In order to live a successful Christian life, you have to be able to live in the world, but be not of the world. What does that mean? It means that even though you have to be involved in the world around you, you can’t let it control you.
You have to stay grounded and focused on God and the plans that he has for you. Too often, people get caught up in the drama and chaos of the world and lose sight of what’s important, which is the way of the Lord.
Christians are not to conform to the ways of this world. This may be hard to believe at times, especially when it seems like everything in the world is against us. But even though we live in a sinful and fallen world, our true home is in Heaven with Jesus Christ.
Below are 15 Bible verses about not being of this world and what they mean for us. As Christians, it is important that we remember where our allegiance lies and that we do not conform to the ways of the world.
We are called to be different, set apart for God’s glory. Let’s explore these verses together and learn more about what they mean for us!
#1: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.” (1 John 2:15)
This verse is pretty clear-cut. If we want to be close to God, then we cannot love the things of this world. The things that unbelievers live for are temporary and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. We should not strive to fit in with the world, but instead, be different for Christ’s sake.
#2: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
This verse goes hand-in-hand with the previous one. When we try to be friends with the world, we are actually becoming enemies of God. We need to be careful not to let the world lure us away from our relationship with Christ.
#3: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.” (2 Corinthians 10:3)
Christians are called to live differently than those who do not know Christ. We should not fight and argue like the world does, but instead, try to see things from God’s perspective. Only then can we truly love our enemies and seek to understand their point of view.
#4: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
This verse is a reminder that we should not let the world dictate how we live our lives. We are called to be transformed by God’s Word, not conformed to the ways of the world. It is only when we allow God to change us that we can become the people He wants us to be.
#5: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
This verse reminds us that though we are living in this world, our citizenship is in Heaven. We are just passing through this world, and our true home is in Heaven with Jesus Christ. So let us not get too attached to this world, but instead, focus on the things that will last for eternity.
#6: “And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)
This verse is a reminder that salvation is available to everyone, not just those who are of this world. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we will be saved and our households will be saved as well. So let us not forget the Gospel message and share it with everyone we know!
#7: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
We as Christians are chosen by God and have been given the privilege of being a part of His royal priesthood. We are also holy and God’s special possession. This means that we should declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. Let us not take this for granted, but instead, use our lives to glorify God in all that we do!
#8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” (Ephesians 5:8)
This verse is a reminder that we were once darkness, but now we are light because of Christ. We should live our lives as children of light, not conforming to the ways of the world but instead being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Let us be a light to those around us, showing them the love and grace of God.
#9: “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.” (2 John 1:6)
This verse reminds us that true love is shown when we obey God’s commands. We should not just say that we love God, but instead, show our love for Him by living a life of obedience. Let us obey His commands and show the world what true love looks like!
#10: “Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless people and fall from your secure position.” (2 Peter 3:17)
This verse is a warning to believers that we need to be on our guard against the error of lawless people. We can easily fall from our secure position if we are not careful. So let us be diligent in our walk with Christ and make sure that we do not allow ourselves to be pulled away by the world.
#11: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
This verse is a reminder that though we may go through difficult times, we will overcome because of Christ’s love for us. He loves us so much that He died on the cross for our sins, and because of His love we are able to conquer in all things. Let us remember this verse during the difficult times in our lives and be encouraged knowing that Christ is with us always.
#12: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
This verse is a reminder that though our labor may be difficult, it is not in vain. We can be steadfast and immovable knowing that God will bless us for all of our hard work. Let us continue to abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that He is faithful and will reward us for all we do for His Kingdom.
#13: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
This verse is a reminder that God is faithful and will complete the work He started in us. We can be confident that He will finish what He started and that we will be made complete on the day of Christ. Let us trust in God’s faithfulness and know that He will never leave us or forsake us.
#14: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)
This verse is a reminder that the sufferings we experience in this life are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us in eternity. We can be encouraged knowing that our current trials are only temporary and that there is something far greater waiting for us. Let us fix our eyes on Christ and His glory, and let us not be discouraged by the sufferings of this world.
#15: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)
This verse is a reminder that even though our bodies may be wasting away, our inner selves are being renewed each day. We can be confident in this truth and not lose heart, knowing that God is faithful and will continue to renew us day by day. Let us rejoice in the fact that we are being made more like Christ each and every day!
BONUS: You Are in The World But Not of The World verse
You are in this world but not of this world is a popular Bible verse that most Christians think about when they think about living among everyone but not conforming to the ways of the world. This is the official verse;
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. -John 15:19
Summary
Not of this world, Bible verses remind us as Christians that even though we are in the world, we cannot allow ourselves to be tempted to conform to it.
We are to love others and show them the light of Christ. We should also be on our guard against lawless people and their errors.
And finally, we need to remember that our labor is not in vain and that the glory that awaits us is far greater than any sufferings we may experience in this life. Praise be to God for His faithfulness!