Come Out of the World

Jesus Christ said that He was not of the world. And He also said that we, those who follow Him, would not be of the world. Let's read that in John 17 and beginning in verse 14. And of course, this was on the night before Jesus Christ died, the very night that He took the Passover, bread and wine, introduced that, the new way of observing the Passover, that Jesus prayed this prayer.

And notice in John 17 and verse 14, Jesus prayed, I have given them Your Word. He was praying to the Father here in this chapter. I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you would or should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one.

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. So brethren, what does it mean to be not of the world? Does it mean that we should go off and be like a hermit and just get away from everything? Some have done it the way they have become hermits.

They've more or less isolated themselves from society. They've gone out and just live off to themselves. Well, obviously, that is not what Jesus meant, because by His own example, Jesus did not go out and isolate Himself from society. He was not a hermit.

Jesus rubbed shoulders with all kinds of people. So obviously, Jesus did not mean that we're supposed to go out and be just separate, like a hermit, from everybody and be isolated from people. Jesus was surrounded by crowds of people, and He taught them. He showed them the truth, both in what He said as well as in His example.

So to be not of the world doesn't mean, then, to go out and be isolated from people. Jesus Himself, His example would prove that. But Jesus was different. He was different from other people in the world, all around Him. He was separate from people that were around Him. He was very different from them. And true Christians also will be very different, and must be separate, and not any part of this world, not even one little percentage point.

Let's go to 2 Corinthians 6, verse 17. True Christians who follow Jesus Christ, then, will be not of the world. How do you use yourself? Do you look at yourself as being not a world? Brethren, I can say right out front, at the beginning of this sermon, this is not my world. I'm not proud of it. I don't want to be a part of it. I don't consider myself a part of this world, not one little bit. I hate so many things that are going on all the time, all around me. But I'm not isolating myself from it.

I rub shoulders. I'm out shopping, driving in it, doing my work in business, just as you are. But I'm not of it. All that is going on. And I'm trying to fight against it. Hence the sermon for all of us, to fight against being any part of this evil world all around us. In 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 17, the Apostle Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 17, Therefore come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord.

Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. Those are rather straightforward instructions. And it's a rather tall order for us to come out and be separate, and not touch what is unclean in this world, and not let what is unclean in this world seep in or creep into our lives. I would say that each and every one of us has a struggle that is ongoing daily, not to let the world creep in. Kind of seep in some of the attitudes, the values of this evil world.

And that's true of every adult here, and that is true of every one of our young people. The world is bombarding us. Mr. Boykin gave an excellent sermon directed more toward the young people three weeks ago, how the world is bombarding our young people.

It's coming at them from every direction. It's at the mall, it's on TV, it's the internet, music, everywhere. It's coming at our young people, and it's coming at each and every one of us. And we've got to then come out and be separate from this evil world. What does it mean to come out and be se- how do we come out and be separate?

What does that mean? How do we do it? And what does it mean to be not of the world? We would like to, of course, encourage all of our members.

Those who are members are striving then to follow these instructions and be not of the world. All the baptized members have committed to that. They have set their mind on a different world, not this one, a world that is coming, a world of God's kingdom. But we'd like to encourage all of those not baptized and all of those who are young people here and maybe won't be baptized and should not be baptized for quite a number of years until you are an adult and mature enough to take on the responsibilities of a baptized member of God's church. But we'd like to encourage us all to be not of the world and not let it seep in and creep into our attitudes, values in any shape or form.

We're going to see in many ways that we must be very separate and very different, totally different than this evil world all around us. I'd like to give us some areas and I will not be able to cover everything, but anyway it will give us a good idea of what it means to come out of the world and how we are to be different and separate. And yet we're in the world. We're surrounded. It's all around us. It's in our neighborhoods. It's on the job where we work.

For young people, it's at school. It's all around us all the time. We're in the world. We're not asking anyone to try to go out of the world. That's what hermits do. They try to get out of the world. We're in the world, but we're not to be of the world. So I want to try to make that clear how we can be in the world but not of it. First of all, we have to come out of every aspect of false religion. I want to look at false religion. It's all around us. There are people who talk religion, those who have been saved and ask you if you've been saved, who are steeped in Protestantism or Catholicism. And we must separate from this religious Babylon all around us in Revelation chapter 18. We'll keep your place right here in 2 Corinthians. First of all, we'll read this first and then we'll go to Revelation 18. Second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14. Just back up a few verses. Second Corinthians 6 and verse 14, do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

We might visit this later with another area where we must come out and be separate. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? We are to be light. We know this world is darkness. There's no communion between us if we are light and the world which is darkness. Verse 15, what accord has Christ with Belial?

With the devil. Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? You know, we cannot visit our mate's church on Sunday. No, Sunday's a work day and that would be a participation in false worship to go with our mate to a worship service on Sunday or some of the other religious meetings that their church is having because we have nothing in common with this world's religion.

And it goes on to say in verse 16, what agreement has the temple of God with idols?

For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell on them and walk among them. So we have no agreement with the temple as the temple of God with idols and the false worship of this world. We no longer worship on Sunday. We worship on God's Sabbath. We honor Him by resting on this day and worshiping on it. And we devote this day to God. We esteem and honor Him and give Him thanks for life and give Him thanks for the great purpose He is working out and give Him thanks for our calling. And our calling is truly out of the world and out of its religion. We no longer keep Christmas and Easter and Valentines and Halloween. We don't want any part of those. We don't want to help our mate who's not in the church to put up a Christmas tree.

If he wants to have one or she wants to have one, then that's their business. You don't have to forbid them or force them not to. But we don't have to participate in it. And same thing on the job. How could we feel good about that? We'd have to beg off in some way, participating or touching the unclean thing or going to a Christmas party. Christmas gifts are touching. We have to be careful then how we handle all of that. Somebody wants to give us a gift. And we have to be diplomatic and say, well, I don't observe Christmas. It's against my faith. It would hurt my conscience to receive a Christmas gift. And we have to beg off and not touch the unclean thing.

And then if they want to say, well, this is just a gift apart totally from Christmas, you know, that might be acceptable if it truly comes 100% from that direction. But we have to be careful not to in any way compromise with this world and the false religion that is all around us.

And even though Bible reading and prayer is not allowed in school, and our country, you know, is more and more trying to take like the Ten Commandments in any public places, we still have false religion, oddly enough. That doesn't get censored from school and education. False religion is okay, Christmas and Easter and things like that. But something like Bible reading or prayer is not. We come out of then this world's false religion in every way, no longer believing in the ideas of the world as far as the immortality of the soul and heaven and hell and all of those things. We forsake human customs and traditions and the vain worship of this world. So in many ways, then, that separates us from the world. When we start keeping the Sabbath every week, that really does make us different. And then when we add to that, keeping the Holy Days that come up during the year, all seven of them, they are commanded by God. Jesus kept them.

And we read a verse where the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the world tomorrow.

Every nation will come up or they get no rain. So, you know, when we keep the Sabbath and Holy Days, that alone separates us tremendously from the way the world is going. No longer do we go to do what they're doing in their customs and traditions. Very different. Very different. And it's kind of hard. Young people in school, college, high school, junior high, and elementary, it's kind of hard. You have to be different than other children.

Or do you kind of compromise and go along with the world to a certain extent, kind of fit in? It is so natural, so much easier to conform, to kind of do what others are doing.

To come out and be separate is going to take effort.

It's not an easy thing to do. But we can see that if we are to follow what God tells us to do, that it will involve being different. I tell you what, nobody can be a part of God's church, old or young, unless they are willing to be different.

And I know that young people can be willing. I began to be different when I was 16. So I know that a young person can begin to be different than those around him.

You can be different. And God will help you to be different if you ask Him. Another area of the world, of course, right now, the political campaign for next year is already underway. And sad to say, it started about a year earlier than normal. I guess next time, it might be three years or a couple of years ahead of time. This year is one year.

And we've got so many people lining up on the sides of the two parties to run for president.

And politics all around us, and voting. What does God's church, based on the scriptures, teach about involvement in politics? You're going to hear a lot of talk about it. Are you going to get involved? What should be our stance? Is that a part of the world that we get involved in?

You know, come out of the world, but you can get involved in politics.

Well, we have, United Church of God, has a 23-page study paper that came out in December of 2003.

And the title of this study paper, which is available online under Resources at the UCG website, you can get a copy of this yourself or study it on the screen, which is called the United Church of God. And it's a paper that says that the United Church of God, the United Church of God, maintains its traditional teaching that a Christian should avoid the church of God. And this paper will point out many reasons why the Church of God has its concluding statement that says the United Church of God, an international association, maintains its conclusion that a Christian should avoid voting and participate in political elections and running for public office. The church does not declare voting itself to be a sin. Sometimes we might vote on whether to have a social or not have a social. You know, voting and getting an opinion of a group is not itself a sin. However, this does not change the teaching and judgment of the church, even if one does not vote, division can still result if one brings his political preferences to the church. So we can have here Republicans and Democrats. Should we have Republicans and Democrats here and say, well, I like this one better, I like that one better?

You know, you'll, I think, notice that I don't get up and to make too many political remarks. I publicized that I was going to try to be supportive of our president in every way, but I don't think you're going to hear me saying too much that will indicate whether I am Republican or Democrat. I am neither. I'm not either one. My vote is 100% for the kingdom of God, 100% for Jesus Christ. He's the only one that has the solution, the answer. Mr. Bush has done well and I honor and president uphold him. He's had noble intent in the Middle East, but he doesn't have the answer for the world's problems. And that applies also to Iran. It applies also to Korea and wherever else we have trouble in the world. The only answer, and we're going to see that more clearly as we come on toward the end of the age, is the kingdom of God. That's what I've been voting for for about 40 to 50 years of my, about the last 50 years of my life. I've been voting for the kingdom of God and for Jesus Christ. And that's what I live for and long for and pray for. And I tell you, the kingdom of God, my kingdom, my government is going to bring the solutions. It will change the underlying cause of the problems, human nature. And the human nature of the Arabs will be addressed. That volatile, emotional human nature that you see there. And of course, it's going to change the human nature of Americans and of all nations around the world. So, you know, brother, we don't need to get involved in a lot of political discussions, actually, as far as one side or the other, do we? As it brings out here, division can still result if one brings his political preferences to the church. Leave politics in the world. We don't need it here. The act of not voting in the elections of this world in agreement with the principles given above is not an end in itself. Even more fundamentally, important for members of the church and serving as an underlying reason for not voting or running for a public office is promoting peace within the church, not division over vote-related issues. There's also the clear issue of coming out of this world. And it does end by making this one qualification as far as getting involved in voting. Voting in local, issue-driven matters has been seen as an exception. Several kinds of situations might come up in this category, like local school bond issues, PTA water treatment, zoning changes, sewage disposal, trash hauling, wildlife and environmental protection, among other things that directly affect the residents of a township, city or rural area. These cases of local issues are not viewed in the same manner as participation in the politics of this world.

So that's the concluding statements of involvement in politics, and it summarizes then what you can study and read here for yourself. We might just read a couple of verses, though. First of all, in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 20, we are to remember that as members of God's church, we are ambassadors. We're not, we're, first of all, citizens of God's kingdom. I'll read that verse in just a moment. But 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 20, therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. So that's what we are, ambassadors. That's where Mr. Armstrong got the name, Ambassador College, and we still carry forward that name, Ambassador Bible Center. And that is, we are emissaries. We are representatives of God's kingdom. We reflect God's values and God's standards, and no government on this earth does. No government on this earth is able to.

In Philippians chapter 3 and verse 20, Philippians chapter 3 and verse 20, we read that our citizenship is in heaven. That's where our first and primary citizenship is. It's in heaven. It's the kingdom of God, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. And brethren, we do, don't we all, eagerly wait for Jesus Christ to return and solve all the problems and all the suffering? Doesn't your heart go out to all the innocent men, women, and children? You see them on the TV screen. They're victims of the hate crimes going on.

We see so much of this in Iraq, but also there are other areas also. And so your heart just goes out, and we do eagerly look forward to Jesus Christ returning. But we remember then that our citizenship is in heaven, and we are ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Well, this is brought out fully in our study paper. By the way, I failed to go back in number one to Revelation 18 and verse four. When we come out of false religion, let's go back to that now, and then we'll move on to the next area of where we come out of the world. But in Revelation chapter 18 and verse four, we are to come out of the religious Babylon that's all around us. And chapter 17 is talking about Babylon. And Revelation 18 verse two says that Babylon the Great has fallen and is fallen to come the habitation of demons, a prison of every foul spirit, a cage for every unclean and hated bird. So even the New Testament here again refers to unclean animals or unclean and hated bird. All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. I know it's talking figuratively, though, but it does still use unclean birds as a figurative type of the spiritual. All 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. And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, unless you receive of her plagues. So brethren, today's sermon is to appeal to all of us. Come out of the religious Babylon. Don't have anything to do with it. Just don't touch the unclean thing of the religious Babylon of confusion that is all around us. And also, Christians are to follow after the teaching of the Bible and the example of Jesus Christ and not get involved in politics and voting of this world. Let's go to another area that we come out and are separate, and that is military service and war. Should a Christian get involved in fighting in the wars and battles? Should we join the Army, the Navy, the Air Force? Well, let me read from the fundamental beliefs of United Church of God. We have 20 of these fundamental beliefs. Number 14 has the title military service and war. We believe that Christians are forbidden by the commandments of God from taking human life directly or indirectly, and that bearing arms is contrary to this fundamental belief. Therefore, we believe that Christians should not voluntarily become engaged in military service. If they are involuntarily engaged in military service, we believe they should refuse conscientiously to bear arms and to the extent possible refuse to come under military authority.

So we just don't believe that we can take up arms and shoot another human being, even if he's trying to do us harm. He's trying to do us in. And this doesn't apply just in being in the military. You know, neither could any of us as Christians following the teachings of Christ and the example of Jesus Christ. We could not, if somebody had broken a tomb, shoot him with a gun.

We could not do that. It's all the same thing. And there's no example of Jesus ever doing it, forever teaching that we could do that. And there's, of course, we should be, we can exercise caution. We can lock our doors and try to be careful, but if somebody still just breaks in, we could never shoot someone or do them harm. Hit them over the head with a baseball bat or something. We might be able to hold someone's arms if we're stronger than they are, until maybe police authorities can be called and arrive. But restraining force and using good prevention measures is the best approach that we can do. And the greatest approach of all is to look to God.

He will not allow anything to happen to us. Nothing's going to happen without His okay.

So I'm not afraid myself of going out and whatever I need to do. I don't go around in fear because nothing's going to happen without God's permission. So many verses in the Bible bring that out. His angels are on duty and God is aware He knows every hair of our head. We can be sure that nothing's going to happen to us if we are doing His will without His permission. He could let something happen, but it would have to be with His okay. Our extended write-up goes on to say, the way of God is the way of love, sacrifice, and sharing. The teaching of God for an individual regarding the taking of human life is summed up in the sixth commandment which says, you shall not murder. Jesus repeated a great principle when He said, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And Paul said that love does no harm to a neighbor. And Jesus said in John 6, 36, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight. So, you know, God's kingdom is not of this world. And He indicated here we would not be then out fighting the world. So we follow the example of Jesus Christ and the early church, and there's not one example of Jesus and the early church fighting. Not one example of killing. Instead, there's the example of persecution. There's the example of being beaten in the case of some, like Jesus Himself, of being martyred, being put to death. But never do we find God's people fighting and killing. Never. Show me an example in the New Testament. You just can't do it. So we follow that example of Jesus Christ and the teaching of Christ and the early church.

Now, let me just mention in this regard that our nation, the United States, requires young men to register. I want to read from a paper that I referred to a few weeks ago in the announcements, but also in the context of the sermon. Selective service regulations require men born in 1960 and later to register for the draft. Men are required to register within 30 days on either side of their 18th birthday. Registration is accomplished by mailing in a registration form to the selective service system. You can obtain a registration form at a nearby post office, or you could register online at the Selective Service website. Remember that failure to register is illegal. You're breaking the law. It is a felony not to register. If convicted of failing to register, the penalty is up to five years in jail and or up to $250,000 fine. Registration is not a commitment to enter military service. It's not a commitment to do that. Therefore, the United Church of God teaches that there is no biblical basis for a Christian to refuse to register. But we do teach against military service in war. So what should a young person do? I say he should a copy of this paper I have. I'd be glad to hand out one to anyone. And you can conscientiously register as a conscientious objector to warfare. You can be a conscientious objector to warfare. And of course, a person has to first of all be conscientiously objected to it. And to do that, he should make a study of of our belief, fundamental belief number 14. Military service in war. Read the verses in the Bible. Pray about it. See if that is what the Bible teaches that you as a young person should do.

You cannot register to be conscientiously opposed to warfare unless you've done a lot of Bible study and prayer and thinking about what God wants you to do, what the Bible commands you to do. We do have this write-up and all these verses that will help you. I'll be glad to help any way I can, too.

But we certainly then urge our young people to register and obey the law in that way, but also at the same time you could post on your registration that you are conscientiously opposed to warfare and would not enter military service. You know, we've had ones that have been put in prison years ago when the military draft was enforced and they refused to be drafted into the military. Some people were treated that severely when they refused to enter military service.

So any young person, men then, that is affected by this ought to do a lot more study and preparation for it. Parents, your job, please help your children to understand about military service in war. Study together, Fundamental Belief No. 14. Get a copy of the information on Selective Service Registration that I just referred to. Get a copy of that from me.

Let's help our young people, then, to understand about military service in war. That's a part of coming out of the world and being separate.

We're seeing, then, some ways of what Jesus meant that we are not of the world. We're not of the world's politics. We're not of the world's military and battles and fighting. The wars that go on. We're not a part of its religion, its false religion. Let's get into another area that we find out we are different and we want to do it God's way in this area as well and not be a part of the world. Be separate. Be different. What about dating and marrying outside the church?

What does the Bible teach about that? Well, let's go back to a second. Let's read a couple of scriptures. First, 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 15. Second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 15. We'll visit this verse one more time. Well, verse 14, rather. Second Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Now, there is no greater way that two people are yoked together. You know, this is kind of using the analogy of agricultural analogy of two oxen plowing in the field and the two oxen are yoked together and they plow the field. And in life, two people that marry each other join together to go through life, to go forward together in life. They're yoked together. There's no greater way that we could be yoked together than marriage because that is seven days a week, 24 hours a day. And so, if someone is not married, then he should apply this principle as far as any future marriage. Now, if someone presently is married to an unbeliever, then Paul in first Corinthians chapter 7 makes it clear that he should stay in that marriage as long as the unconverted, unbelieving mate is willing. Yes, should not leave the unbelieving mate. Should stay in that marriage.

And set an example. And Paul brings out that you never know, O wife, you might save your husband. You never know, O husband, you might save your wife. I've seen that happen many, many times.

So, a person should stay in a marriage where the mate is not presently a believer, if the unbeliever is willing. In first Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 39, though, we read about someone that is free to marry and what God says about it. Well, the Bible teaches on this. Second Corinthians 7 and verse 39, a wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives.

But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes. So, she's free if her husband is dead, or a wife, or a husband, if his wife is dead, they're free.

But notice it adds that little expression at the end of verse 39, only in the Lord.

We know that's a clear indication that it's only in the faith. The Good Speed translation puts it this way, so long as he is a Christian. So, only in the Lord, so long as he is a Christian.

And the New English Bible says providing the marriage is within the Lord's fellowship.

So, providing the marriage is within the faith. We also have a study paper on this that is available online. If you would like to study into it, it is roughly about eight pages long. And the title of this study paper, published in January 1998, marrying outside the faith. And so, many principles and verses in the Bible are brought out in the study paper. And we teach that a Christian should marry within the faith. And since dating then would naturally lead to word possibly interest in marriage, then we would discourage dating outside the church. One statement on page three, in regard to what the verse we just read has this comment. Paul confirms God's desire that those who are converted and possess God's Holy Spirit should seek to marry only someone who is also converted and possesses God's Holy Spirit. So, it's just very clear there in that verse what God's will is.

Further on page six of the study paper, the differences become greater when you go outside the faith. How will a family work out keeping of God's festivals versus the holidays? Marry somebody that's not of the faith and they want to keep Christmas and Easter. Go to church on Sunday. How do you work that out? Children come along. You keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days. Your mate keeps the holidays and Sunday. How do you teach the children? So, how do you work that out? How will the finances be managed in relationship to tithing? What will children be taught? Can a member continue to worship God in a manner to which he or she has been called without opposition or argument? I've talked to some. I've talked to even some that grew up in the church who married outside the church and said, you know, my mate works on me. Try us to weaken my resolve to come to church and go to Holy Days. So, you see, there's that difficulty that is there. So, after careful examination of the scriptural instructions given by God, it is clear that the chosen and called of God are expected by Him to seek to marry only within the faith. Therefore, it is the stand in teaching of the United Church of God that members seek to marry only within their faith. That is our teaching. It is important that when a member marries someone who is not presently worshiping with us that we, though we don't, as it says here, we do not take a punitive action if someone marries outside the faith. We don't just fellowship them. We don't say, you're not a member of the church. And so, we discourage dating and marriage outside the faith. If someone does date or marry outside, then we don't take a punitive action and just fellowship them. But, and if someone does go on to marry, and that does happen on occasion, marry someone outside the faith. And if this person wants to come to services, we make that person welcome. But we still have as our basic teaching and encouragement, and we exhort strongly as the scriptures indicate that it should be that we not date and marry outside the faith.

So, that's what we teach. And the summary of our write-up says, we should teach clearly what the scriptures state. One should marry within the faith. A converted person, baptized, possessing God's Holy Spirit, should marry another converted person. We should counsel those who are seeking to be married. In counseling a couple for marriage, we should advise them about the pitfalls of a believer marrying an unbeliever.

And it goes on to say that a minister is not required to perform any marriage if doing so would violate his conscience. So, I would have to feel in my conscience write about any marriage that was not between believers. And last of all, if a member, believer, chooses to marry a nonbeliever, no punitive action should be taken unless there are other aggravating circumstances. Each person must make his or her own decision in these matters and will then have to live with those choices. This should clearly be pointed out in the counseling. But I think we see another area here that God's church does teach based on the scriptures where we come out and are separate from the world. And that is as far as marrying and dating outside the faith.

So, brethren, you know, in many ways then, I just wanted to bring out many specific ways. We're not done yet. We're just getting started. And we've got a little bit more time here. But modern dating and sexual immorality, God has called us out of the way the world is doing it. So many people today just get together and live together without marriage. Millions of people are doing that right now in our country. And it's increasing all the time. God's people don't do that. The Bible teaches chastity. So I didn't get the percentage, but there's such a high percentage of teenagers, young people in America. It's a pretty high number even for 13 and 14-year-olds. But then by the time you get to 17-year-olds, it is a majority. I can't remember the exact figure, but it's way up high the number of teenagers who are sexually active. And then, of course, even adults. And there's so much adultery that goes on. Cheating on the mate and having somebody on the side. It's all around us. It's coming at us in so many ways. And we are to come out and to be separate. God's church, you know, I don't think any of us need to turn to all the many scriptures in the Bible. We know I think everyone here, every young person here, knows, every adult knows, too. Well, in the case of marriage, cheating in a marriage is wrong. Our nation knows. Well, Mr. Clinton had his, you know, sexual things in his presidency. It was before the whole nation. And he had to apologize. He knew he was wrong. It's clearly wrong, even to unconverted people. And many people also know, and we all know in God's church, that sexual sins of young people outside of, you know, before marriage is sin. Does anybody have any question about that? Also, caressing, kissing, and getting intimate is sin. There's no young person that would debate that, I don't believe, and say that it's right, and would feel free to do it before his parents and before his minister and other people. Instead, there's always the sneaking around because they know it's wrong.

Brethren, that's the world. That's the world. And what did Jesus say? He said, I'm not of the world. Jesus never got involved. Oh, I know they have this thing about Mary Magdalene, and, you know, that's the garbage of this world. Jesus was not ever involved in anything that broke God's laws. If you want to get right to it, the world is the breaking of God's laws, and it applies in a great way in these areas of immorality. And so, that's the world. Are we going to bring the world into our lives? It's all around us. It can seep in. It's trying to. It can creep in.

It can cascade in if we allow it. Or are we going to come out of it?

I'll tell you what, I'm going to cry aloud and spare not toward you as I strive myself to not let the world creep into my life. A young person here will make the same determination. Every every adult here. A Christian must come out and be separate in areas of modern dating and sexual immorality. In 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 9, 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 9, do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

Because God's not going to have the world tomorrow to be like the world today.

If anybody here wants to go the way of the world in immorality, you won't be there. You won't be in the kingdom of God. God's not going to allow it. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? You won't reign with Christ if you want to go the way of the world and it's immorality. Do not be deceived. And he gets into this basically is about morality or immorality. Neither fornicators, that's immorality, sexual immorality, before outside of marriage, before marriage, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Verse 11 says, such were some of you. Some of the Corinthians were involved in these very things.

Such were, notice past tense, such were some of you. But you were washed. They were they repented. They were baptized. They said more than just, I'm sorry, as we heard in the sermonette.

They changed. Action. We're not, I'm sorry, and keep on doing what you're doing.

We're interested in the heart. I'm sorry, ever, ever go that way again. That's what Paul is saying about these people. You were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Brethren, that's what we're interested in.

You know, we're not so much concerned if somebody has made a mistake. Learn.

We're concerned about the future even more. So we encourage everyone to not let the world's modern dating and sexual immorality. And today, so many people, including young people, get involved in immorality and they just casually, casual sex, you know, just like eating and other things, like having a little entertainment somewhere. It all fits in about the same category and it becomes so casual. But the consequences are so great and there's such suffering. And a person has hurt himself and his family and so our nation and God, most of all, so much. We're to come out of the immorality of this world. Modern dating, often kissing, caressing sexual activity, it's all around us. But brethren, we are not of the world. We're to be not of the world. If we get involved in that sort of thing, guess what? We're of the world. If we listen to that kind of music, if we watch those kind of TV programs, if that's the kind of movies we like, then that's the world. It's seeping in. It will seep in unless we resist it. But we are to come out and not touch the unclean thing. How do you view sexual immorality? Do you abhor it or is it happening so much? And, you know, just don't take it all that seriously. How does God's church view sexual immorality? How... and the answer to that is how does the Bible view it? How does God view it?

That's our view, and God hates it. Let's read back one chapter, 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 1.

Here's how God's church views it. 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 1. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality is not even named among the Gentiles that a man should have his father's wife, apparently his stepmother.

That was reportedly going on in Corinth. They did not take it seriously. Verse they even gloried in it. Verse 2. You are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed am as absent in body, but present in spirit have already judged as though I were present concerning him that has so done this deed. And in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. They were glorying in what was going on instead of hating it. Now God's church cannot let the world creep in. This church in Corinth was letting the world creep into the church.

Brother, we're not going to allow that to happen. We cannot allow that to happen.

In verse 9 of this chapter, Paul says, I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or idolaters since then you would need to go out of the world. You would need to become a hermit. Isolate yourself. So you know, you're bound to rub shoulders with those people in the world. But he's talking about within the church. Verse 11, Now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is a fornicator or covetous or idolater or revile or a drunkard or an extortioner or even to eat with such a person.

Someone that has been in the church and lives this way, he's gone back into the world.

You have to really watch out for one like that. That's what Paul is pointing out.

Verse 12 says, What have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside, but those who are outside God judges, therefore put away from among yourself that wicked person? So God's church then is to keep the world out as far as sexual immorality. I'll say that parents, we need to teach them our children, don't we, to come out of the world. It's coming at them. They're surrounded by it. Kids talk at school. It's on the internet.

What are you kids watching on the internet? What kind of music? I've been to some of our youth activities and just kind of overheard some of the music and I think, well, that doesn't sound too good. What kind of music are you listening to, young people? Is it worldly type music?

Are you of the... if you're of the world, I'll just imagine you are. That's what you're doing. You got a choice to make and I hope you make the right choice not to listen to that worldly kind of music. Our parents need to teach then our children day and night. Teach to protect them from the world. Help them to survive the world that's coming at them. They're being bombarded by it. I hope Mr. Boykin and Mr. Villescazza, they have young people and their families, our children have all grown up. They'd be more in touch a little bit with what children are facing than I am. I hope they'll speak about it, as Mr. Boykin did three weeks ago. We want to help any way we can. And what we want to do is just help our young people to be able to survive and come out of the world and be separate and not be of the world. We don't want any of us here to be of the world, but instead not of the world, of God's kingdom. So brethren, let's work together. Let's all of us work together to keep the world out. The area of dress, another area that the world can creep in. We've had people to come to church and especially ladies exposing themselves.

And some of our members have been offended. One called me about a couple of weeks ago and said, should I go to people? There are only a few that do this. And let them know I encourage them not to go yet. I almost feel like turning someone loose and, yeah, go! Because I gave a sermon back in December. And we've had articles in United News that came out all during 06. Four articles came out June, July, August, and then September, October. Articles on dress. And Mr. Pinelli wrote a powerful article when he mentioned how easy it is to compare yourself with others and think that you're doing it right. And he quoted from an article that came out, I believe that was in the August issue, where he gave as far as men and women what we expect dress. In the women's area, he said, there's a difference between dressing attractively and dressing to attract. Many women wear clothing that is too low, too high, too tight, or too transparent. Much of it is way too form-fitting, defining every curve exactly. We suggest the sit-down test. Sit in a chair in front of a mirror and see if the hem of your skirt still reaches your knees. And look in the mirror to see if what others can see under your skirt. Then lean over to see if you can see down your blouse. Because you can be sure if you lean over and you see it in the mirror that when you lean over at church, others are going to see what you are able to see. Lean over to see what you see down your blouse. Godly character is shown by not compromising even in small ways. Mr. Pinelli gets very pointed. I think the reason is because—and brethren, don't ever justify. Please, any that want to wear clothing that's inappropriate, if you have any inclination, don't justify it because somebody else might be falling short. Say, well, I saw somebody else doing it. Well, they're just wrong. That doesn't justify you doing it. And so you yourself are responsible for what you do based on God's Word, not based on what somebody else does. Mr. Pinelli says, these articles—he refers to all four of these articles—these articles are not suggestions. They are the teachings and standards of the United Church of God on this topic. That seems to have a little bit of a ring of authority to it to me.

And, you know, I just say that all of those in my congregations, I'm responsible for you.

And I have given a sermon already, and I once again emphasize this as a part of coming out of the world. It is coming out of the world's values, its standards. Yes, I've had a good number of members over the last year or two to come to me and who are offended because of overexposure.

And I just want to ask all of us to really toe the line on this and do it from the heart.

Because, brethren, it's not going to do any good to do any of these things if it's not deep from your heart and your mind. This has to come from the depths of your being. It is not, it's by choice. You want to do God's will. It's not compulsion. Of course, I can't force you to do anything anyway. I wouldn't try to. I'm not trying to force anyone but to encourage all of us to follow after Jesus Christ and come out of the world, come out of every aspect of this evil, rotten world all around us. Yes, the area of dress. Men and women, Christian men and women, will not want to dress like the world dresses. Because deep in their hearts and minds, they are offended. They are hurt by the way the world dresses and the way so many people portray themselves and expose themselves in the world. They will, from the heart, practice Christian modesty in dress. It will be from the heart because this is not their world. The way people dress is not the way they want to dress. The way people act in morality is, in their immorality, is not the way they want to go. They send their heart to do otherwise. You know, the list could go on and on. The pride and the vanity of the world. Oh, there's a lot of pride and pomp and that sort of thing. The lust and the greed. People want to be rich. They would be rich, fall into many different temptations and trials. Paul said, there's that desire and that lust for money. Dishonesty in business dealings. That's not the world. A Christian, though, looks at it the opposite way. If anybody's going to come up short in a business deal, he says, let it be me, not my brother, not somebody else. If anybody comes up short, let it be me.

I don't want anybody to think of me that they got the short end of a deal.

You know, we were just eating out last night. Mr. Suckling is in town. He's over with Mr. Hafley. I guess they're probably have concluded the service in Hickory by now and go on to Asheville this afternoon. We're just at the table talking last night. And let's see, what was that Mr. Good, who's an elder, and he'll give the sermon this afternoon in Greensboro, in the Greensboro church. But he was saying that in his business, he had somebody from Ohio to come down, and he has to buy rubber products for what he creates, what he manufactures. And so they had some business relationships and dealings. And lo and behold, little telltale signs begin to wonder about this person. And they did a little bit of research and found out this person from Ohio is a member of the church, and they've been doing business together. But it had been good business.

Members of the church doing business, not even knowing that they were members of the church. They found out later that both were members of God's church. But how important it is, whether one is a member of God's church or not, to let our business dealings be of God, not of the world. In the world, we know that people are often trying to take advantage of others.

But if we're to be not of the world, then we have a totally opposite approach toward that.

So we could have lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. That's the world.

This world is on a big party, a big pleasure bend. Our own country, in a way. We're fighting this war. And yet there's a lot of partying going on. We're not in a wartime spirit in our country at all. It's a pleasure bend going on. There's way too much sports and pleasure and watching TV and movies and that sort of thing. People all caught up in the pleasure-seeking of this world.

But in every way we could go on and on. In every way, God calls upon us to be not of the world.

I hope I've made it clear, you know, and we can go on from this. Down through the ages, God's people have never been of the world. They have sought a different country. Their eyes were far ahead to the kingdom of God. That's where my eyes are. What about yours? I hate this world. I'm proud to say I'm not of it. I'm happy to say that through God's calling. I am not of it. These righteous men of the past were strangers in pilgrims, it says. They were citizens of a future kingdom.

And their way of life reflected the values and the standards of that kingdom.

How well do our lives and our thoughts and attitudes and words, everything, reflect the values and the standards of the kingdom of God? Does the music we listen to, do the movies we watch, do the books we read, the things that we do, the things that we say, you know, we can say the language of the world. What kind of language comes out of your mouth? Is it of God or is it of the world? Just it affects everything, everything in our lives. So how well do we, our life, our lives reflect the values and standards of the kingdom of God? Are we a little bit stained by the world?

James chapter 1, let's turn to that, says that we are to be unspotted. That's pure religion. James chapter 1 and verse 27, pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their trouble. And here's a mouthful, here's a tall order, to keep oneself unspotted from the world. But the world is coming at us and it's coming at our children and we've got to make a fight. So dear brethren and also our precious children and young adults, we, do you clearly see what it means to come out of the world? To be separate? Do you clearly see what it means to be not of the world? It means the world's values, its standards are not creeping in. We're living a totally different way of life based on the values and the standards of the kingdom of God, as summarized in the Ten Commandments and expanded in all the Bible, the values and the standards of the kingdom of God.

Let's read just a couple of concluding verses. 1 John chapter 2 and verse 15. 1 John chapter 2 and verse 15. Do not love the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, kind of summarized in these three things, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away.

Thankfully it is. It will pass away. And the lust of it, but he that does the will of God abides forever. Only God's kingdom and the values of the kingdom of God will last forever.

In James chapter 4 and verse 4, James chapter 4 and verse 4, adulterers and adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

Friendship with the world, loving the world.

I would dare say that, even though we would love to have it otherwise, that not 100% of our young people here, for example, Mr. Boykin brought out the high numbers we have, will stay in God's church. Some are going to be overcome by the world.

I'd like for you to prove me wrong on that, but it's likely that some will be overcome by the world and become of the world instead of coming out of it. But I hope you'll think about that.

Anybody that loves the world and the way it's going certainly will ultimately end up there.

Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Let's read in conclusion 2 Corinthians 6. 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 17, Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord.

That's what the sermon has been striving to admonish us to do, to come out and be separate. Do not touch what is unclean. Anything contrary to God's laws and God's Word is unclean.

Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.

I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

Chapter break unfortunate. Let's read the next verse. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. And we can do that in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation all around us. Every day, then, we must live a way that is not of the world, at home, in our families, in our relationships, at work, as we work and relate to people on the job, at school, especially young people who are in school, as you rub shoulders with classmates and go from one class to another, when out shopping and driving on the highways, or watching TV, or listening to music, or maybe wanting to take a break and go to watch a movie. You won't find very many. I don't think this fit to see. But in every way, let's daily live and be not of the world.