Be Not Conformed
Introduction:
“Before the colonist imposed national boundaries, the kings of Laos and
Vietnam reached an agreement on taxation in the border areas. Those who ate
short-grain rice, built their houses on stilts, and decorated them with
Indian-style serpents were considered Laotians. On the other hand, those
who ate long-grain rice, built their houses on the ground, and decorated
them with Chinese-style dragons were considered Vietnamese.
The exact location of a person’s home was not what determined his or her
nationality. Instead, each person belonged to the kingdom whose cultural
values he or she exhibited.
So it is with us: we live in the world, but as part of God’s kingdom, we
are to live according to his kingdom’s standards and values.”
Text:
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
NKJV
Theme:
We must not be fashioned according to this world, but rather live according
to the standard of the kingdom of God.
Body:
I.
Exegesis of Text
Verse 1
Beseech: Plead, appeal, seriously think about This appeal is based
upon the “mercies of God.” Look at what God has already done for you. (Romans
5:8-10)
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by
His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were
enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more,
having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
NKJV
We did not deserve eternal life; God offered it to us anyway! God’s
mercies are the basis for our response to His will.
Present your bodies:
“a once-for-all-time presentation of our bodies to be placed at the
disposal of God.” Present all of your faculties – your whole being. The
Old Testament gave dead sacrifices; the New Testament presents living
sacrifices. Acceptable to God: In accordance to what He says, the
way He says it is to be done, and for the purpose He designed Give God our
best. Reasonable service: A service that you think about, you
understand what is good and right and then do it Thus our service is based
on the Word of God; for only from it do we know what is good and right.
Verse 2 “Stop being conformed.” Do not let the world squeeze
you into its mold. The world should not be our pattern. We must reduce its
influence on us; reject its standards. (I
Peter 4:1-4)
“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from
sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the
lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past
lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we walked in lewdness,
lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in
the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.”
NKJV
That’s how the world lives. Verse 3 (Romans
12:3)
“Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God
calls Jesus’ accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the
Holy Spirit.”
NKJV
The world will think you’re strange! We must deny those things –
ungodliness and worldly lusts. Do not allow yourselves to become unclean.
(II
Corinthians 6:17, 7:1)
“Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not
touch what is unclean, And I will receive you,’ 7:1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
NKJV
“Be transformed”: metamorphosis The old worldly self is changed
into the image of Christ. We hold up the pattern of Jesus’ life and fashion
ourselves into the same image.
(II
Corinthians 3:18)
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as
by the Spirit of the Lord.”
NKJV
“Renewing of your mind”: Our intellect and emotions are to
continually be readjusted or made new. Let God remold your mind. (Ephesians
4:22-24)
“that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of
your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to
God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
NKJV
Contrasting choices: Bad thoughts – good thoughts; trusting in material
riches – trusting in God. God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect.
What a great appeal Paul made to the Roman Christians and to us.
II.
Applications
A.
Christians can and must make a distinction between right and wrong. (Romans
12:9b)
“Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
NKJV
We must through a study of Scripture, come to know what is of God and what
is of Satan. Many try to blur this distinction, but the Bible makes it
clear and plain.
B.
One cannot conform to the world and conform to the Word at the same time. (James
4:4)
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the
world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the
world makes himself an enemy of God.”
NKJV
One married to God breaks his vow if he becomes a friend of the world. (I
John 2:15)
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. ‘If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
NKJV
C.
We can be conformed to this world in a number of ways.
1.
Dress Following fashions of the world can be sinful! Would Jesus
approve of what I wear? When attending worship services, I think special
attention is needed here. Certainly never wear anything indecent or
suggestive. Also, if we are wearing shirts with pictures or logos on them,
make sure they are appropriate for meeting God!
2.
Entertainment/Recreation
We should not participate in any recreation that decreases our service
to God or keeps us from worshipping as we should. Examples: Gambling
[legalized stealing], some types of dancing. Remember we are to give God our
best.
3.
Habits
No drinking [social or otherwise], no tobacco use [of any kind], how we
talk/what we talk about. We are to let our light shine.
4.
Marriages
The world has one view of what marriage is; God has another. The difference
is clearly seen in matters of divorce and remarriage.
Many other life activities could be discussed.
Closing:
As Christians, we are to live in the world, but make sure the world does not
live in us! Neither should we see how close we can live to the world and
not sin. Very dangerous! Are you being conformed to this world, or are you
being transformed by the renewing of your mind?
Bobby Stafford April 15, 2018
