How do we live in an unbelieving world?

How do we live in an unbelieving world

We come to faith in Christ. Then we try to live lives that count for something and say something to the world around us.

How do we live in a world where we are the minority? Most people reject Jesus. He is at best irrelevant for them.

The example of Abraham

We have a great example in Abraham.  He lived a lonely life in an alien world.

He was called by God and received great promises. He was promised a homeland and a vast number of descendants. He was also promised God ‘s blessing on him and those allied with him and God’s curse on his enemies. However, he lived as a pilgrim in this land that his descendants would possess. (Genesis 12:1-3; Hebrews 11:8-16)

How did he live in a world of unbelief?

He recognized the faith of Melchizedek and gave him an offering as an act of worship to the true God. (Genesis 14:17-20)

He would not accept any reward from the king of Sodom.  He knew that there was an insurmountable gulf between them. (Genesis 17:21-24)

He would have alliances with those who did not believe in His God but he would not let his son marry one of their daughters. Genesis 14:24; 24:1-4)

He would buy land from them and live among them but he was not one of them. (Genesis 23:1-20)

Abraham avoided two extremes.

He did not live a totally isolated separated life but he was not uncritically immersed in the world around him

He found a balance of association and separation.

We face similar issues today. We are in the world but not of it.

We have no exact formula but we have Abraham’s example.  He avoided both extremes as he lived as a pilgrim in a world that was not his ultimate home. (Hebrews11:8-16)