As Christians, we must live in the world. We have no choice. In fact, Jesus prayed in John 17:15 that God would not take us out of the world, but rather that we should be protected from the devil while we were in the world. James said it this way. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

So here is the challenging question. How do I keep myself unspotted from the world while living in the world? Although it may seem difficult, it’s not impossible. First, God would never command us to do something in His Word that we could never do. Secondly, God has empowered us with His grace (His ability and power) to live in the world and not be of it.

Here are seven keys that will help you to remain unspotted and live clean in the middle of a perverse world.

1. You must know who you are.
You are a Christian. You are blood-washed and righteous. You are a child of the King and the light of the world. No weapon formed against you can prosper and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Unless you know who you are, you are susceptible to the lies of the enemy. Satan will attempt to confuse you and make you think you are weak and powerless. You must know the truth and understand that you have been given authority over all the power of the enemy.

2.  You must know what the world is.
You must be able to clearly define what is wrong. Without this understanding, you will not know where the pitfalls are and you can easily be knocked into one. Second Corinthians 2:11 says that if we are ignorant of Satan’s devices, he will be able to take advantage of us. You must be able to clearly define what is right and what is wrong.

3.  You must know what your goal is.
You must lock onto the target. You must revisit the vision that God has given you for your life and consistently have forward motion toward that goal. Paul said, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. Without a vision, people perish. You must attain the goal in order for there to be victory.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Heb. 12:2)

4. You must not compromise.
For the Christian, compromise is the kiss of death to your testimony. Because you are in the world, the eyes of the world are constantly upon you. The world is looking for an excuse to label you as a hypocrite. The world will tempt you to compromise your values.  Political correctness and seeker-sensitive churches water down the truth so that it is not recognizable. Compromise blends in with the crowd and appears to be neither black nor white. God is not ruler over the kingdom of gray.

5. You must always be in faith.
You may not always be in the church building, you may not always be reading your Bible, you may not always be in prayer, but you must always be in faith. Faith is the catalyst that activates the power in the Word of God. Without faith it is impossible to please God and anything not of faith is sin.

The Spirit of God moves over the face of the earth looking for anyone who will stand up and say, “I believe what God says in spite of what I see.” In order to have victory in the world, a Christian must believe what God says completely and without reservation, in spite of the way things appear. If God’s Word says one thing and your eyes see something else, you must believe God’s Word.

6. You must always walk in love and forgiveness.
God is love. Love covers a multitude of sins. Faith will not work if love is not present. While the Holy Spirit convicts the world, we must not condemn it. We must speak the truth in love, forgive those who have wronged us and as a result, our light will shine in such a way that the world will see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven. Without love and forgiveness we are no different than the world. But with love nothing can overpower us, because God is love.

7.  Understand that Jesus has already overcome the world.
Because Jesus broke through, we can walk through. Because of what He has done, we have been given the His ability and power (grace) to do even greater works. If we can believe that Jesus told the truth when He said, “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), then we should have no problem harvesting the spoils of His victory.

Scriptural References

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
(1 John 5:4)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
(John 16:33)

Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
(2 Cor. 2:11)

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
(John 17:15)

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
(1 John 2:16-17)

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
(James 1:27)

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
(1 Peter 4:8)