9,10            They
that will (desire to) be rich fall into...snare...erred from the
faith...pierced with sorrows

Jam.1:10,11            The
rich...is made low...withereth...perisheth

(See
also Jam.5:1-4)

E. Warning
regarding wrong attitudes:

Job
31:24,25,          If
I have...said to gold, Thou art my confidence...I should

28            have
denied God that is above

Hag.1:6b,9             It
came to little...because ye run every man unto his own house [& neglected
God's work]

Lk.12:19-21            Soul,
thou hast much goods laid up...take thine ease

1Tim.6:10               The
love of money is the root of all evil

Rev.3:15-18            Thou
sayest, "I am rich, & increased with goods, & have need of
nothing." Thou art wretched, poor, naked

8. The work of
pastors, full-time Christian workers & missionaries:

A. The compensation
of pastors & teachers:

1Tim.5:17,18          They
who labour in the Word & doctrine...the labourer is worthy of his reward
(wages)

1Cor.9:6-9              Who
feedeth a flock, & eateth not of the milk of flock?

1Cor.9:13                They
which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple

B. The work of
missionaries is preaching the gospel; they are reapers in God's harvest
& are worthy of wages:

Jn.4:35    Look on the [mission] fields;
for they are white already to harvest

Mat.9:37,38            The
harvest [of souls] is plenteous, but the labourers are few...send labourers
into His harvest

Jn.4:36    He that reapeth receiveth wages,
& gathereth fruit unto life eternal

1Cor.9:13,14           The
Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of
the gospel

1Cor.9:10                He
that ploweth...& thresheth..should be par taker

C. Christians with
secular jobs helping support the Lord's workers:

Rom.15:27              If
[they] have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is
to minister...carnal things

1Cor.9:11                If
we have sown unto you spiritual things...we shall reap your carnal things

Gal.6:6    Let him that is taught in the
Word communicate (give materially) unto him that teacheth

Lk.8:3      Joanna, the wife
of Chuza, Herod's steward...ministered unto Him (Jesus) of their substance

Lk.10:7    Eating such things as they
give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire (wages) (See also Mat.10:10b)

(See
1Thes.2:9; 2Cor.11:8.)

D. God's workers
sometimes hold secular jobs also:

Acts
18:1-3            He
(Paul) was of the same craft, he...wrought: for by their occupation they were
tentmakers

(See
also Acts 20:34,35; 1Cor.4:11,12.)

E. But when
possible, they should avoid time-consuming secular jobs & devote their full
time to their main work:

Jn.6:27    Labour not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life

1Cor.7:23                Ye
are bought...be not ye the servants of men

1Cor.9:6,7               Have
not we power to forbear working [at secular employment]?

2Tim.2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with
affairs of this life; that he may please Him (Jesus)

9. A Christian's
relationship to worldly governments:

A. Try to be good
citizens & obey the government:

Rom.13:1                Let
every soul be subject unto the higher powers. The powers (authorities) that be
are ordained of God

Tit.3:1     Put them in mind to be
subject...to obey magistrates

1Pet.2:17                Honour
all men. Fear God. Honour the king

B. Most governments
& laws are for our good & protection:

Acts
21:30-35        [Roman
soldiers rescued Paul from a hostile mob]

Acts
23:10             [Romans
prevented Jews from pulling Paul in pieces]

Acts
25:15,16        It
is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man

C. Pray for the
government & officials:

Eccl.10:20               Curse
not the king, no not in thy thought

1Tim.2:1 I exhort that...prayers...be made for kings,
& for all that are in authority

D. Perform required
national & community duties:

Mat.22:21               Render
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's

Rom.13:7                Render
to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute

E. However, we must
obey God above all:

Acts
4:19,20          [We
are not bound to obey secular laws which cause us to disobey God, or which
forbid witnessing]

Acts
5:29               We
ought to obey God rather than men

10. The governments
of man:

A. God rules
the governments of men:

Pro.8:15,16             By
Me kings reign, &...princes rule...even all the judges of the earth

Dan.4:32,35            The
most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, & giveth it to whomsoever He will

Jn.19:10,11             Thou
(Pilate) couldst have no power at all against Me except it were given thee from
above

B. God has allowed
the devil a certain amount of control:

Lk.4:5,6   All the kingdoms of the world [are]
delivered unto me (Satan); & to whomsoever I will I give it

2Cor.4:4  [Satan is called] the god of this world

11. Christians
& secular educational systems:

A. Much modern
secular education is godless or anti-God:

Job
21:14                They
say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways

Jer.4:22   They have none understanding: they
are wise to do evil

Rom.1:28                They
did not like to retain God in their knowledge

2Cor.11:3                I
fear, lest...as the serpent beguiled Eve...so your minds ...be corrupted
from...Christ

Col.2:6-8 Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy... after tradition of men, not [according to] Christ

B. The wisdom of
this world:

Jer.8:9     They have rejected the
Word of the Lord; & what wisdom is in them?

Zech.7:11,12          They
stopped their ears, that they should not hear...lest they hear the Words which
the Lord sent

Rom.1:21,22           Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools

1Cor.3:19                The
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

2Tim.3:7 Ever learning, & never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth

(See
also 1Cor.1:17-29; 2:1-16; 3:18-20.)

C. Most worldly
knowledge is not profitable:

1Cor.8:1,2               Knowledge
puffeth up, but (love) edifieth

2Tim.4:3 Heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears

D. Jesus & His
disciples were not highly educated:

Lk.1:80    The child (John) grew...&
was in the deserts

Jn.7:15    How knoweth this man letters,
having never learned?

Acts
4:13               When
they...perceived that they were unlearned & ignorant men, they marvelled

1Cor.1:26,27           Not
many wise men after the flesh...are called

(See
also Psa.8:2; Lk.10:21.)