Christians Need to be Different

Romans 12:2
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 is a very important verse to remember as a Christian teen living in the world today. In this section of Paul's letter to the Church of Rome he was discussing what was involved to be a living sacrifice to God. To better understand it, it helps to break it down into parts.

Lets look at the definition of CONFORM:

con·form (ken-fôrm¹) verb con·formed, con·form·ing, con·forms verb, intransitive

1. To correspond in form or character; be similar.

2. To act or be in accord or agreement; comply.

The first definition says conforming is being the same. The second says it's to comply, which means to "act in accordance with another's command" or when in the verse: to obey the world. So when Paul says not to "conform" to the pattern of this world" he's saying not to be same as the world or to obey what it says is right or normal.

This means that we as Christians need to be different than the rest of the world; in the way we act, talk, dress, etc. We need to live so that when people look at us and interact with us they quickly notice that we are different. But we must start on the inside. If we serve GOD from the inside it will show on the outside. If it's not showing on the outside then we aren't fully serving GOD on the inside.

We also need to let this difference show so that others will see (and LORD willing ask about) this difference.

Matt 5:14-16

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (NIV)

We need to stop "conforming" to this world. We need to follow God's commands and live our lives according to his word. Some of God's commands are strange by the world's standards, so we must be prepared to act differently and let our light shine.

(The -No Compromise- piece below is something I found in a book called The Summit.) -No Compromise- (from "The Summit No. 4") All around us, the world is pushing everyone into the same molds. There's the mold of "me first," or money, clothes, looks, sex, or power. We're told to be the best; to be "cool"; to drink the same drink or wear the "right" shoes. Drop in, drop out. Everything glitters with importance, but when looked at closely, it's all totally phony. So as Christians, how do we break the world's mold? Get real. Don't compromise with the world. Put Christ and the Bible into your thinking patterns. Get radical! Live every day totally committed to an eternal perspective. And memorize Bible verses to break the world's hold on you.

Most of the above text was taken from:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9020