Eric Rank

What Does it Mean for a Christian to Come Out of the World?

January 16, 2015January 15, 2015

We often hear about the need for a Christian to “come out of the world.” In order to understand what this means, it is important to look at where this instruction is given, and how to apply it in life practically.

A good place to begin is with Revelation 18:4-5, which reads “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.’” This follows an explanation of how the fallen system of Babylon has influenced people and nations, and clearly indicates an instruction for God’s people to come out of it. Babylon here is indicted in sin, which is something that God obviously does not want people to be involved in. As a result, the instruction to come out of Babylon is an instruction to come out of sin.

With this in mind, we need to elaborate on the “way of sin” being equated with Babylon, or the Babylonian system. Following from this, we will see how the Bible indicates that the “way of sin” is not the “way of God”, but it is the “way of the world.” With an understanding of what to come out of, it is important to know the correct way to seek, which is following the way of Christ. All of these aspects are about a way of living, and therefore the instruction to come out of the world is not to be taken in a physical sense, but applied in a spiritual way, leading a Christian lifestyle.

What does the Bible say about Babylon and the way of sin? By looking at the establishment of the city of Babylon, we learn more about the historical context and the relationship with God. In Genesis 10:8-9 Nimrod the hunter is named as the founder of the city of Babel. In reference to Nimrod, the Bible states that “he was a mighty hunter before the Lord”, but the word “before” can be more precisely translated as “against”. From the beginning, the city of “Babel” was founded by a man who was against God. Indeed, the actions by the inhabitants of the city following the establishment prove this to be true. Later in the book of Genesis, we can see evidence of how the city found God’s disapproval. In Genesis 11:4-9 we read about the people of the city, who wanted to make a name for themselves by building a giant tower. God disapproved of this action and punished the people, scattering them and confusing their language. The name of the city comes from the word “confusion,” which can be translated as Babel, or Babylon. From the establishment of the city, we can see that Babylon has historical roots in provoking God to anger and stands opposed to God’s rule from the beginning.

Babylon is referenced in ways that describe the ancient and modern city of Babylon standing in opposition to God, and therefore becoming overthrown (Isaiah 13:19, Revelation 18:21, Jeremiah 50:9, Jeremiah 51:29). It is clear in this regard that ancient Babylon displeased God so greatly that He destroyed it, and He will destroy the modern city of Babylon as well. But why

did God want to destroy it then, and why does He want to destroy it now? Certainly, the city stands in opposition to God’s rule; therefore, it is the sin which provokes God’s anger. Jeremiah 50:14 makes this reason for God’s anger very clear, “Put yourselves in array against Babylon all around, All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, spare no arrows, For she has sinned against the LORD.” It is the sin of the established ancient and modern city that provoked God’s anger then and continues to do so now.

Knowing Babylon is distinguished by its sinfulness, and especially since we read in Revelation 18:4 that God calls people to come out of modern Babylon which is represented by a particular city, so that they don’t share in its sins, it is clear that the instruction is to remove one’s self from the place known for sin. Note how Revelation 17:9 is translated in the Living Bible: “And now think hard: his seven heads represent a certain city built on seven hills where this woman [called Babylon the Great, see verse 5] has her residence.”

Babylon is to be understood as representing more than just a place, however. The Bible references Babylon in a way that it is considered to be a system and a way of living that stands opposed to God’s righteousness. Just before God’s people are called out of Babylon in Revelation 18:4, we read the following in Revelation 18:2-3, “And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.’” Seeing that “all the nations” have been influenced by Babylon, it is clear that the sinful behavior has spread throughout the world to people everywhere. When people are instructed to “come out of her,” it is the system of sinfulness represented by the rebellion of Babylon that is referenced.

So far, it is clear that Babylon represents a way of living that is sinful and rebellious towards God, and that Christians are instructed to come out of that way of sin. But, how does that relate to the instruction to come out of the world? Where is the connection? By seeing that sinfulness is one of the defining characteristics of the world in which we live, and that Christians are to come out of the sinful Babylonian system, we can conclude that Christians must therefore come out of the world. Titus 2:12 offers a clear insight into the connection between sinfulness and worldliness, teaching us that while“…denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Here, we can see that worldly lusts, those temptations offered by the world in which a Christian must physically reside, are grouped with ungodliness of this present age. The correct alternative is presented here as well, to live righteous and godly lives.

This presents an apparent paradox, however. How can we come out of a sinful system if we must live within it? Jesus Christ provides the correct perspective when explaining the troublesome relationship between a Christian and the world in John 15:18-19, “‘If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.’” Here, the world in its sinful ways is mentioned as a kind of force, or system that hates the way of life that Jesus Christ came to share. The disciples here are called out of the world; they are not to be part of it. If we understand that the world represents a system of sinfulness, we can see how Christians can be called to separate themselves from it without physically and literally coming out of the physical world. Something to consider in this regard is that coming out of sin might require Christians to take action to separate themselves from certain sinful places or environments, as Abram was asked to leave his hometown, and as

Lot was taken out of Sodom. Whether a literal physical separation is involved or not, it is the way of living that a Christian is instructed to change. That is, to come out of the way of sin, and to follow the way of Christ (John 14:6).

With the clear proclamation that true Christians are not part of the world (John 17:14), it is important to note that the job of a Christian is not to improve this present evil world (Galatians 1:4) in which he or she lives. The reason is that Satan the devil is the ruler of this world (John 12:31), and he deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). As stated in Ephesians 6:12, the systems of this world that are influenced by the ruler of this age are what Christians stand against, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Any attempt to make an improvement or to try and fix the world will ultimately fail because it is under the influence of Satan. Rather, we are to be delivered from this world (see again Galatians 1:4). Please read our Q&A that elaborates on the reasons why Christians are not to make THIS world a better place. We must wait for God to overthrow Satan so that the Kingdom of God may be established. Until that time, Christians are ambassadors in this world (2 Corinthians 5:20), representing that future Kingdom to come. At the same time, Christians are supposed to be the light of the world to show it how to live (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:15), and Christ sends them as sheep into the world of wolves (Matthew 10:16) to proclaim to it the gospel of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14; Mark 16:15).

The instruction for Christians to come out of this world is an admonition to turn away from the system of sin, and turn toward a system of godly righteousness. The system of the world is what leads to sin, and God stands opposed to it. 1 Corinthians 3:19 makes the distinction between His way and the world’s way clear, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God…” Coming out of the world then means to live according to God’s perfect and spiritual laws with His help. We are reminded and strengthened about how this is possible in 1 John 4:4 where we read, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” To come out of the sinful system of this corrupt world is within the power of all Christians who rely on the Holy Spirit of God living within them to become obedient.

Lead Writer: Eric Rank

Tenacity

December 19, 2014 by Eric Rank

For the past decade, I have always had some kind of active project to make improvements to the Church websites. The kinds of projects have varied widely, from modifications so minute that they’ve largely gone undetected, to projects that are so huge that they could never realistically be completed. Most of those projects fell into the latter category and, as a result, also fell to the wayside. However, for the past two years those miscellaneous projects have converged, becoming focused on the coordination of a comprehensive overhaul of our Church websites. Recognizing that such an undertaking would require a lot of effort, a technical team formed to accomplish the huge goals entailed. This team has worked very hard over the past two years to bring a vision to fruition.

The replacement of our old website has an impact on many of the ways that the Church of the Eternal God communicates the message of the Gospel to the world. The technical team, with guidance from the ministry, has had to consider how all of our Church websites will be designed. This updated design brought every visual element under examination, including the Church logo. As a result, redesigning the website led us to update the Church logo as well. With a new logo design, we have had to consider the impact on the design of every piece of material that makes use of it. In general, with visual consistency being one of the key objectives in the work we’ve done, we have had to evaluate every inconsistency. And where there are inconsistencies, we have had to figure out ways to resolve them so all of our digital destinations convey a clear and consistent message. The work involved in this redesign has followed this pattern over and over again, opening virtual cans of worms wherever we went. The work has certainly been complex, but now that our major goals are complete, we have plans to launch this new website very soon.

As exciting as the launch of a new website is, it is important to understand that this is not the final product of my work, the work of the technical team, nor the work of the Church. The fulfilment of God’s plan to establish the Kingdom of God is the final goal. All of us work to that end. This newly designed website is merely a tool that works toward that end. We are reminded of the importance of working toward the Kingdom of God in Christ’s words recorded in Matthew 24:45-46, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” As God’s faithful servants, we must never think that the Work is done – we must always be doing, fixed on seeking the Kingdom.

The growth of the Church over the past 14 years has brought us to the point where we manage a large amount of information and deliver it through a wide variety of channels. Many of the tools that we use today seemed unattainable to us in the past. Even though much has changed, and more will continue to change, there is one thing that remains the same since our establishment as a Church, and that is the unwavering commitment of the Church of the Eternal God to not compromise the Truth of God.

Quench the Fiery Darts

December 6, 2014 by Eric Rank

Temptations and taunts are among the most effective tools that Satan uses to cause a Christian to fall away from the truth. Faith is a tool that we can use to guard against any threat that might cause us to turn from God and follow the ways of the world.

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The progression of a Christian’s calling is transformative. We begin a journey and take steps forward along the way. Whether our path leads us closer to God or further astray, we need to honestly evaluate where we are in our journey, make adjustments, and continue pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

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Joy in the God of My Salvation

October 16, 2014 by Eric Rank

After spending time at the Feast of Tabernacles, fostering our spiritual growth, we need to be reminded of reasons to remain joyful when returning to our worldly dwellings and environment. Keeping our own personal spiritual purpose in focus provides us with a powerful perspective that can help us to rejoice as we work and wait for the Kingdom of God to come.

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From Calling To Action

October 14, 2014 by Eric Rank

The work of the Church of the Eternal God in fulfillment of the commission given by God involves efforts of many people. The product is bearing fruit, and will continue to do so as we follow His direction.

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Journey By Faith

October 11, 2014 by Eric Rank

When we are initially called into the family of God, we only understand a small amount of God’s plan. Over time, this understanding grows if we are faithful to work at it. The plans that we make for how we will achieve the goal of eternal life must be designed to apply understanding that we will only have in the future. A Christian life is truly a journey by faith!

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God’s Government

October 10, 2014 by Eric Rank

The Kingdom of God will replace the ways of man with the perfect rule of God. Who will be involved? How will authority be organized? How will the perfect government of God be different than the governments of man? The truth revealed in the Bible is awesome.

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Are You Ready?

October 3, 2014 by Eric Rank

With Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day of 2014 approaching quickly, our anticipation should be near its peak. Whether you have been planning for a year, a week, or somewhere in between, there are probably details in your life that need to be coordinated to ensure that you can observe these days to their fullest potential. Preparing our clothes, packing our things, and making final arrangements are all necessary for those who are traveling. But, getting our minds in the right shape is what we really need to focus on, while casting physical distractions that impede our spiritual preparation out from our field of view.

We may encounter real, genuine obstacles to our physical preparation for the Feast days. Perhaps getting time off from work is a challenge, or perhaps our travel arrangements have seemingly impossible gaps that we don’t know how to fill, or maybe we have something at home that needs our attention. These obstacles, and others, are instruments that Satan will use to keep us focused on the physical world – the world that he rules – and turn us away from spiritually preparing.

A large part of preparing for the Fall Holy Days involves setting priorities in order. This is a time of the year when we are especially commanded to draw near to God, and we can only imagine how angry and jealous this makes Satan. He will look for our weaknesses, and tempt us to find reasons not to observe God’s Feasts. As we are advised in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” With this in mind, let us be prepared to overcome the weaknesses that cause us to neglect observing the Feast with the right spiritual state of mind.

When we are told to be sober and vigilant, this means that we must be on guard, especially when we know that our actions are an affront to Satan, causing him to become angry with us. This can be a very difficult affair. The strength that we have personally might not be enough to confront the temptations we encounter, but fortunately, we have the strength of Jesus Christ living in us to help. Paul reflects upon this fact in his own life in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This strength promised to us includes the ability to face the physical obstacles that we experience on our path to observe the Feast.

The world may throw obstacles in our way, distracting us from our spiritual growth, but this world is passing away (1 John 2:15). An age of perfect Spiritual rule will imminently replace it. What better way to prepare for that coming age than to make ourselves spiritually ready for the upcoming Feast days this year? Whatever physical and spiritual state we are in, we must be certain that we allow nothing to stand in the way of our observance of these Feast days to the absolute best of our ability—and with God’s help we can!

Are you ready?

Valuable

September 25, 2014 by Eric Rank

Once we acknowledge our meek human existance, we may wonder how valuable we are to God. However, according to His plan, He needs leaders to help Him rule His soon coming Kingdom. Those who are called to that duty are very valuable, indeed.

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