Antithesis and the Christian battle

On the subject of being different to the world, as Christians, our lifestyle should be totally different. The world curses and swears, practices fornication and adultery, makes lewd and vulgar jokes, pursues vanities and endless entertainment, but we bless and pray, we practice purity and chastity and fidelity in marriage and honour marriage, we abstain from foolish talk, but build each other up in the truth, we pursue the glory of God and delight and take comfort and rest in Jesus Christ not in worldly attractions.

This is the concept of the antithesis.

1 John 1:5
"God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all."

1 John 2:15
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."

John 17:17
"Sanctify them by the truth, Your word is truth."

1 Peter 1:16
"Be ye holy, as I am holy."

John 3:19-20
"This is the condemnation, that the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

Ephesians 5:13
"Whatsoever doth make manifest is light."

Matthew 5:14
"You are the light of the world."

Ephesians 5:11
"Do not take part in the wicked deeds done in darkness, but rather expose them."

By living as "children of light", in following Jesus, we live totally at odds to the world, and like the contrast between light and dark, or placing something beautiful next to something abominably ugly, it shows up the light and the beauty for what it really is, and shows up the dark and the ugly for what it is. God has designed the world in this way and put His Spirit within us so that He would be glorified in this way.

Another aspect of this antithesis is the battle that we face as Christians. It is one totally different to the rest of the world; it is the battle for the truth, because it is the truth that sets us free. The Truth is of course, Jesus Christ our God and King as revealed in Scripture. There are many false "Christs" being preached today that we must oppose if we are to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). Only the Jesus of Scripture is the Almighty Saviour who died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve so that we would be reconciled to God by His death and saved by His life. This Jesus is who must be preached for the salvation of souls for the glory of God.

Acts 4:12
"For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."