Charles Swindoll
Conforming or Tranforming
Romans 12:1 deals with the physical, our bodies. Romans 12:2 deals with the metaphysical, our minds.
Jews focused all of their attention on the ethical, public behavior of a person, which is good in many ways. However, Jesus was not satisfied with mere external, physical obedience. He called for His followers to have clean hearts first, then clean hands (Matthew 15:17–20; Mark 7:14–15). That's because both sin and righteousness begin in the mind, meaning we have a choice between two alternatives. We can either "be conformed to this world" or we can "be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind" (Romans 12:2).
The Greek word for "conform" is syschematizo and means "to be molded according to a pattern." It is a compound of the preposition with and the term from which we get our English word schematic.
The word rendered "transform," metamorphoo, means "to be changed from one thing into another." This Greek word is transliterated to render the English word metamorphosis, which is commonly used to describe the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
Our world was created good, but it has since been corrupted by human sin. We look forward to the day when Christ returns and refashions the world to reflect God's character. Until then, we are to reject the pattern of thinking that comes from the corrupted world and instead live out changed lives that look different from those who are living in accordance with the fallen world system.
Dennis Wyer
Guarding Your Heart
"Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow
the springs of life."
God spoke to Joshua and the Israilites, "Be very firm, then, to keep
and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may
not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7so that you
will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, ormention
the name of their gods, or make
anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them" Joshua
23:6-7
Knowing the weakness of men, God warned Israel to not associate
with people from nations that did not recognize His Lordship. Never did
He say 'go mingle with them that you may be a positive influence on them'. This
has absolutely nothing to do with racism as some have supposed over the years. It applies
to Christians today just as surely as it did to Israel then.
The issue with God has never been about race or sex but only the the
heart's attitude toward Him. God often rewarded the faithful from other
nations. What God knew was how unfaithful His people are. They could
not even be loyal to Him for one year after He lead them out with great signs
and wonders. Without fail, every time Israel would associate with people
who did not honor God, it would not be long until His people would stop honoring
Him.
Paul expressed it this way, "Be ye not
unequally yoked together
with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) Obviously
Paul isn't negating Christ's Great Commission, only reinforcing God's commands
that we not fool ourselves into believing we can associate with those who are
not loyal to God and not be affected negatively. Why do people think
they are smarter than God? God is clear that He knows we will not influence
them, but they would influence us. Many
have thought they were exceptions to this, that by going and being "part
of the gang" they could have influence over them and be a positive Christian
influence. They
are deceived.
Paul emphacized in 2 Corinthians 6:17, "come
out from among them and be separate". The command is
just as sure today as it was for Israel 4,000 years ago. If you chose
to ignore it, you will be influenced by their unfaithfulness, you will begin
to compromise, you will fail God.
It just doesn't get any plainer than that.
