SOUNDING OUT:
Be Not Conformed to This World
Romans 12:2 is a key verse on the renewed mind. In the next three Internet Newsletters we will look at the three parts of the verse Today we will see the negative command, and in the next two weeks we will look at the positive command and the reason for our obedience.
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.
God tells us both what not to do and what to do. He emphatically makes His point by using both a negative and a positive command. He then follows them with a reason or purpose for our obedience.
We’ll look frirst at the negatve command, “Be not conformed to this world.” “Conformed” is a translation of the Greek, suschēmatizō, which means to shape one thing like another and describes what is transitory, changeable, and unstable.1
The path of least resistance in life leads one into a transitory and unstable conformity with the “world.” Through the media, through public education, through government regulations, through the influence of family, and the peer pressure of friends, the world attempts to squeeze one into its lifestyle. This conformity goes far beyond keeping up with the Jones’ or wearing the latest fashion in clothing or hairstyle. The worldly schemes are many, and they all, in both blatant and subtle ways try to influence the way we think and live.
The only other occurrence of suschēmatizō in the New Testament is in I Peter.
I Peter 1:14:
As obedient children, not fashioning [suschēmatizō] yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
“Former” refers to the time before we became obedient children. Those cravings and desires which influenced our actions in the past are still filed in our minds. They did not get erased when we were born again and provide a backlog of sense knowledge that still tries to influence us and conform us. Our challenge is to remove them from the files of our minds by replacing them with new, godly thoughts and desires.
Other translations of “be not conformed to this world” are:
- Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world -- NIV
- Be not fashioned according to this world -- ASV
- Be not configuring yourselves unto this age -- Rotherham
- Do not live according to the fashions of the times -- Norlie
- You must not adopt the customs of this world -- Goodspeed
- Do not imitate the way of this world -- Lamsa
- And let not your behaviour be like that of this world -- BBE
- Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world -- NLT
- Stop living in accordance with the customs of this world -- Williams
- Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold – J. B. Phillips
- Do not be conformed to this world-this age, fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs --Amplified
Like many of the translations note, the words “this world” would be better translated “this age.” The Greeks and Latin used two words for “world.” Kosmos (G) and mundus (L) concern themselves with the world contemplated under aspects of space, and aiōn (G) and seculum (L) concern themselves with the world contemplated under aspects of time. When speaking of the world with regard to this aspect of time we often use “age,” as in the Middle Ages, or the Age of Enlightenment. An “age” includes “all that floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations, at any time current in the world, which it may be impossible to seize and accurately define, being the moral, or immoral, atmosphere” 2 in which we live. We can see some of these aspects in the phrases “the cares of this age,”3 the wisdom of this age,”4 “the disputers of this age,”5 and “the god of this age.” How thankful we are that we have been delivered from this evil age.
Galatians 1:4:
Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world [aiōn], according to the will of God and our Father:
God commands us to NOT conform to this world. We do not need to. We have been delivered from it. We are free to do as we please, but it is still our choice. Do we conform or do we transform ourselves. It depends on whom or what we love. Demas loved this present age, and he forsook Paul choosing the things and ways of this age.6 Titus teaches just the opposite. When we love God and the things of God, the things of this world no longer hold the attraction they had previously.
Titus 2:11,12:
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;
Instead of conforming to this age due to the pressures and pleasures it provides, God’s grace in salvation allows us to change, to transform ourselves so that we live soberly, righteously, and godly, at this present time in this present age. We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us, so let’s dare to be the non-conforming believers God commands us to be. What are we NOT to do? “Be not be conformed to this world...”
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