What does “in the world but not of it” mean?

by | Jul 24, 2024 | The Walk | 0 comments

An article on worms, Chernobyl, DNA, and radiation prompted some thoughts on Dune, sci-fi, and Jesus’s words to be “in the world but not of it.”

Science Alert published an article in March 2024 about tiny worms called nematodes that are going about their business, just living their life in the middle of the radiation polluted Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ).[1]

Nematodes collected from the area have shown no sign of damage to their genomes, contrary to what might be expected for organisms living in such a dangerous place. The finding doesn’t suggest the CEZ is safe, the researchers say, but rather the worms are resilient and able to adroitly adapt to conditions that might be inhospitable to other species.[2]

As I was reading the article, it reminded me of Dune, by Frank Herbert. The main part of the novel takes place on a planet with created barrenness inhabited by a native people who have committed to the long process of reclamation.[3] One of the main characters in the form of nature in the books is worms!

It’s going to be thousands of years before ‘Chornobyl’, as it is spelt in Ukraine, is safe for human habitation again. Most of us know that and steer clear accordingly. But animals … well, they don’t understand to stay away. They go where they want, and the exclusion zone has since become a strange sort of radioactive, 2,600-square kilometer (1,000 square mile) animal sanctuary.[4]

Published in 1965, Dune seems almost prophetic about the impact of the Chernboyl disaster.[5] Herbert got the inspiration for the planet itself from the sand dunes in Oregon. I don’t remember reading about any inspiration for the worms. I suppose the worms in Dune are that world’s version of dragons/leviathan.[6]

 

Nematodes can be remarkably hardy; there have been multiple cases of nematodes reawakening after thousands of years frozen in permafrost.[7]

This is the seed for an ENTIRE dystopian sci-fi series. Ugh Snakes on a plane meets Jurassic Park

They collected hundreds of nematodes from rotten fruit, leaf litter, and the soil in the CEZ, using Geiger counters to measure ambient radiation and wearing protective suits against radioactive dust. The researchers cultured nearly 300 of their collected worms in a laboratory, and selected 15 specimens of O. tipulae for genome sequencing.[8]

This curiosity that prompts someone to come up with an idea to dig through the dirt & the muck to find differences in worms is part of what it means to be human. This relentless pursuit for knowledge and understanding, the asking “why” and “how” what they see in nature and imagining ways this might better humanity is a characteristic of the imago Dei, being created in the image of God.[9]

The worms without the radiation damage were similar to each other and dissimilar to worms from other areas.

These sequenced genomes were then compared to the sequenced genomes of five specimens of O. tipulae from elsewhere in the world – the Philippines, Germany, the United States, Mauritius, and Australia.

The CEZ worms were mostly more genetically similar to each other than they were to the other worms, with the genetic distance corresponding to the geographic distance for the entire 20-strain sample. But signs of DNA damage from the radiation environment were lacking.[10]

I originally shared this article on Twitter. When first published, the title was “Tiny Worms Living Near Chernobyl Have Evolved a Remarkable New Talent.” (See the screenshot from Archive.org).

In my Twitter thread about the article, I said.

The lede is misleading. There is no “evolution.” The worms have not been changed from the toxic environment around them.

So Science Alert changed the title of the article without noting on the article that there had been a change from the original publication. I’ll just let that statement sit without further comment.

The team carefully analyzed the worms’ genome, and found no evidence of the large-scale chromosomal rearrangements expected from a mutagenic environment. They also found no correlation between the mutation rate of the worms, and the strength of the ambient radiation at the location each worm hailed from.

What the study found was that the difference was not in their genetics, their ancestral line, but in how the words respond to the toxins around them.

The team could only conclude that there is no evidence of any genetic impact of the CEZ environment on the genomes of O. tipulae.

And what they did find could help researchers try to figure out why some humans are more susceptible to cancer than others.

“Now that we know which strains of O. tipulae are more sensitive or more tolerant to DNA damage, we can use these strains to study why different individuals are more likely than others to suffer the effects of carcinogens,” Tintari says.

“Thinking about how individuals respond differently to DNA-damaging agents in the environment is something that will help us have a clear vision of our own risk factors.”[11]

What It Means to Be “In the world but not of it”

As I was reading this, I realized this is an illustration of what it means to be “in the world, but not of it.”

The phrase “in the world but not of it” is found in John’s Gospel in John 17:14. John 17 is what is considered Jesus’s “priestly prayer.”

Right before his trial and crucifixion, Jesus prays not only for his disciples and followers with him at that time, but for all who would come to believe in him (verse 20). He prays that they would be in fellowship with each other as he and the Father are in fellowship with each other (verse 22). He also prays that believers would be in fellowship with God through him (verse 23).

In addition to praying for our unity and fellowship, Jesus prayed for our sanctification (that we become holy) and for our protection. The protection that Jesus asked for us was not one promoted by Rod Dreher in his Benedict Option where Dreher promotes retreating to ark’s, little bubbles, apart from the world. Jesus prayed:

15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. John 17:15-19 NIV

It is through this “going into the world” and experience the same trials and challenges that Jesus did that creates the opportunities for the Holy Spirit to sanctify us. Being taken out, apart from the world, leaves no room for testing.

It is easy to think yourself patient when you don’t experience any people or situations that challenge it.

It is easy to think you are generous when you don’t encounter anyone who actually needs that generosity.

It is easy to think you have faith when you’ve never been in circumstances where you truly have God and nothing else.

Believing a thing about yourself does not make it so. You only know it is true when it has been put to the test. We “become” when we act and do.

How do be “In the world but not of it”

The chapter in Romans 12 contains an illustration of how we do that, being “in the world but not of it.” Paul writes to the Romans “ Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) It is only then, when our mind has been renewed from the common ways of the world prompted by fallen human nature that we will be able to “test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

Then Paul explains how to do that, to walk “the way,” being “in the world but not of it,” by being what the NIV translators label in “humble service in the body of Christ.”

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” (quoting Deut. 32:35) says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”(quoting Prov. 25:21,22)

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

God’s insidious plan was that his presence would not be limited to a temple in one location in one nation, or even in many nations, but that his presence would be wherever someone who believes in him is. We are the Trojan horse. We bring Christ with us wherever we go.

We will encounter and go into and amongst evil, but we are to overcome that evil with good by being the light. When we come together, we are that city on a hill.

The Good News of the Gospel is that in spite of the chaos, corruption around us, we can have peace. A peace “not as the world gives,” dependent on circumstances, but a confidence & inner peace even when life is uncertain.

 

How We Become Holy

Scientists don’t know the difference that enables the worms to clear the toxins & remain undamaged, but we know the difference for Christian. Christ keeps us safe, he clears the toxins, by his truth. This comes through the “Word which is Truth.”

The Bible and the Logos

The Logos is not the Bible. We do not view the Bible as Muslims view the Quran. Logos is Christ himself, living, ever-acting Truth in person.

The Bible is an artifact, a product of both God and man with God working through and inspiring man. It is a message, a blueprint, to give an anchor for our hope. The Bible is a product of that working of salvation, the spirit of truth work in man.

Which is why the effort by political forces to deconstruct & delegitimize the Bible is an attack against the foundation of Christianity itself. They are saying that particular work of the Logos is ineffective & irrelevant.

mark 2:17

What is Necessary for Salvation

You don’t get salvation without the saving. You have to recognize that there are things you need saved from. Trying to nix parts of the Bible that identify those things doesn’t change God. His perfection and justice will always be the same.

 


Endnotes

[1] Michelle Starr, “Tiny Worms at Chernobyl Appear Mysteriously Unscathed by Radiation,” ScienceAlert, March 7, 2024, https://www.sciencealert.com/tiny-worms-living-near-chernobyl-have-evolved-a-remarkable-new-talent. accessed July 24, 2024.[2] Ibid.

[3] Frank Herbert, Dune, 40th Anniversary edition (1965, Chilton Books; Reprint,New York, NY: Ace, 2005).

[4] Ibid.

[5] “Chernobyl Disaster,” in Wikipedia, July 23, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chernobyl_disaster&oldid=1236265258. Accessed July 24, 2024.

[6] C.M. Alvarez, “Job and His Dragon,” in An Unexpected Journal: Dragons: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Dragons (Houston, TX: An Unexpected Journal, 2022), 118–28.

[7] Michelle Starr, “Tiny Worms at Chernobyl Appear Mysteriously Unscathed by Radiation,”

[8] Ibid.

[9] The term imago Dei refers to Genesis 1:26-27 where it is written “Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. … [27] So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” NLT

Irenaeus of Lyons, considered the church’s first systematic theologian, developed what many consider to be the first integrated explanation of that image of God with salvation. (Some might argue that was Paul, but apart from Biblical text.) Below is a link to a conference paper that explains the idea.

Ryan E. Eidson, “Growing into Humanity’s True Identity to Fulfill God’s Purpose: Imago Dei in Irenaeus of Lyons” (Conference, Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, Virtual, September 2020), http://www.stone-campbelljournal.com/fileadmin/pdfs/conference/2020/eidson2.pdf.

“The telos of imago Dei in Scripture demonstrates that God created mankind so that we can grow into an eternal communion with Him. While theologians have long debated what imago Dei means, this paper will describe the teleological explanation of Irenaeus of Lyons which gives the church its impetus today: to form a people like God, that is, to shape us into the character of Christ.”

[10] Michelle Starr, “Tiny Worms at Chernobyl Appear Mysteriously Unscathed by Radiation,”

[11] Ibid.


Carla M. Sallee Alvarez

Carla M. Sallee Alvarez

Carla Alvarez is the founder of Raised to Walk and a founding board member of An Unexpected Journal, a Communications Director at Legacy Marketing Services where she uses her BS in Marketing to create communication strategies for business, and an unlikely case manager and Bible Study teacher for the Afghan Christians of Kabul Hope Latest Series: Hacked: the Saga How an oily politician and a band of intellectual property and identity thieves conspired to erase a third-grade Sunday school teacher, Read more of her work on Google Scholar and Substack or contact her to write for you.
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