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  ON BEING DIFFERENT
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: The Church's influence and power are rooted in her being
different from the world, and compromising with the world diminishes her
power.

Topics: "Spiritual Separation", "Church Distinctiveness"
Scripture References: Matthew 5:14-16, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 6:17, Ephesians 5:8-11, Philippians 2:15, Colossians 3:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, James 4:4, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 2:15-17

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DESCRIPTION
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A.W. Tozer emphasizes that the Church's greatest influence comes from
its distinctiveness from the world. He argues that the Church's power is
directly proportional to how different it is from society, and that
attempts to conform to worldly standards dilute its effectiveness. Tozer
warns against the dangers of compromise, asserting that true believers
are morally and spiritually separated from the world. He highlights that
similarity to the world signifies a decline in the Church's character
and mission. The sermon calls for a return to the Church's unique
identity as a reflection of God's kingdom.

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CONTENT
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The Church's mightiest influence is felt when she is different from the
world in which she lives. Her power lies in her being different, rises
with the degree in which she differs and sinks as the difference
diminishes.

This is so fully and clearly taught in the Scriptures and so well
illustrated in Church history that it is hard to see how we can miss it.

But miss it we do, for we hear constantly that the Church must try to be
as much like the world as possible, excepting, of course, where the
world is too, too sinful; and we are told to get adjusted to the world
and be all things to all men. (This use of the passage, incidentally,
points up Peter's saying that Our beloved brother Paul wrote some things
which the unlearned and the unstable wrest to their own destruction.)
One sure mark of the Church's heavenly character is that she is
different from the rest of mankind; similarity is a mark of her fall.

The sons of God and the sons of men are morally and spiritually
separated, and between them there is a great gulf fixed. When religious
persons try to bridge that gulf by compromise they violate the very
principles of the kingdom of God.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/on-being-different/
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