September 24
Paul understood the compulsion of man to conform himself to the world around him. He doesn’t want to stand out like the proverbial ‘sore thumb.’ No one wants to be considered as weird or odd or unusual. Except for desiring to achieve greater than ordinary wealth or power in a worldly sense, everyone wants to be ‘normal.’
Even Christians can succumb to the desire for conformity; perhaps because if they stand out too much in the crowd of unbelievers, they will relegate to themselves the greater possibility of persecution. Yet, Paul’s admonition bears scrutiny and application to the lives of those who profess faith in Jesus.
In Romans 12:1, 2, he says, “…since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to Him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to Him, which is your reasonable service. Do not conform yourselves to the likeness of this world but be renewed in your inner man; then you will be able to discern the perfect will of God and be able to please Him.”
Paul understood that there may be great temporal advantage to embracing this system. To do so may avail a man of friendship with the world that empowers him to become wealthy and influential, but if it is done by sacrificing the laying himself at the feet of Jesus, to be used toward His purposes, the exchange will reduce his eternal reward by incalculable measure.
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