Be Not Conformed to This World

Romans 12:1-2 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." God's given those of us that are saved a commandment to present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto God. We are not to be conformed to this world. We're to be separated from the world unto God. We're to be uniquely and distinctly different. We are to be conformed to the image of Christ. God saved us to be a holy people walking with him and serving him. We are to be a witness and testimony to this world. Our testimony is to prove that Jesus saves. The world needs to see a God that's real and the only way they'll see it is through our daily lives where we live and work.

Today in our society, we're under so much pressure to conform. We feel the pressure when we're on our jobs to conform. In our public school systems, there's a lot of pressure to conform. The media will spew out a lot of propaganda in order to convince us to conform to their way of thinking. However, we that are saved are to be like Jesus and are not to allow the world to sway us when it comes to serving God. We're supposed to put on the mind of Christ. I think of Daniel in his day when he stood up and purposed in his heart he wouldn't take the portion of the king's meat. We need to purpose in our heart we won't allow the world to control us and we won't bow down to the world's system.

A Christian isn't supposed to fit into the world's system. We're designed to be different from the world. Our testimony is to be an offense to the world's ways. We're to be a square peg in a round hole. We're not to be conformed to this world when it comes to our thinking, to our work ethic, and to our testimony. Our churches today are filled with church members that are carnal in their thinking and think like the world. We are so wrapped up in this world, we fail to recognize there's a day of judgment coming. It is true that we do need to be concerned about the things that transpire in this world. We are to be concerned with fulfilling God's will on this earth. We will be judged for our works. So we can't be nonchalant about our role in this world. I don't believe Christians are to be "Heavenly minded and no earthly good." If you are Heavenly minded in the light of the judgment, we are to have an impact in this world. However, we allow ourselves to be influenced by what takes places in our society that we fail to recognize the just are to live by faith. I'm guilty of that. Our whole lives should revolve around living for God and doing things that's pleasing to him.

Today in the work force there are many people that are employed that are lazy and slothful. They don't want to labor. As a result, they don't ever progress and amount to much. We're not to think like the world when it comes to labor. We are to work diligently and to be all we can be when it comes to work. God will reward those that seek to advance and strive to be the very best on the job, school, and any other place. We shouldn't be content with just the minimum. We're to do all we're capable of doing and to stay busy. It's amazing the attitude many people have when it comes to work. Now I do recognize there are places where employers abuse employees. I'm opposed to that as well. However, we're to serve God with our labor and we should have a totally different attitude about work in comparison to the world.

Lastly, our testimony shouldn't conform to this world. The world should see we're a Christian when it comes to our daily living. When people on the job tell jokes that are filthy, we're not to participate in them. When we have friends that invite us to a social event and there's liquor there, we shouldn't be a part of it. When it comes to our jobs, if it's possible we can be off Sunday to attend the House of God, we should not work on Sundays if possible. I recognize there are some cases where some Christians don't have a choice. But if we do, we should be off to be in the House of God. When it comes time to go to the House of God, people around us should expect that we're going to church. We can never be what God intends for us to be if we're conformed to this world. God will bless us if we stand faithful and not conform to this world's ways.