Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

SignUp Now!
  • Welcome to Talk Jesus Christian Forums

    Celebrating 20 Years!

    A bible based, Jesus Christ centered community.

    Register Log In

Who you conform to matters!

Copper25

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
137
Romans 12:2) 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.

The first question, What does conforming mean?
According to Strong’s
G4964
συσχηματίζω
suschēmatizō
soos-khay-mat-id'-zo
From G4862 and a derivative of G4976; to fashion alike, that is, conform to the same pattern (figuratively): - conform to, fashion self according to.

The word conformed means to follow the same pattern, to be fashioned alike to. Now the question is, are you being fashioned like unto this world’s trends, are you following the patterns of this world, or the pattern of life, a life that is pleasing onto God, that is worthy of the profession of faith that you claim? This is the question that we should be asking ourselves each day. Now the question is how? This world causes sin to be breedful, ignited, making sin regular, and even as to promote it so commonly, and by the grace of God, by the power of the Spirit, we must deny or reject these actions, resist by the grace of God the evil that is in this world. This we MUST do in order to live pleasing unto God. To persevere in the faith, as strangers in the midst of a morally weary land that is estranged of, or alienated from God’s counsel in large scale proportions, by the grace of God through Christ Jesus, prayerfully, we can overcome adversity in all it throws at us.

In this world there is all sorts of lust, all sorts of evil, and things of the such, but truth be told, should we ever conform to these things?

Titus 2 says in verse 11 and 12, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

Now let us look at the specific word “denying”, meaning to refuse, to reject, to shun, diverting from, and any other type of term that means in a nutshell to turn away from.

1 Peter 1:16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

This is what we have in today’s Christianity lost. The sense of separation, or being set apart from the world in our conduct, in the way we conduct ourselves. Now a days, people preach in many cases, you believe in Jesus, just keep on trying to live your life, living in this world, and wait on the Lord, because you are saved and are going to heaven. Now what do you not see here, a call to be holy, in a sense separation from the world. In a world where Satan is called the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), do we really just want to keep follow his path, the crooked path, the path that will damn one’s soul to hell sort of path. I know we have heard this a million times, but it cannot be said enough, “be ye separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

Who you conform to, is who you love, now what do I mean by this? Think about it. Christ is pure and holy and righteous. This world is defiled, wicked, and evil. If you let the world which is damned in its Godless mind of thinking (and by that I mean without acknowledgement of the true Holy God and His principles) dictate the way you view, the way you talk, the way you think, the way you are directed in life, then who do you love?

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.

Again, who you conform to, is who you love, now what do I mean by this? Think about it, Christ our Lord walked a sinless life, one of perfection. If we are to strive to be more like our elder brother, our Lord, our Savior, we MUST deny and MUST NOT be conformed to the evil which is around us. This, despite popular teaching, is not optional.

1 Thessalonians 5:22)Abstain from all appearance of evil

We are commanded and seriously warned to abstain from the sinful presentations of this fallen world that has forsaken its Creator. Can we love the world and yet love Christ at the same time? Can we love Christ and yet love the world? Can we be conforming to the image of Christ and the image of the world at the same time? No, simply no. People think that in their fantasy mind, their own way of thinking, that they can have Christ and His love, and yet still they can have a passion for the worldly lust, the worldly desires. The heart is not of purity, in the sense of loyalty, unless the Lord is one, and only one ruler of it, and frankly, Jesus doesn’t like to share His people with the world. Jealous is God’s name, in the sense where He wants all of you!

Mark 12:30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

You either love the world or Christ, you are ether conforming to the world, or by the grace of God you are conforming to Christ, one or the other, and we know which one leads to destruction

2 Corinthians 6:17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

You are ether separate from the world, or you are separate from Christ. You are ether received of the world or you are received by Christ. World, devil, destruction, or separation, Christ, life. These are the two options, so who do you love, Christ or the world, the seen or Him which is unseen? The temporal act of illusion or prosperity of eternal substance built on the rock, on Christ Jesus? I know I have been quite repetitive but like I said earlier, it cannot be said enough, “be ye separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Conform not to that which can be seen, but rather to Him that sits at the right hand of God, who is unseen. Our values as strangers and pilgrims should be aimed toward eternity and grasping a lifestyle that is more suitable to our calling as Christians and followers of Christ and not the manifestation of this fallen world. Simply put, let God be our leader and not let the world dictate us and manipulate us into its dark conformities and trickery. The world blinds the eyes in the abyss of time, which our vapor-like lifespan in these earthly vessels, is such a microscopic segment, a drop of time.
 
Satan and his minions are very adept at manipulating this theologyand turning people away from a true Christian walk. In America we have a saying - "If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it must be a duck!" We have fallen into the trap of judging by external appearences only. We've lost the will to excercise discernment. This is true in many of our church congregations as well when it comes to people's personal holiness.

A close relative of mine once spoke to me of a minister in her church saying, "He's so holy!" I asked her how she knew he was holy and her response was "Look at how he carries himself, how he walks and dresses." She was judging based strictly on external appearances. That belief is from the devil and his cohorts masquerading as angels of light (see 2 Cor 11:14-15). I once knew of a clergyman who looked and acted the holy man part, but ended up being exposed as a pedophile, defrocked and sent to prison.

We in the western hemisphere need the Holy Spirit to give the church a great shaking so that we see the fallacy of such norms.

SLE
 
Last edited:
Amen SLE, I think this is true of most who participate in the Christian religion. In the scriptures we see the same attitude or spirit with the pharisees.

Matthew 23:25-28
25 “How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 Blind Pharisees! First wash the inside of the cup, and then the outside will become clean, too.
27 “How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 You try to look like upright people outwardly, but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
 
Romans 12:2) 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.


Here's a better question.
What is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God?
 
The word

As it is written (Psalm 119:105) "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

I know that this has been said so many times, but it can not be stressed enough. How important is it to know His word!? As Christians, application, and not hearing only, is so important! The word of God, the bible, holds the will of God and in it contains the law of the gospel, what is commanded of us, what God expects of us, the power of santification. After thinking about this for a moment. Prayer and the word, being in the word, are the two most critical things in our Christian life. Depending on God to lead us and teach us in His word, that great and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:12) Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer

There is so much we can say about prayer and knowing the word, making it applicable to our lives! leaning unto the Lord, trusting in His understanding rather then our own!
 
Blessed are the MEEK!

Matthew 5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

In our lives, what are we aiming for, the dying of self. For us to die more and for Christ to abound in us. But how can we do this without complete surrender. Giving Him rule and dictatorship in the throne, center stage of our lives? Now we are saved only by the blood of Christ our Lord and these were His words!

Matthew 7:
24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:


25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26) And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Who is he that obeys the word of the Lord?

Luke 6:46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Ecclesiastes 12:13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

We can confess saying, "Lord, Lord" all we want, but unless we put His word which was given to us into practice, aren't we just lying to ourselves? God did not just Give us His word to guide and for us to follow for nothing.

James 1:22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Mark 12:30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

To subject ourselves unto the will of God, His word. We can just look at biblical History alone and tell how critical this is!

Amos 8:11) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

Notice now what happens when God takes away His word.

Proverbs 14:12) There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Why are man's way's death, because they lean not to the Lord of host. They trust not in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are not subject unto Jesus, but are rather, hooked on the element of self-ambition, pride, and haughtiness in some degree.

So, what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God?

That we lean to, that we trust in, that we follow hard after,
pursue, obey, and
HEED the Lord, trusting not in our own under standing, nor making flesh our arm. as it is written, (Jeremiah 17:5) "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."

The more dependent on God we become, the better, the more we follow after Christ and heed His word, the better! Why?

Matthew 7

21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


Ephesians 5


14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

15) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Titus 2

11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,


12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ

Look at these at the tip of the huge iceberg to that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God
 
Colossians 1:18
*And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
 
The thought

Colossians 1
16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell

I marvel at this text. This is the power of Christ. And I love how this text shows that apart from Christ, nothing we see, nothing unseen would be created. How all things are sustained by Him. How apart from Him, we are nothing
 
Colossians 1
16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell

I marvel at this text. This is the power of Christ. And I love how this text shows that apart from Christ, nothing we see, nothing unseen would be created. How all things are sustained by Him. How apart from Him, we are nothing

Good post Copper, I like what what Paul said next too.

Colossians 1:19-23
19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20*and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. 21*This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, 22*yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23*But you must continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

If we are made holy, blameless and without fault as a result of Christ's death on the cross then our actions cannot make us more holy or unholy as far as God is concerned.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top