Chosen Out Of the World.

     See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
                                   1 John 3:1 NASB

     Can you truthfully say with John that the world does not know you? As Christians we are a peculiar people. True Christians do not blindly conform to the ways of this world (Romans 12:2). They do not run in the same course of sin that the world does, and the world cannot understand this (1 Peter 4:3-4).
     Jesus told His disciples that they were not of this world, He had in fact chosen them out of it.

     If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
                             John 15:18-19 NASB

     There is something wrong with your Christianity if you are loved and accepted by the world. Jesus said that Christians are chosen out of the world, therefore they are hated by the world. The world loves those who belong to the world! If you belong to the world you are not of the Kingdom of God!
     Just as the world hated and rejected Christ, so too His followers will be hated and rejected, the reason being, they do not know God (John 15:21, 23).
     There is so much compromise and tolerance today. Everyone is seeking to feel accepted by the world, and yet be called a Christian. This is a great error, that leaves one feeling secure in their sins. Jesus said that the road a disciple travels is narrow with few on it. It is a lonely thing to be a follower of Christ, while the broad road to destruction is filled with people enjoying the fellowship of darkness as they travel to hell (Matt 7:13-14).
     The one who compromises with the world, who remains silent while the world around is filled with wickedness, is seeking acceptance by the world. They would rather be safe and loved by what they profess to have come out of, than to take a stand for Christ and His word, Jesus will be ashamed of them at His coming (Matt 10:33; Mark 8:38; Luke 12:9).
     These kind of professors are those whose heart is filled with the things of this world, the things that Jesus warns us about seeking. They are pursuing the material treasures of this temporal world, rather than laying up eternal treasure in heaven. They seek their best life now rather than giving Christ and His kingdom the highest priority (Matt 6:19-21, 33).
     We have been chosen out of this world. We are not of this world. If this is true in our lives, we will be despised by this world for our testimony of Christ's redeeming work in our lives. If we find ourselves loved and accepted by this sinful world, something is lacking in our profession of Christ!