In the World But Not of the World

Driving home: We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in the evil one. John distinguishes the people of God as a separate entity from the world and he says that, Though we are of God, all others who constitute the world l…

The world lying in the evil one is compared to Delilah sleeping in Samson's lap, illustrating Satan's moral and spiritual control over society.

In 1 John chapter 5 and verse 19, John says, We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in the evil one. John distinguishes the people of God as a separate entity from the world and he says that, Though we are of God, all others who constitute the world lie in the lap of the evil one. The world is under the moral and spiritual control of Satan. It sleeps in his lap as Delilah slept in the lap of Samson. Again, in Ephesians chapter 2, in describing the lifestyle, of those in the world, Paul, including his own lifestyle and the former lifestyle of the Ephesians, describes it in this wa...

8:30 - 9:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Take God's description of the world seriously, allowing it to affect choices in media (television, videos, music) and other aspects of life.

Martin quotes Isaac Watts to summarize the world's state: 'it is under the moral instruction of the spiritual control of the devil,' reinforcing the sermon's point about Satan's dominion.

world, there will never be a society or the world. The description has been far from exhaustive. These descriptions, I trust, are enough to show the evil nature. We recognize the doctrine of sovereignty over the world and even the forces of evil. We do joyfully acknowledge the doctrine of God's common grace, which keeps men of the world from being as evil as they otherwise would be, and common grace that injects into the world elements of nobility and goodness, but nonetheless has nothing to do with these fifteen or twenty scriptures we've looked at. Will we let God's sovereignty and the doctr...

25:15 - 26:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Two people of God, separated from God, separated from God, they've been delivered from that realm in which the driving engines of life are lost.

Martin uses the analogy of being created a human being versus a worm to illustrate that our existence and duties are not self-chosen but divinely appointed, emphasizing God's sovereignty in creation.

lives and breathes and moves in duty. He life, he could have made me a worm buried in the earth, waiting for spring to come to like a wiggle up and have some Robin pinch my head off.

42:50 - 43:21 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Two people of God, separated from God, separated from God, they've been delivered from that realm in which the driving engines of life are lost.

He extends the previous analogy, asking if anyone chose to be a human over a dog, further highlighting that our fundamental nature and duties are from God, not our own will.

Could have been that little creature that wagged its tail and was waiting to have its head petted. You tell God to make you a human being and not a dog? Illuminating obsession, abomination to God, and is the great, don't let the world, going to think in terms of duty. And in the few remaining minutes, I want to give you just the sparest outline of a biblical description of the Christian life.

43:38 - 44:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Be salt in the midst of society, checking putrefaction and moral decay by consistent Christian living.

The primary function of salt in ancient times (before refrigeration) was to check putrefaction and preserve meat, illustrating the Christian's role as 'salt' in society to prevent moral decay.

And in that context and in that day, the dominant concept of salt would not have been that of flavor and savor, but of checking putrefaction. There were no Kelvinator, Amanda, GE. Or Sears refrigerators. And if you were to preserve meat, you would use salt as a preservative.

48:12 - 48:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Let your presence and actions, such as returning to work promptly, speak against the sin of others.

A Christian returning to their post after a 10-minute break while others take 13 minutes serves as an example of being 'light' by upholding moral integrity, implicitly exposing the sin of others.

There's a flashlight shining in his eye. The office, when everyone else is taking 13 minutes for the 10-minute break. You're back at your post. Your presence says the rest of you are sinning.

50:37 - 50:52 Read in full sermon