(Romans 12:1-2 KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.
These are verses I find myself quoting frequently. I bring them up often because they are ignored often.
First, Christians are called to willingly deliver themselves to the service of God. This is not easy. It is not our nature. Notice the words “sacrifice” and “holy.”
The second part is largely ignored by the multitudes in the churches of this country. We are not to be conformed to the world. This does not mean we are to be the opposite of the world in all things. It is not a call to weirdness. It is a call to a different standard. The world has been trying to get the United States to switch to the metric standard. I hear mixed reviews about how it is going but I have had the experience of trying to use a metric wrench on a SAE nut. It just doesn’t work the way it was intended. Sometimes you can make-do but if you are trying to put a metric bolt into a SAE nut, good luck.
We are threaded different if we serve the living God. Sometimes it is so subtle that you don’t know you are different until you try something on for size. Sometimes it is a glaring reality. When we vote we are to vote by God’s standards. When we dress we are to dress by God’s standards. When we listen to music we are to listen by God’s standards. When we...you get the idea.
Instead we slowly let the word adjust our thinking. Look at the “praise team” at your local church. Go look at a video of a rock concert. Do you notice similarities?
We are to be transformed by the power of God. We are to be different, not in reaction but in foundation. You can’t build a ranch style house on the foundation for a Cape Cod, not if you want it to last through the first rain.
Present and be transformed.
homo unius libri
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