How can I be in this world but not of this world?

In this world, Christians must balance when to circle the wagons to guard against sinful influences and when to hold the gates open to be the witnesses their neighbors desperately need. Every generation has wrestled with this question: “How can I be in this world but not of this world?” It’s not an easy question to answer.

Let’s start with defining home.

Know your real home

Home is where you can finally breathe. You do not have the pressure to impress people, like at work. You can clear your mind and let go of your stress. Even after the most peaceful vacations, you love how it feels to be back home. Your bed is better than the hotel bed. You find peace when you are at home.

But you are not at home yet. Not in the fullest sense. You are in this world, but your new world has not yet arrived.

At the same time, God has given you a zip code where you live. He has given you a place here on earth. Here, God has intervened in human history so you would know him. He used real people in real time to bring Jesus into your life. They might have brought you to a baptismal font where the Holy Spirit adopted you into God’s family. They made you aware of a problem too big for you to solve: sin. They pointed you to the cross and empty tomb to deliver you from this problem. Here and now, Jesus intervenes every time you receive the Lord’s Supper. Every time the Bible shares God’s promises for you, Jesus is present for you. You are in this world, yet this is not your real home.

Your real home has not yet arrived: “Our citizenship is in heaven. We are eagerly waiting for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. By the power that enables him to subject all things to himself, he will transform our humble bodies to be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21). Paradise waits, and when everything is done, you will rise, transformed and glorified. A new heaven and earth: That is your home. That is your world.

Live for your Savior

So how do you live in the world but still guard against sinful influences? You live for him who now prepares your new home. You follow his Word, the Bible.

Being in the world but not of the world is not easy. Every day you need the motivation only the gospel can provide to wait for your real home and live like a stranger here. In this world that is not yours, you will struggle to avoid all sorts of traps. Some days you will fail. You will be tempted to consider things God clearly calls sin as allowable. Every day you will sin in some way. Every day you will need Jesus. The problems of sin will not go away even if you crusade against every vice. Sin lingers inside. Your deliverance will never come through your effort. Deliverance and motivation to live in this world are found in Jesus. Jesus saves you from you. See the deliverance he has for you in his Supper. Remind yourself who you are: a baptized child of God.

Being in the world but not of the world also involves using wisely the freedom God has given you. How will you live in this freedom? Do not expect God to spell out clearly whom to date or where to work. In matters where you are truly free, you have a difficult question to answer: “Is this wise?” God has asked you to consider carefully how the words you say or things you do could trip up and cause others to fall. Think about how you can use your freedom to edify the people he has woven into your life.

Tell others about God’s grace

So how do you make sure you’re remembering the mission God has given you to be the witness your neighbor desperately needs?

Remember the gospel. The gospel has transformed you. Now your life’s mission is far more than getting rich or looking great or just getting through the day. Your God who called you to faith calls you to wear several different hats, vocations that give you opportunities to be a blessing to others. God gives you opportunities to make him known through your relationships with your siblings, parents, or distant relatives. God also allows you to be a blessing to your friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and coworkers.

An invitation from you to come to worship at Easter, Christmas, or the ninth Sunday after Pentecost speaks more loudly than a postcard invitation sent in bulk from church. When trouble enters your acquaintances’ lives, you can listen and apply the truths of God’s Word, giving them the answer for the reason for the hope you have. You can also bring hope that they cannot find without Jesus.

This means loving people, whoever they are. If God has brought someone into your life, he has brought you an opportunity to love that person. Don’t think this always will be easy. “Join together in imitating me and in paying attention to those who are walking according to the pattern we gave you. To be sure, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. I told you about them often, and now I am saying it while weeping” (Philippians 3:17-18). Some days your faith may be under attack. You might pay a high price for your integrity. Some situations will put you between a rock and a hard place. You may weep.

Every day you need the motivation only the gospel can provide to wait for your real home and live like a stranger here.

But right now, “press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus also took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). Right now, “press on toward the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

Some days are exhausting. Sometimes you’re hurting. Crosses are heavy to bear, and the thorns of the flesh sting something fierce. Tears may flow. But remember what you are waiting for. Wait for the day that you know is coming, when Jesus will dry those tears. Your citizenship is in heaven. You will rise in a new heaven and a new earth. Here and now, you hold God’s truth in tension as you live in a world that is not your home. Here and now, you live by faith. In heaven, you will get your sight.

The Scripture references used in this article are from the Evangelical Heritage Version.

Author: Patrick Freese
Volume 113, Number 10
Issue: October 2026
Photo: iStock