John 17:14

Not of the world

(ουκ εκ του κοσμου). They are "in the world" (εν τω κοσμω, verse John 17:13) still and Christ sends them "into the world" (εις τον κοσμον, verse John 17:18), but they must not be like the world nor get their spirit, standards, and message "out of the world," else they can do the world no good. These verses (John 17:14-19) picture the Master's ideal for believers and go far towards explaining the failure of Christians in winning the world to Christ. Too often the world fails to see the difference or the gain by the change.