Austin Bible Church
Believers don’t belong to Satan’s world system of deception and evil as far as relationship. John 17:5-17.
““Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. “Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.” (John 17:5-8, NASB)
““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.” (John 17:14-17, NASB)
We are not of the world system because we have a different position - in Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:22.
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, NASB)
Believers have a different birth, a spiritual birth. The world only has a physical birth. John 3:5-8.
“Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”“ (John 3:5-8, NASB)
Believers have a different service - we serve the Lord Jesus Christ. The unbeliever serves his father, Satan. John 8:44.
““You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44, NASB)
Believers have a different purpose - the believer is to glorify Jesus Christ. The unbeliever works to gratify self. 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NASB)
Believers have a different power – the energy of the Holy Spirit versus energy of the flesh. Believers have a different way of life – the Christian way of life - as opposed to religion. Believers have a different destiny - in the presence of the Lord. The unbeliever’s destiny is in the Lake of Fire. 1 John 3:1-3; Rev. 20:10; Rev. 20:13-15.
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:1-3, NASB)
“And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10, NASB)
“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:13-15, NASB)