Do not conform
any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his
good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
We all
feel the pressure to conform in one way or another. We may feel the pressure to
conform to the culture around us or the sub-culture that we identify with. Usually,
conformity takes the form of outward appearance. We put our emphasis on the
obvious; the way a person dresses, the political stance a person takes, the way
a person responds to the moral issues of the day.
As
believers in Christ, we have most often placed our emphasis of not conforming
to the current moral culture of our day. We tell ourselves that we are not
conforming to the world because we have an orthodox view of marriage,
sexuality, drugs, alcohol and the like. We pride ourselves in not giving into
the pressure all around us to compromise our moral stand. On the surface, this
is commendable, but it misses the point of what Paul wrote in Romans 12.
Satan
has masterfully used the hot button issues of our day to mask the ways that he
subtly pulls us into his plan. The way that we respond to these issues reveals
that we may be more conformed to the value system of the world than we realize.
In the Sermon
on the Mount, Jesus made it very clear that God is more concerned about what is
going on in our hearts than our actions, even though our actions are important.
This point was brought home clearly by
God in 1 Samuel 16. God was directing Samuel to choose the next king of Israel
to replace King Saul. Samuel was impressed by David’s older brothers, but God saw
things differently. But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider
his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look
at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD
looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
God is
much more concerned that our hearts are in the right place than that we take
the “correct” stance on any current issue. How we respond to the issues of our
day speaks volumes about where our heart really is. There are several ways that
Satan has subtly manipulated us to conform to the pattern of this world. These have
become fairly obvious during our recent period of social upheaval. Looks look
at a couple of them.
Satan
has manipulated us into an attitude of rebellion instead of an attitude of
submission. From the debates over wearing masks and taking vaccines to the insurrection
over the outcome of the presidential election, we have seen many believers blatantly
rebelling against submission to those in authority. Yet the Bible clearly tells
us that we are to have an attitude of submission not rebellion. Everyone
must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority
except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been
established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is
rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring
judgment on themselves. Romans 13:1-2 (NIV) Keep in mind that when Paul
wrote these words Nero was on the throne. No matter what we think about those
who are currently in political leadership, we have a responsibility to submit to
their authority.
Satan
has manipulated us into an attitude of hate and anger at those who are on the
other side of the issues from us. That applies to both sides of the equation.
Instead of treating others with respect, we vilify and condemn them. We feel
justified in our “righteous anger” but our hearts are far from where God wants
us to be. As it says in James 1:19-20, My dear brothers, take note of
this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Jesus told us that if we are to be a follower of His, we need to change our
attitude toward those who oppose us. "You have heard that it was
said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5:43-44
(NIV)
Satan
has manipulated us into an attitude of combativeness. If there is anything that
characterizes our world today it is that we are divided. We have bought into
the “us vs them” attitude that so pervades our world. We create our little
enclaves to protect ourselves and then we throw stones at all those who don’t
fit into our group. Again, it doesn’t matter which side of the current debates
you are on, we all share the same attitude. If you are not a part of my group,
then you are my enemy and I must resist you. This is counter to what Jesus
taught us. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus made it clear that even
those who are different from us are our neighbor. As followers of Christ, we
are called to be peace makers. We are to build bridges to those who are
different from us, not walls to keep them out. As Paul says in Romans 12:18, If
it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
The
issues of our day are important, but how we respond to those issues is even
more important. God wants us to be filled with grace and compassion,
recognizing that every person has value in His eyes. He calls us to resist
conforming to the patterns of this world by having our very mind transformed
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Be wise in the
way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your
conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know
how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)
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