NOT OF THIS WORLD

1Corinthians 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

We often ask; how do I know I am saved? I have heard many different responses to this age old question. But I think the answer lies in the above mentioned verses. You see, many people don’t feel a difference when they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Maybe, they were “good people”. You know, church going, God fearing folk. They had no immediate transformation from say being a junkie (drug user) to a saint. They made their profession of faith and their lives pretty much remained the same. I recently was speaking to someone about our testimony as Christians. It should have three elements: 1) Who you were (how you behaved); 2) How & when you met Christ (when did you accept Christ as Lord and Savior); 3) How Christ has changed your life (If Jesus has not changed your life, what difference does Jesus make). This person was a “good” Church going person. No dirty habits, no blaring sinful behaviors, an honest to goodness good person. This person realized that being good was not enough and professed Christ as their Lord and Savior, i.e., accepted His redemptive sacrifice on the cross. But, other than the profession of faith, his life has pretty much remained the same. So where is the third element of his testimony he asked! From the outside his life before Christ and after Christ was pretty much the same. This is where 1Corinthians 2:11-16 comes into the picture.

Let’s recap for a moment. Once you accept Christ you become a new-creation.

2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

You are indeed born again.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

You stop being of “this world.”

Php 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
And,

1Co 5:9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.

Thereby, we are pilgrims, ambassadors, foreigners, in this world. But we must still live in it! Be salt and light to it!

Therefore, as a new-creation, the one palpable change that I believe all should have when saved, regardless of how they were before and after Christ, is the one described in 1Corinthians 2:11-16. In other words, once saved and spirit filled your WORLDVIEW should also change. You should start thinking through God’s wisdom, the mind of Christ, through his WORLDVIEW, not man’s, not your old worldview. This subtle but life altering change should function as testimony, evidence of a truly saved, Holy Spirit filled soul.

1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

You see I have met many church going “Christians” whose Worldview is man’s worldview. For example: one man can solve the world’s problems; one political party can solve our problems; women should have a right to choose; don’t judge others, live and let live; don’t proselytize others, let them believe in what makes them feel good; all religions lead to God; who am I to judge their lifestyle; God wants you to be happy, get the divorce; etc… Should I go on? I think you get the picture, they claim to be followers of Christ, do and say the right things, but still think like the world thinks. You see, that is the one change all true believers should undergo once they are transformed by Christ. Their way of thinking, stops being worldly. All of a sudden they think with the mind of Christ and only God’s worldview, as revealed by the Holy Spirit and his Word of God, makes sense.

Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1Pe 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

All of a sudden, there is a third element to your testimony. How did Christ change me? He changed my whole WORLDVIEW.

I can only use myself as an example. Before Christ I was liberal in many areas: abortion, homosexuality, alcohol, pre-marital sex, divorce, pornography, family, raising children, marriage, servant hood, entertainment, etc… But suddenly, after Christ something strange happened, my thinking & viewpoints changed. Unlike College, where professor’s tried as hard as they could for 4 years to “liberalize my thinking,” the Holy Spirit in an instant changed my whole viewpoint in life. All of a sudden I just knew that my old viewpoints of abortion, homosexuality, divorce, pornography, abuse of alcohol, pre-marital sex, family, etc… were all wrong. Nobody had to teach me. Nobody had to indoctrinate me. I did not even know God’s word good enough to know & understand why my old Worldview was wrong. But, once Christ entered my life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, his wisdom/mind entered my mind and my perspective on life, my WORLDVIEW instantly changed. I could now see the world’s wisdom for what it is: LIES, FOOLISHNESS.

As we discussed our testimonies with the previously mentioned believer, he realized the same. His life before and after Christ did not change a lot as he already was a pretty good guy. So how did he know that he was saved? His WORLDVIEW, how he thought about the things of this world, completely changed. So now he can say: 1) by the world’s standards I was a good person, but I though like the world; 2) I accepted Christ as Lord & Savior; 3) Now I may look like the same "good person", but I have the mind of Christ. He changed my whole Worldview. Now I think like him, not like the world!

Therefore, I challenge you! How has Christ changed you? Do you still think the same way about life, the world, as you did prior to Christ? If you do, check yourself!

Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'