Yesterday, we saw in Romans 12:1-2 that to discern the will of God for our lives, we have to first present our bodies to God as living sacrifices. Have you done that today? Why not stop and pray right now?
To discern the will of God, Romans 12:1-2 also teaches us to counter our culture.
Think of a school of viscous fish all swimming in the same direction. But one little fish is headed the other way. It’s swimming “against the flow.” That’s the idea here. We swim against the flow of the world.
Do not be conformed to this world...
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
“World” here refers to a system of living and thinking that ignores God or opposes God. We find ourselves in a world that is often headed the wrong way, not God’ way.
One version says, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.” Eugene Peterson says, “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.”
Of course, we live in this world. We can’t be anti-culture. Everything is culture. We don’t want to create some kind of weird, insulated and isolated Christian sub-culture. We ought to be leaders in industry and art and education. We are going to participate in the culture. We are to have influence in this world. We aren’t to run and hide from it.
Think! Jesus came to live in this world – to redeem the world. But He resisted the downward drag of the world. When He prayed for us in John 17, He prayed that we would be “in the world, but not of the world.”
We’re to be different. The world leads prayer-less lives, but we pray. It’s “dog eat dog” out there, but for us it’s Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. We’re last place people. Others may try to make a name for themselves, but we do what builds God’s reputation.
The QB for the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow, has been in the news. A lot. Some like him. A lot don’t. He’s not a typical NFL QB. And I’m not just talking about the fact that his throwing motion is long and that he runs a lot. I’m talking about the way he carries himself as a believer on and off the field. He counters his culture. I think he’s trying to figure out how to be in the NFL world, but not of the NFL world.
A few weeks ago, Tebow was miked for the Broncos/Bears game. I thought it was a good example of someone who is not going to let the world squeeze him into its mold.
Now, like him or not, you have to admit that he’s not conforming. The way he plays football is different. You may not want to approach your life in exactly the same way. Tebowing may seem over the top for you.
But I’m hoping you want to live with passion for Christ. I am hoping you want to sing praise to God. I am hoping you want to pray throughout your day. If you look out for the last and the least… if you live a life of encouragement and hope… if you are seeking to live wholeheartedly for God, then you’ll be countering your culture, too.
This will mean we may be rejected by the world. We will likely lose some of this world's admiration and respect. Not being conformed means that in some environments we won't fit in. It means that sometimes we're going to be left out, even ridiculed. But that’s OK. We’re making a break with the world.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
I John 2:15 (ESV)
Now, what does this have to do with discerning the will of God?
You’re a businessman on the road. Your buddies are headed out to dinner and you’re invited. You’re having a great time. Then, after dinner, someone says, “Hey, let’s check out that strip joint I saw on the way here from the airport.” How will you discern the will of God. If you have decided to counter your culture – to not let the world squeeze you into its mold – then you’ll know to excuse yourself nicely. It’s not the time to sermonize. You just politely say something like, “I have to get back to the room and get some work done and make some calls.”
We’re non-conformists, but not the worldly, cool kind. When rock stars are nonconformists they are cool in the eyes of the world. But we have to be willing to die to the desire to appear sophisticated and hip and “together” in the eyes of the world.
When we are nonconformists, we look silly to the world, but we’re cool in the eyes of God.
To discern the will of God, counter your culture.
To discern the will of God, Romans 12:1-2 also teaches us to counter our culture.
Think of a school of viscous fish all swimming in the same direction. But one little fish is headed the other way. It’s swimming “against the flow.” That’s the idea here. We swim against the flow of the world.
Do not be conformed to this world...
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
“World” here refers to a system of living and thinking that ignores God or opposes God. We find ourselves in a world that is often headed the wrong way, not God’ way.
One version says, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.” Eugene Peterson says, “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.”
Of course, we live in this world. We can’t be anti-culture. Everything is culture. We don’t want to create some kind of weird, insulated and isolated Christian sub-culture. We ought to be leaders in industry and art and education. We are going to participate in the culture. We are to have influence in this world. We aren’t to run and hide from it.
Think! Jesus came to live in this world – to redeem the world. But He resisted the downward drag of the world. When He prayed for us in John 17, He prayed that we would be “in the world, but not of the world.”
We’re to be different. The world leads prayer-less lives, but we pray. It’s “dog eat dog” out there, but for us it’s Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. We’re last place people. Others may try to make a name for themselves, but we do what builds God’s reputation.
The QB for the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow, has been in the news. A lot. Some like him. A lot don’t. He’s not a typical NFL QB. And I’m not just talking about the fact that his throwing motion is long and that he runs a lot. I’m talking about the way he carries himself as a believer on and off the field. He counters his culture. I think he’s trying to figure out how to be in the NFL world, but not of the NFL world.
A few weeks ago, Tebow was miked for the Broncos/Bears game. I thought it was a good example of someone who is not going to let the world squeeze him into its mold.
Now, like him or not, you have to admit that he’s not conforming. The way he plays football is different. You may not want to approach your life in exactly the same way. Tebowing may seem over the top for you.
But I’m hoping you want to live with passion for Christ. I am hoping you want to sing praise to God. I am hoping you want to pray throughout your day. If you look out for the last and the least… if you live a life of encouragement and hope… if you are seeking to live wholeheartedly for God, then you’ll be countering your culture, too.
This will mean we may be rejected by the world. We will likely lose some of this world's admiration and respect. Not being conformed means that in some environments we won't fit in. It means that sometimes we're going to be left out, even ridiculed. But that’s OK. We’re making a break with the world.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
I John 2:15 (ESV)
Now, what does this have to do with discerning the will of God?
You’re a businessman on the road. Your buddies are headed out to dinner and you’re invited. You’re having a great time. Then, after dinner, someone says, “Hey, let’s check out that strip joint I saw on the way here from the airport.” How will you discern the will of God. If you have decided to counter your culture – to not let the world squeeze you into its mold – then you’ll know to excuse yourself nicely. It’s not the time to sermonize. You just politely say something like, “I have to get back to the room and get some work done and make some calls.”
We’re non-conformists, but not the worldly, cool kind. When rock stars are nonconformists they are cool in the eyes of the world. But we have to be willing to die to the desire to appear sophisticated and hip and “together” in the eyes of the world.
When we are nonconformists, we look silly to the world, but we’re cool in the eyes of God.
To discern the will of God, counter your culture.
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