The Pull of the World vs. the Call of Christ

Being a Christian is like walking a tightrope while the crowd below throws distractions your way. You’re in the world but not of it, a balance Jesus highlighted in His prayer for believers:

“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”
John 17:16 (NASB)

This isn’t a call to pack up and move to a cave in the mountains. It’s an invitation to live in the messy, noisy world while staying true to Christ’s way of life. The hard part is knowing when to stand firm and when to adapt without losing your identity in Christ.

Business Practices: The Tug-of-War Between Profit and Principle

Let’s talk about honesty—because, let’s be real, it hurts sometimes. Integrity isn’t a neon sign flashing “success” in the world of business, but in the eyes of God, it might as well be a megaphone. Proverbs doesn’t sugarcoat it:

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.”
Proverbs 11:1 (NASB)

That’s Old Testament for “cheating in business makes God angry.” And yet, how often do we justify small deceptions? Fudging numbers on a report, over-promising and under-delivering, slipping in hidden fees—after all, it’s just business, right? Wrong.

Biblical Foundations: Honesty as a Non-Negotiable

The Bible repeatedly calls for truthfulness in commerce, making it clear that integrity is not just a suggestion—it’s a demand:

“You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or volume. You shall have accurate balances, accurate weights, an accurate ephah, and an accurate hin; I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.”
Leviticus 19:35-36 (NASB)

God ties ethical business to His identity—He brought Israel out of slavery, so they were to act differently from the corrupt systems around them. When the world pushes cutthroat tactics, God reminds His people that their standard comes from Him, not from market trends.

“A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; all the weights of the bag are His concern.”
Proverbs 16:11 (NASB)

Even minor dishonesty—shaving a little off the top, misrepresenting a deal—is a big deal to God. Why? Because business is never just business. It’s a stage where faith is either validated or compromised.

Jesus and the Ethics of Wealth

Jesus didn’t shy away from economic discussions. In fact, He spent a shocking amount of time talking about money, often warning against its ability to warp the soul. He famously asked:

“For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul?”
Matthew 16:26 (NASB)

That’s a warning for every entrepreneur, CEO, and small-business owner tempted to sacrifice integrity on the altar of success. Jesus didn’t tell us to avoid business—He told us to do it differently.

Take Zacchaeus, the tax collector in Luke 19. He was a businessman who built his wealth through extortion. After encountering Jesus, he didn’t just apologize—he made restitution:

“Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am giving back four times as much.”
Luke 19:8 (NASB)

That’s radical integrity. He didn’t just return what he stole—he went above and beyond. Jesus responded with affirmation, saying:

“Today salvation has come to this house.”
Luke 19:9 (NASB)

Honesty in business is not just about obeying rules—it’s about a transformed heart. It’s about trusting that obedience to God’s ways will bring blessings that shady tactics never could.

The Early Church and Christian Business Ethics

The first Christians were known for their integrity, which made them stand out in the corrupt marketplaces of the Roman Empire. Early church fathers like John Chrysostom condemned deceit in business, saying:

“If you wish to enrich yourself, do so, but not at the expense of justice; better a meager profit in righteousness than a large gain in sin.”

Tertullian, another early Christian writer, warned against Christians being lured into dishonest dealings just because it was “the way of the world.” He wrote:

“We have been called to bear witness to the truth in all things. Let our business be as upright as our prayers.”

This conviction influenced Christian communities to form their own trade networks based on fair pricing and honesty, setting them apart from the Roman economy.

Modern Applications: The Cost of Integrity

In today’s cutthroat corporate world, honesty is costly. Refusing to manipulate data might mean losing a contract. Sticking to ethical labor practices might mean lower profits compared to competitors who exploit cheap labor. But Jesus was clear—faithfulness is measured by obedience, not outcomes.

James, the bluntest apostle of them all, gave this warning to those who put profit over righteousness:

“Come now, you rich people, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will serve as a testimony against you and will consume your flesh like fire.”
James 5:1-3 (NASB)

Translation? Hoarding wealth through dishonest gain will not end well.

At the end of the day, Christian business ethics aren’t about keeping up appearances—they’re about showing a watching world that Christ transforms even the way we work. Your integrity in business, big or small, isn’t just an ethical choice; it’s a witness.

Or, as Paul put it:

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people.”
Colossians 3:23 (NASB)

Because when the final audit comes, His approval is the only one that will matter.

Relationships: The Struggle Between Grace and Grudges

Relationships are messy. They demand patience, humility, and—forgiveness, even when the other person doesn’t deserve it. Peter thought he was being generous when he asked Jesus if forgiving someone seven times was enough. Jesus’s response? Try seventy-seven times.

“Then Peter came up and said to Him, ‘Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.’”
Matthew 18:21-22 (NASB)

Translation: stop keeping score. Forgiveness isn’t just a command; it’s a mirror of the mercy we’ve already received. Jesus follows up this lesson with the parable of the unforgiving servant, where a man is forgiven an unpayable debt but refuses to extend the same grace to someone who owes him far less (Matthew 18:23-35). The message? If we’ve been forgiven so much, how can we justify withholding it from others?

Paul doubles down on this idea:

“Bear with one another, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also.”
Colossians 3:13 (NASB)

Harboring bitterness might feel justified, but it only chains us to the past. C.S. Lewis put it bluntly: “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”

That doesn’t mean forgiveness is easy. It might take time. It doesn’t mean trust is instantly restored. But it does mean releasing the right to vengeance and leaving justice in God’s hands (Romans 12:19).

At the end of the day, forgiveness isn’t about keeping the peace—it’s about reflecting Christ. And when we let go of resentment, we make room for healing, both in ourselves and in the people around us.

Entertainment Choices: Feeding the Mind, Shaping the Heart

What you feed your mind will eventually shape your heart. Paul’s letter to the Philippians lays out a simple but challenging filter for what we consume:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8 (NASB)

Netflix binges, social media, podcasts—none of these are inherently bad, but they all influence us. The real question is: do they encourage you to live more like Christ or subtly pull you away from Him? Proverbs offers a stark reminder:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NASB)

Entertainment isn’t neutral. What we watch, listen to, and engage with either stirs our affections for God or numbs them. That’s why Paul warns:

“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’”
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB)

Swap “company” for the media you consume, and the message remains the same. This isn’t about legalism or hiding from culture—it’s about wisdom. Jesus didn’t avoid the world, but He remained untouched by its corruption (John 17:15-16).

So before hitting “play,” ask: Is this drawing me closer to Christ? Or is it dulling my spiritual senses? The answer might be the difference between a heart tuned to God or one slowly desensitized to His voice.

When the World Pulls Too Hard

There will be moments when the pull of the world feels stronger than the call of Christ. Paul felt this tension, too, and offered encouragement:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 (NASB)

Renewing your mind means daily realigning your thoughts, desires, and actions with God’s Word. It’s not a one-time decision; it’s a daily discipline.

God Shows Us the Way

Living righteously in an unrighteous world isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Christ’s prayer in John 17 wasn’t just for His disciples but for everyone who follows Him. The challenge is clear: hold onto your faith without retreating from the world. Stand firm where it matters, adapt where it doesn’t, and always let the call of Christ drown out the noise of the crowd.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB®), Copyright © 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.