Quote:
Is not the church called out of the world? Is not the church an assembly?
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Yes to the second part. But not so clearly to the first part. I think that the most direct statement on that question says (in so many words) "in the world but not of the world."
Now that does mean we should live as if not part of the world. And that might be construed as not being in the world. But the task of the Christian in this life is to live as the image of God, demonstrating His love and life
in this world. Not at a distance, removed from the world.
I admit that there is a way to understand "called out of the world" that does not avoid that particular task. But most understand "out of the world" as becoming isolationists. Those who tolerate the need to work in the world just enough not to gag when they are forced to be in it, then retreating to the isolation of a meeting where they can "be spiritual." It is not just an LRC phenomenon. But it definitely is an LRC phenomenon.