Sprinkled In But Set Apart

Karen

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

—John 17:15–17

Have you ever heard the old saying that asserts, “Christians are to be in the world but not of the world” and wondered what exactly is meant by that concept? To fully understand it, we need a little English grammar refresher course.

Two different prepositions are used in this saying—in and of. If you are in something, it refers to your setting—where you’re physically placed. If you are of something, it means not just near in proximity, but that your very being finds its identity in it.

This ancient adage has its origins in our passage for today as Jesus Himself addressed this concept in His prayer for His disciples—both the ones in the New Testament as well as all who would come to follow Him.

In His prayer the Lord addressed the tension that exists in dwelling physically here on earth while also refraining from adopting the mindset and habits of the world. He didn’t ask God to take His disciples out of the world, but rather to sanctify them in truth while they continued to dwell here on earth.

The original Greek word sanctify used here means to set apart, be different, and be consecrated. It also indicates being pure, in stark contrast to things that are profane.

Jesus didn’t pray for God to isolate His followers, forming their own exclusive Christian club. He asked Him to make them stand out in contrast to the world because of their behavior. Just as the brightly colored sprinkles on the top of a birthday cupcake stand out from—but are not melted into—the buttercream frosting they top, so believers are sprinkled into the world but are to remain separate from it in behavior.

God, through the Holy Spirit, can empower us to live in this world, rubbing shoulders with those who do not know Him while still being visibly different from them in our moral behavior. He will enable us to live in a way that displays the truth of the gospel to those who are watching us. May they observe our set-apart and sanctified ways and desire to know more about the one true God we serve.

Father, please help me exhibit behavior that is set apart and different from that of the world with behavior that represents You well. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Have you ever struggled—either now or in the past—with navigating the tension of being in the world but not of it? Describe the situation, and write a short prayer asking God to help you be set apart in both your beliefs and your behavior.