do and how we do it . Civil disobedience is how we can pursue peaceful , nonviolent methods of challenging unjust laws and protesting unethical regulations . Committing to it requires discerning whether our dissent is driven by mere disagreement with decisions made by those in authority or by a genuine conflict with God ’ s law .
The distinction between being “ in the world but not of it ” becomes paramount . Although this oft-quoted statement isn ’ t a direct quote from the Bible , the notion is consistent with the teachings of the New Testament . Among them : around us , but to be careful to live in a way that pleases God , not the culture :
1 Corinthians 5:9-10 : “ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral people ; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world , or with the covetous and swindlers , or with idolaters , for then you would have to go out of the world .”
Romans 12:2 : “ And do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed by the renewing of your mind , so that you may prove what the will of God is , that which is good and acceptable and perfect .”
John 15:19 : “ If you were of the world , the world would love its own ; but because you are not of the world , but I chose you out of the world , because of this the world hates you .”
John 17:14-16 : “ I have given them Your word ; and the world has hated them , because they are not of the world , even as I am not of the world . I do not ask You to take them out of the world , but to keep them from the evil one . They are not of the world , even as I am not of the world .”
Jesus recognized the tension we would experience as Christians living in a hostile ideological environment . Notice that in subsequent Scriptures , Paul encouraged us to continue our relationships with the world
Paul was correct when he said that we would have to leave the world altogether if we wanted to truly separate ourselves from immoral , “ worldly ” people . That ’ s not what God is asking us to do . The fact that you might be in a place or circumstance where your Christian worldview is being challenged is not necessarily a bad thing . Maybe it ’ s in your workplace or the community in which you live . There ’ s a good chance God placed you there so you can have a positive impact on those who don ’ t yet know Jesus . Or , maybe it ’ s an experience of learning more about a certain culture or social issue so you can influence it later in life .
The stakes are high .
French theologian John Calvin ’ s analogy
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