“And do not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2)

Walking on the fence between Christ and the world is a dangerous business…if you do so, you have reason to doubt your salvation.

The Apostle John warns, “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. 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” (1 John 2:15–16).

Christ warned, “what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Do you want full assurance of your salvation? You won’t get it swimming in the sewer with sinners. Do you want your love for Christ to increase? It won’t happen if you also give your heart to things of the flesh.

The Apostle Paul tells saints the best attitude: “I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me...I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12–14).

The Apostle Peter lists what “pressing on” looks like: “Be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:4–8).

If you’re only a little separated from sinners, you don’t have any idea what you’re losing by conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength, and makes you crawl where you ought to run. For your own assurance, and for the sake of your growth in grace, publicly own your Savior, and “press on”.

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