I have a Christian friend who spends a fraction of his week in bars. Yes, I'm sure he's Christian because even when he's out in bars on a weekly basis, his mission isn't to party or get drunk. It's to win the lost.
I've also met a few people who have made "being a Jew to the Jew and Greek to the Greek" an excuse to remain in a lifestyle of sin and licentiousness. They might continue in shady business practices so that people see they're "blessed" or go into promiscuous relationships, claiming it's to win others to Christ while casually dating.
Whatever the case is, where do we draw the line between being in the world and being of it? It seems the demarcation line gets more blurry as time passes by. Let's look into biblical principles to get a good grasp of how to enter the mission field without being swallowed by it.
Did Jesus Drink Wine?
We've all heard the story of Jesus turning water into wine as an excuse to continue in drunkenness. It's so funny how I've had people argue that Jesus drank the wine in that wedding where nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus partook of it. And while He might have (but we can't know for sure) tasted wine, He would not have done it to get drunk.
The biggest difference between being in the world and not of it is finding out whether we conform to its patterns or we allow the world to conform to ours and more importantly God's.
Romans 12:2 tells us, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Pursue the Bad and the Holy
Extreme asceticism tells us to just stay in the confines of the church and enjoy God's presence. "Let the lost come to Christ. Our job is to be holy." We quote Jesus by saying things like, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
And yes that's true, but let us not forget the final and arguably one of the most important commands in the Bible found in Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you..."
God desires for us to grow in our spiritual walk with Him setting aside all weight and burden, except for the burden for the lost. Just as Jesus had compassion on the harassed and helpless crowds, He installs in our hearts the same moving spirit that cannot be denied. The world waits for you and the message you bring, but be ready to not let the message of the world consume you.
