The Pedigree and Position of Believers Separated from the World

Christ's words in John 15:19 reveal a profound truth about spiritual identity. The pedigree of true believers consists of two movements: first, they were once in the world, characterized by practical atheism (living without God in spirit and conduct), imperial materialism (recognizing no spiritual universe), and dominant selfishness (each governed by selfish interests as their idol). Second, they have been brought out of the world by Christ alone—a work no philosophy, civilization, or natural religion can accomplish. Christ penetrates the human soul with knowledge of the true God, draws back the curtain of materialism to reveal the spiritual realm, and destroys selfishness through His constraining love.

The position of true believers follows necessarily: they are rendered repugnant to the world by Christ. The world's hatred toward believers mirrors its hatred of Christ Himself, though persecution's forms change while its spirit endures. The world hated Christ because His purity condemned their depravity, His benevolence exposed their selfishness, His humility shamed their pride, His truth challenged their prejudices, and His spirituality confronted their carnal pleasures. For these identical reasons, the world now hates true men and women. Understanding this dual reality—our extraction from worldly systems and our subsequent alienation from them—clarifies why discipleship demands separation from kosmos toutou (this world system) and allegiance to Yahweh's kingdom alone.