After a long, hard day of supporting yourself financially by making clothing for members of an online virtual community, you can not only go to virtual church, but now you can relax from the virtual grind by taking a virtual vacation. Wouldn’t a vacation from a virtual world be re-entering the real one?

[bibleblock]Colossians 3:5-16[/bibleblock]

In short, Paul is directing us to not act like the world. We are to act like Jesus instead through the guidance of the wisdom of His word. This specific passage removed from its context seems to direct the believer to completely remove himself from worldly culture and interaction with non-believers. In addition to the specific moral exhortations (i.e. do not lie), there is the direction to come together as one body of believers separate from the world.

It is important to understand, however, that this comes after verse two where Paul directs the reader to “set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth” (NASB).

[bibleblock]Colossians 3:2[/bibleblock]

The following passages also deal with where the mind of the Christian is to be, not where his body shall be. While his body can be out in the culture amongst sinners (just as Jesus’ body was during his earthly ministry), the mind of the believer is focused on heavenly things and the salvation of the sinner (just as Jesus’ mind was during His earthly ministry). This passage must be taken in this context and not be used to support monastic separation. In a fallen world, we can never be separate from the things that are fallen. Everything around us is not what it was meant to be. Complete separation is impossible. It is our responsibility, then, to be in the world (“put [it] aside”) without being like the world (“put on the new self who is being renewed”).

I personally attempt to accomplish this by trying to emulate Jesus in all that I do. I am not successful all of the time and sometimes it is very difficult to not be like the world, but it is my hope that I do a better job in each situation that I am in so that next time I am just a little bit better. I know that I can never be perfect like Christ and even if I get twice as good each time I’ll never reach the goal until final perfection comes. This can even be mathematically expressed: suppose you got rid of half your sin each day and your original sin level was 100. The next day it would be 50, the next 25, etc. If this number is divided in half forever it will never reach zero.

If you would like to see the video posted here from another angle, here it is:

This is a video from UC Santa Barbara recorded in 2004 featuring Greg Koukl from Stand to Reason who coauthored a book entitled Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Airwith Francis Beckwith.

Sin begins with the mind and it is through the mind that we can (with God’s help) begin our resistance to it and the fallen world in general. Drive through any major city and you will see places that you really should not go to, but it is your choice as to whether you will stop and enter it or not. It is your choice to take that drug or not. It is your choice to engage in premarital sex or not. All of the temptations may be great and the world, through the media or even your friends, may be leading you in the wrong direction, but it is your mind where the real choice is made.