Church, Separated from the World

Coming out of this world consists of avoiding the religious, political and philosophical systems that God promises to destroy when Jesus Christ returns.

Our intimate fellowship should not be with the world, but be concentrated upon God and those who have made the Covenant, loving them as we would ourselves.

John Ritenbaugh, reiterating that the heart is the generator or birthplace of our action, reminds us that we are a treasure in God's eyes, chosen, royal, and special, and we must guard and protect our calling, realizing it is the most precious possession w. . .

John Ritenbaugh, cuing on Deuteronomy 30:15-20, maintains that our worldview must include the value of our calling, determining the kinds of choices we make to overcome and pursue our spiritual journey. We alone can determine the value of that calling. The. . .

Many 'church of God' organizations claim to be part of—or even the only—church of God. The Bible reveals specific characteristics of God's church.

God's true church cannot be found without revelation nor can one join the organization; God calls and places each member in its appropriate place in the Body.

There is a clear demarcation in God's mind regarding which is the true way and which is not. We were formerly children of Satan until God rescued us.

John Ritenbaugh shows that God has set a pattern of separating people from the world, making a covenant with them, and enabling them to be a blessing to others as an example of faithfulness and obedience to the covenant. Because of Israel's unfaithfulness . . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the myriad infomercials offering systems and formulae for success, from making money by flipping real estate or improving our golf score, focuses on the winning playbooks of several professional football coaches, drawing t. . .

Satan can fine-tune the course of this world (Zeitgeist), customizing it depending on whom he may seek to murder. We need to be thinking and vigilant.

We must realize we are walking on a razor's edge, with the Kingdom of God on one side and the world with all its sensual magnetic charms on the other side.

We must invest in our own self-improvement and preparation, continually striving against stagnation and deterioration, and the powerful pulls of the world.

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that God's called-out ones must perpetually walk a razor's edge with the allurement of the world (leading to death) on one side and the love of God (leading to eternal life) on the other. At birth, human nature is relatively neut. . .

The apostle John warns us to be vigilant about the world, not loving its attitudes, mindsets, and frame of mind. We cannot both love the world and love God.

Ryan McClure, reminiscing about an airline flight into the Los Angeles basin late at night, viewing millions of sparkling and flickering lights of the city below, asks what God must see as He looks down viewing our lives as we function as spiritual lights . . .

Mark Schindler reflects on some vituperative letters the Church received following the publication of a Berean on I Peter 2:17. The author had suggested that God's people should honor the President to the same extent that Peter apparently admonished his au. . .

Our calling to be a holy one - to be a saint - is our real vocation. We must continually evaluate everything through the lens of being set apart for holiness.

Not a few people, and even many Christians, think that the Bible contains some strange laws. For instance, Deuteronomy 22:11 forbids the wearing of a garment that contains different fabrics. Mike Ford tackles this particular command, contending that it con. . .

John Ritenbaugh, finding a commonality in three scriptures describing our calling and sanctification, answers the questions: "Who are we?" and "How do we fit?" God has demonstrated that He loves us in a different way than He does our ne. . .

The Sermon on the Mount is as vitally important today as when Christ preached it. It contains the way we are to live as God's representatives on this earth.

John Ritenbaugh asserts that not even love is as significant as faith. It was faith that permitted Enoch, Noah, and Abraham to receive God's personal calling, protection and His ultimate blessing. Like our patriarchs, we were called while we lived in the w. . .

As we closed Part One, we saw that Jesus Himself requested of the Father that His disciples, which we are, be sanctified: "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, ...

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the terrifying events at the close of the age described in Matthew 24:4-13, asks us who really deserves our loyalty ? Several years ago, the intensity of persecution started to mount against Christianity. The Coptic Christian. . .

Martin Collins teaches that called-out saints, we are no longer strangers, but are granted the privilege to be citizens of the kingdom of God. As current ambassadors of God's Kingdom, we have the responsibility to adhere to God's standard. As citizens of G. . .

John Ritenbaugh admonishes that amidst the erosion of doctrine in truth from the Gentile culture of moral relativism, we must, after the manner of Jeremiah and Nehemiah, build a wall, be a wall, and summon the courage to stand in the gap. We must stay focu. . .

The Sabbath is not a mere ceremonial observance, but identifies God's people as different, and consequently a perpetual irritant to the world.

Egypt is not directly a symbol of sin, but instead the world. The Days of Unleavened Bread symbolize what God did for us, not what we did by our own power.

John Ritenbaugh, rehearsing our father Abraham's thought processes as he contemplated God's "I will" promises to him, concluded that Abraham realized he would be long dead before their fruition in the fullness of time. Nevertheless, he realized h. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the many cultural pressures to conform, insists that Pentecost forces us to stand out from the rest of the crowd, separated as firstfruits for the purpose of sanctification and holiness. The two wave loaves, baked with lea. . .

Christians have been called out of this world's politics, voting included. As ambassadors of Christ, we cannot participate in the politics of another country.

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the imagery in Revelation 12:16 of the torrent or flood spewed out from Satan's mouth, depicts the torrent of misinformation and lies, causing anxiety and confusion. Like the scattering of the church, the greater nation of Is. . .

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is often wrongly interpreted, ascribing meaning that contradicts the Bible. Here is how the Scriptures remain unbroken.