Not of the World

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.-John 17

 

When it comes to the Apostles, when it comes to all the disciples of Jesus, we know that we are in the world (physical location), but not of the world (identity).  Our being identified as "not of the world" is not the due to anything we have done.  In fact, we were once of the world, because of what we had done (original and actual sin).  As the result of our Lord's life, death, and resurrection, as the result of the preaching and teaching of his holy Word, and as the result of the washing of holy Baptism, we are no longer of the world, but we are now of Christ.