Question:
Answer:
The phrase “in the world but not of the world” is not an actual quote from Jesus or the New Testament. It is a popular summation of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples:
I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. (John 17:15-16)
A perfect example of being in the world but not of the world is the life of Jesus. Jesus was in the world in the sense that he embraced day to day life in this world. Jesus ate and drank with family and friends. He attended banquets and weddings. Jesus was like us in all things but sin (Heb. 4:15).
As Christians we are called not to run away from the world, life, and responsibility. We are called to embrace all these things but to do so without sin. We are called to help transform our fallen world to be more like the kingdom of God.