Salvation is directly aimed at delivering us from being the product of or living under the influence of the wisdom, values and worldview of our (this) evil age. We are saved so as to live distinctly other than the way our contemporaries do in this regard. And, it is the will of God that we do so.

At the same time, we must beware the seduction of the cloister. Our separation from the world is not accomplished by a lack of physical proximity or personal interaction with people – it is in staying separate in our worldviews. It is internal. It will impact how we act externally, but it is a false and deceptive separation to imagine that somehow staying away from unbelievers is how this is accomplished. If physical separation were the key, The Son would never have been incarnate.

The art and skill of swimming cannot be learned by determining never to go in the water. It can only be accomplished by being IN the water. And like it or not, we are born into this world, not outside of it. Now Christians need to be sure we don’t drink in the world. That is drowning. But navigating its waters – that is part of our call. May we learn to trust in Christ’s indwelling Spirit to keep us afloat, his Word to instruct us, and his accomplished work on Calvary and his indwelling Spirit rescue both ourselves and others in the process.