Isolated from the world?

Jesus never lived in isolation. He was right in the "thick" of society, and He mixed with "low-lifes", criminals, "criminal syndicates", prostitute and the like. He never shied away from evil, because the evil could not touch Him. He was holy and separate, yes, but He was God amongst men. He didn't need to create artificial barriers, and determine by rules and laws who could or couldn't be included into His utopian Kingdom. It wasn't like that.

Jesus never calls us to be isolated. If we Christians become isolated, and shut ourselves off from the world, from sin and from temptation, it only shows how we have been overcome by it. If a single bilboard or a magazine cover can cause us to lust, then we have not overcome sin, but are merely seeking to run away from it, to hide from sin, rather than living amongst sinners, yet not being tempted or moved by sin.

The world laughs at us Christians sometimes, because we are so afraid, so cowardly, so lacking in spiritual authority and boldness to not only overcome sin but to save sinners, plucking them out of the fires of hell. If we are shielding ourselves from being sucked into the world, the problem is not with the world but with us? How can we be testimonies of the truth if we refuse to confront lies?


Light is only light when it is in the midst of darkness. I speak of a type of "conditioning" we should experience, not to be shocked by the world and the immorality around. Not to be shocked when people fall, not to be scandalized by immorality.

Yes, we live by the standards of the Word, radically different from the world, but we do not need to fear sin and temptation. We can walk amongst corruption, the abuse of drugs, sexual immorality, and idolatry, and yet not be moved by it. Rather, we transform our surroundings. We bring light into darkness.

Jesus never came to establish a religion of forms, of outward conformity. He never established a parallel culture, an isolationist cult. He sent His disciples out into the world, not to create a culture, not to transform culture, but to bring the kingdom of God, not a culture, not a society, not a religion, but a transformation of hearts.

The Kingdom of God in the midst of the Kingdom of the World is a great threat to the world. Yes, the world will hate it and oppose it. Yes, the world will find us fundamentally different, and will disagree with us. Why should we fear opposition or disagreement? This is part of Christianity. This was a part of the early church. If we want to live in a society that we dictate, that we rule, that we determine and that conforms to our rules, then we should just be a part of the mainstream.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
(1Co 5:9-13)



 If holiness means to hide, then Jesus would never have come to earth to tabernacle amongst us. He would have never bothered to die for a world of sinners. What concerns me is that Christianity sometimes says, "We need to get away from this world of sin".  I say no. We must go out into this world to save sinners. We need to be out there, helping the sick, reaching out to the lost, the needy, the destitute, the unrepentant, the hardened sinners. We need to get on our knees and wash feet, serve tables, meet needs. We need to be God's arm of compassion.

If we shut ourselves away from sin and suffering, we will never get to preach and live the gospel. We would never see needs nor know the heart of God. We would be content that "I, me and myself" are saved. We would be trampling on the promises and desires of God.

Do you want to find Jesus? Do you want to seclude yourself to seek God's face? Jesus tells us where to find Him and meet with Him - out there. He's there, with the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the imprisoned. 

The pinnacle of spirituality is not isolation. The pinnacle of godliness, of holiness, of spirituality is the cross where the son of God came down and laid down His life, not for Himself but for others. True spirituality, true religion is to visit orphans and widows and keep oneself unspotted from the world. (Be right in the midst of the world, yet untouched by it, but impacting it in humble, meek and lowly ways).

True spirituality is other-centeredness, a compassion and love for humanity. (Not a sentimental humanism, but the heart of God.) It is true charity, charity that consists in sacrifice for others and surrender to God. Edify others, glorify God.

God doesn't need our sacrifices. You know who does? Our hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned neighbors.

• Do we fast to enhance our own spirituality or because it is part of a sacrificial life that considers the needs of those suffering from famine above our own?
• Do we pray and operate in the Spirit so that we can be spiritually enhanced and empowered or so that we are anointed to go and preach the gospel, heal the sick, and set the captives free. 
• Do we offer sacrifices to God so that He can enjoy the smoke, or so that the poor can eat? 
• Do we pray so that we are sufficiently spiritual or so that the lost are saved and the Kingdom of God will come to men?

Of course, we are reminded of the incident of Mary's sacrifice. Judas believed that it was a waste, because the money from the expensive, wasted, perfume could have been used to feed the poor, a.k.a. pad Judas's pocket. Of course Judas's motivation was not out of charity, and Jesus did not rebuke the idea of charity and said that the poor would always be with us. Mary's sacrifice was the sacrifice of the heart, poured out in love towards Jesus. I believe that Mary's position and the circumstances of her sacrifice were unique.

Today, Jesus is not physically here for us express our affection and gratefulness too, but the poor - they are with us. Jesus is not here for us to physically feed, clothe or visit, to lavish with our love, but yet, the poor are with us, and whatever we do to the least of men, we do to Jesus.