Not Conformed to the World

“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.” Romans 12:2

“Conformed” is defined as to “be similar in form or type; agree; to be in agreement or harmony.” It is to do something because that is what someone else is doing.

Say someone moves into a new neighborhood and they have an older vehicle. They are perfectly happy with it, but because everyone else in the neighborhood has a brand new SUV they decide that they need to trade their old one in and get a new one too, because everyone else has one. Before they moved there they were completely happy with their car, but they conformed to what everyone else around them had. 

Sometimes people can hang out with the wrong kinds of people and get into trouble with the law. Sometimes a person will feel pressured to do something that they might know is wrong, but the pressure that others put on them to do wrong causes them to conform to something that is evil. On their own they might not have done it but because others around them did it they went along as well. They conformed to those around them. 

When we were without Christ as unbelievers, we acted the way the world acts. We lie, we are covetous, filled with pride, etc. We conform to the way that everyone without Christ is. We were focused on what we could do for ourselves, and not thinking about others. We put what we wanted before what others needed.

So to “be not conformed” to the world means that we should not do or be in agreement with the wrong that is done by those who are not Christians. We are not apart of the works of darkness. 

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11

Jesus teaches us the new way. He teaches us how to love our neighbor and to do good to all, even our enemies. He showed us how we should live and act. 

What did Jesus tell others? “Go and sin no more.” No longer should we continue to conform to sin, but we need to forsake the ways of the world. 

The world may not like you when you don’t do what they do. They might persecute you and call you weird and strange. But that is what is going to happen when you take a stand for the faith.

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:” 1 Peter 4:1-4

Don’t let sin reign and control your life. Conform yourself to Christ.

In Christ,

Andrew