No Part of the World... What does it mean...

Confucious

Friendship with the world is emity with God...

We all know what the WT take is on this scripture.

What does it mean???

Who is the world, if it is not "us," so to speak???

Obviously, it means there should be a physical speration.

Only the Amish, and to a lesser extent, the Mennonites, get this one right. The JWs clearly have left the path of true worship and true understanding on this.

Starting tomorrow, they should merge to become "Jehovah's Amish Witnesses".

They could still sell magazines, but they would be about how to preverve fruit in canning jars and how to be a blacksmith.

~Quotes of the "Electric Amish" class

Narkissos

"No part of the world" and "Friendship with the world is enmity with God" actually come from two very different contexts.

The former is from the Johannine writings (Gospel and epistles of John): it has a Gnostic-like meaning, i.e. God's children are essentially alien to the world just as Jesus is, because they truly come from God and are bound to him. It is esoteric teaching, implying a hidden, "spiritual", truth applying and revealed only to the chosen few.

The latter is from the Epistle of James: it builds on the Jewish understanding of ritual cleanness and uncleanness (cf. "unstained by the world," 1:27) to build a moral and social metaphor. To the author, the "world" is the common set of attitudes and prejudices (such as social discrimination, ambition, jealousy, gossip) which happens to rule in the church as everywhere else (but should not).

It's amazing how those two originally distinct concepts have been blended and altered, in subsequent religious and sectarian doctrine, into a most simplistic idea: the world is outside.

Satanus

The bible is vague on exactly what it meant. The term may have a meaning in the sense that a mystic would see it. It may have been borrowed from mystical schools of that time. I wasn't able to find the mystic definition, so i will do my best to explain it from what i have read.

It is more an attitude that a person who has glimpsed unity has than what he may be doing somewhere. It is a detatchment from things, whether he has things or not. It is a nonjudgemental attitude toward all things, resulting in empathy toward all things.

S

Kenneson

The idea of separation or seclusion and ascetic simplicity is not peculiar to the Amish. Catholic and Buddhist monasteries have existed for centuries--and even prior to the Amish.

spiritmama2004

from what i have gathered studying with them, Jesus says in the bible that he & his kingdom are not part of this world, & his disciples/followers shouldn't be either. probably referring to what the world does against Jehovahs standereds like gambeling, etc.. Me being a baptist background wouldnot conform to this world anyhow with or without study help from the witnesses.

kls

Welcome Spiritmama2004 to the forum. ; )

Markfromcali

This is where other translations say "not of the world" correct? In the world but not of it seems to me a pretty good description.

For a comparison see: http://www.ibiblio.org/zen/gateless-gate/2.html It helps if you don't get distracted by the fox and stuff, this one is actually pretty clear.

FairMind

Spiritmama2004 has it like I see it. The "World" is in the power of the "wicked one" and this is discernable by the terrible crimes and immorality we see and hear about. Being no part of the world means not being involved in these wicked deeds. If one is indifferent toward these bad things or defends those who practice them, then I think that would constitute being a friend of the world and would put one at odds with God.

FM

RR

Interesting question, I think we need to ask ourselves since being a true Christian is being "no part of this world" what is a true Christian? What does a real Christian's walk look like? Has the truly committed Christian stopped stealing, quit drugs, left off smoking, swearing and drinking? Yes, but there are a lot of sincere, smart people who do "none of the above" without being Christians. Does a real Christian's walk include a ministry of helping people, such as, flood or disaster victims, AIDS babies or unwed mothers? A lot of good, altruistic people have devoted their lives to helping people in this country?and other countries. Many of these fine people are not professing Christians.

What are the true terms of discipleship, following in Jesus' footsteps? Jesus said, "I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19). Can so many millions of Americans all be true Christians? Jesus called his followers a "little flock" (Luke 12:32). His invitation is, "If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). What about all the good people who go to Church on Sunday and are pleasant to their neighbors during the week? "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name...done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you..." (Matt. 7:22,23). To live a life of self denial and loving the Lord with all one's heart, mind, soul and strength is the truly committed Christian walk. That is why Jesus said, "But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it" (Matthew 7:14).

RR

No Part of the World... What does it mean...

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