What Does John 17:16 Mean?

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 17:16(KJV)

Verse of the Day

Just before His death and Resurrection, the Lord Jesus prayed a wonderful prayer - a prayer that demonstrated the intimate relationship with the Father and the Son - a prayer for the protection of all believers during our time in this world - a prayer that Christ Himself would be given the glory He had with the Father before His sojourn on earth - a prayer that asked that all who are in Christ Jesus may be made one as He is one with the Father - a prayer that we will one day be with the Lord Jesus, and a prayer that one day we would see and participate in His own heavenly glory.

Christ is the heavenly Man that came down from above to shed His blood on the Cross as payment for the sin of the world and rose the third day, breaking the power of sin and death in the lives of all that believe on Christ as Saviour. And we are a heavenly people. We are not of this world system, just as the Lord Jesus is not of this world.

Oh! We were all born into this world, but since we trusted Jesus as Saviour we were separated forever from union with this world, for our union is now in Christ and we are now part of His heavenly kingdom. The Lord Jesus Himself said, "My kingdom is not of this world (system)." And in His prayer for our protection, Christ said, "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."

Because of the Cross, we are dead to this world and are to live our lives as a stranger in a foreign country. Let us not fraternise with the world system, for that discredits our Lord Who bought us and paid for us with His own blood.

Let us live our lives in close communion with the Lord Jesus and demonstrate that we are not of the world, just as Christ is not of the world.

My Prayer

Loving Father, thank You that my citizenship is in heaven, and I am part of Christ's kingdom. May I never boast except in the Cross of my Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. In His name I pray, AMEN.

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