In Jesus's High Priestly prayer (John 17) He prays specifically for a particular group of people. "I have manifested Your Name to the people whom You gave Me out of the world" (John 17:6). This particular group of people are those whom the Father gave Him. Now, there are a lot of observations possible about this group and Jesus's prayer for them, but I'm only looking at one piece here.
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. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one (John 17:14-15).Here we see an interesting concept. Perhaps you've heard it before. If not, you will now. Those whom the Father gives to the Son -- the Elect, the saved, believers -- are "in the world but not of the world." You can see that clearly in Jesus's words. "The world has hated them because they are not of the world," He says. "Not of the world." But, He also prays, on this occasion of His soon departure from the world, "I do not ask that You take them out of the world." That is they are in the world, not to be taken out of the world. The prayer here is that the Father will protect His own while they remain in the world. In other words, it's not God's plan to save you and then remove you. It's His plan to save you then use you under His protection and with His power.
Consider this.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience -- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind (Ephesians 2:1-3).
Notice the biblical perspective of what we once were. When we were "dead in our trespasses", we were "following the course of this world." Notice also the further definition of this phrase. The course of this world is ruled by "the prince of the power of the air." Thus, if our course is derived from this world, it is the course set by Satan in opposition to God. (John 17:14-15).
May I make a suggestion? Just an idea, perhaps. Maybe just my own, if you will. But here's what I recommend to Christians. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." "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." Maybe, just maybe, deriving our worldview and determining our course of action from a world that is in opposition to God may not be the best option. I'm just sayin'. You know, in the world but not of the world. It might be a good idea to reexamine your lifestyle, your premises, your value systems, your worldview and see if it is "of the world" or not. Just a suggestion from one believer to another.