Treasures
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When Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17 before His impending death, He knew they would face hardships in the world; nonetheless, Jesus did not pray for them to be taken out of the world (John 17:15). His disciples had a mission to be His “witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). They were given the Great Commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15) and were called to be “ambassadors for Christ” to the world (2 Corinthians 5:20).
The Christian’s relationship to the world has often been defined by the tension of being “in the world but not of it.” Believers are called to actively engage the world to share the good news of the gospel and to be a living example of God’s love, while simultaneously avoiding worldly values, customs, perspectives, and practices that don’t align with their Christian faith and biblical teachings (2 Corinthians 6:14–17).
This understanding of being “in the world but not of it” is highlighted in various Bible verses: “They are not of the world, just 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” (John 17:14–16). “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
After Jesus rose from the dead, He commissioned His disciples: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). As Christians, we too have been sent into the world to share His love and truth with others. If we are to do so effectively, we need to be on guard and vigilant against ungodly attitudes from the world around us that can permeate our worldview and cause us to drift away from our faith.
1 John gives us a sober picture of worldly influences that can strive to work against our faith and discipleship: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16–17).
Jesus sent His followers into the world, even as He proclaimed that they were not of the world. The original meaning of the word “ekklesia,” translated as “church” from Greek, the language of the New Testament, literally means “the called-out assembly” or the body of believers. God’s living church is composed of Christian believers who are called out to follow Jesus, and “set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).
Conviction versus conformity
Throughout the Bible there are many stories and examples of men and women who were blessed because their lives and decisions were grounded in God’s Word and they refused to compromise their convictions for gain. The prophet Jeremiah revealed the source of his strength and convictions when he proclaimed, “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16).
Job, whose faith in the midst of trouble and affliction has been a great encouragement to countless millions, said, “I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12). The psalmist David spoke continually of God’s Word as his guide and strength: “Your teachings are worth more to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:72, 105).
There is a compelling account in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament of four teenagers—Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who chose not to compromise their faith even in the face of danger. At that time (around 600 BC), Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had besieged Jerusalem and commanded that youths “of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent” be brought to the palace and be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans (Daniel 1:3–4).
The king’s officials were charged with teaching these Israelite youths the culture and language of the Babylonians. The Bible recounts that they were appointed “a daily portion of the king’s meat and of the wine which he drank,” so nourishing them three years, “and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king” (Daniel 1:5).
One of these young men, Daniel, resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal food and wine, and the others followed suit. The Israelites were forbidden by Old Testament laws to eat certain foods, so Daniel asked the chief official for permission not to break God’s commands by partaking of their food (Daniel 1:8). God had given Daniel favor and compassion in this official’s sight, and he asked to be allowed to eat their own food as per God’s commandment for ten days, at which point the official could judge which was better.
At the end of the ten days, the Bible records that the four young men looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food (Daniel 1:12–15). It goes on to recount that “God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Daniel 1:17). Later, when these four young men stood before Nebuchadnezzar, “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (Daniel 1:20).
God placed these young men in a unique position where they could serve as a testimony of the true God to their captors and help to build up the society in which they found themselves (Jeremiah 29:7), while at the same time staying true to their faith and convictions despite the pressure to conform.
From this story, we learn that it is possible to stand firm in our convictions based on God’s Word, even when surrounded by worldly or pagan influences and propaganda. As we choose to not conform to the pattern of this world but base our decisions and actions on the teachings in Scripture, we will be able to know and discern God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2). As Christians, our allegiance is to Christ, and the Word of God is our standard.
The true riches
The things of this world, including excessive materialism and consumerism, are a part of the world that is passing away. In order to ensure that we have a proper relationship with the world, we have to be intentional in our efforts to align our perspectives regarding the things, attitudes, and trends of this world with God’s Word in the Bible, as we read in Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth … but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. … No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:19–24).
Of course, we all have need of material resources, and the Bible promises that “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Money and material possessions are basic needs and in and of themselves are not evil; rather it is our relationship with them, as Paul expressed in his letter to Timothy: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Neither our material possessions nor our worldly status will ever fully satisfy us, as true satisfaction is found only in God. When Jesus was promised the kingdoms of the world and all of its wealth by Satan, He rejected the offer, as He had no intention of turning away from what was most valuable—loving and serving His Father (Matthew 4:8–10).
The right attitude toward material possessions, status, and money starts with recognizing that everything we have belongs to God, and we are only entrusted as stewards to care for and manage them in accordance with His instructions. As Christians, we are called to live generously and share our resources with others. Proverbs 22:9 says, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” Giving generously reflects God’s character. Jesus taught, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42).
The Bible teaches us that the resources God has given us should be used in ways that glorify Him, including taking care of the needs of our families and loved ones, giving back to Him through our tithes and charitable giving, and helping those in need. In acknowledging His love and care for us and expressing our gratefulness to Him for His supply of our needs, we will be able to overcome the materialism and consumerism promoted by the world and be true to our calling of Christian discipleship.
As disciples of Jesus today, we also are called to be in the world, but not of it. Our calling is to be the “light of the world,” “a city set on a hill,” and to “let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). We are God’s handiwork, commissioned to be ambassadors for Christ to the world around us—our home, community, neighborhood, and workplace (Ephesians 2:10).
Published on Anchor October 2026. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.
