#46 Be not conformed to this world
From The Fascination of the Race and Other Essays, by Benjamin L. Sommer
The apostle John says, “The whole world lieth in wickedness.” (I John 6:19) It is therefore easy to see that we should not be like the world, as Paul admonishes the Romans: “Be not conformed to this world.” (Romans 12:2)
But wherein shall our life and conduct differ from that of the world? Wherein and how shall we distinguish ourselves as Christians? Upon our correct answer to this question depends whether we live the true Christian life or a miserable imitation of it, which not only is an offense to the world but works against rather than to the glory of God.
Of course a Christian cannot be conformed to the unregenerate and sinful world, but the first thing we must understand is that there is no virtue whatever in mere non-conformity, in merely being different and peculiar. Paul makes this very plain where he admonishes: “Be not conformed to this world,” (Romans 12:2) by adding, “But be ye transformed by the renewing of the mind.” (Romans 12:2)
The question is, whether we are peculiar according to the peculiarity of Christ; whether we have received “the renewing of the mind” and have continued in it. But even if we have once been truly regenerated and renewed in mind and heart, we must not forget that “Many false prophets are gone out into the world” (I John 4:1) and many “seducing spirits” (I Tim. 4:1) attempt to exert their influence upon us, to confuse us and to mislead us even after we have found the true light in Christ. When we add to this our own feebleness of understanding and proneness to error, we can easily understand why Christ says, “Watch and pray,” (Matt. 26:41) and again, “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch!” (Mark 13:37)
This knowledge of our proneness to error and of the many deceptions that are abroad shall ever keep a true Christian humble, watchful, and on his guard. It shall ever give us occasion to measure ourselves with the yardstick of Christ's teachings; to see whether the fruits we bear are the fruits of the Spirit of Christ and whether the peculiarities we show, are the peculiarities of Christ or whether we have gotten into the error of thinking to see virtue in peculiarities which are our own or which might belong to some nationality or to a former day.
The fashions and customs of twenty-five or fifty years ago are no more sacred than those of today, although, to human eyes they seem to be hallowed by time. Many sects and religious orders go to great lengths in laying stress upon certain customs and upon manner of dress out of all proportion to the true value of such customs. How often have we heard Paul's admonishment, “Be not conformed to this world,” used as though it applied almost exclusively to dress and such external matters, instead of to our state of mind and, consequently, to our whole attitude toward life. This passage has often been used by those who believe there is virtue in mere separateness from this world—that is, an exclusiveness whereby the believers have as little contact with the world as possible, living wholly within their own small circle, cherishing various customs—such as peculiarity of dress—thinking these to be the characteristic earmarks of a true Christian. In their zeal for the maintenance of these customs and peculiarities they often forget completely to show forth the characteristics and peculiarities of Christ, but give themselves, in spite of much outward appearance of piety, to such carnal vices and worldliness as conceit, greed, envy, evil surmising, evil speaking, and hardness of heart.
To place great value upon strict observance of certain customs of self-righteousness is characteristic of the Pharisee and not of Christ. It is because Christ freely taught and acted against this attitude of the Pharisees that He brought their wrath down upon Him so that they hated Him unto death.
Someone might say that if there is no virtue in the observance of these customs of outward peculiarity and non-conformity to the world, there is at least no harm in them. Would to God this were true! On the contrary there is great danger and harm in them.
Have you never heard men say in a joking way, when taking leave from each other: “Well, don't take any bad money.” In our day and land, under a well ordered government, we are not in much danger of being cheated by receiving counterfeit money. Counterfeiting is considered a great crime and is severely punished by the government, so there is not much of it. But put yourself into the position of a man who had labored hard and long in a strange country and when he tried to use the money he received as wages to buy a ticket home, he found it worthless counterfeit. Not only does he fail to reach home, but all his hopes as to how he might at home enjoy the fruits of his labor are blasted, and he is a poor, homeless, penniless wretch.
In a similar state, spiritually speaking, is he who thought to have laid up treasures in heaven and to have earned the crown of righteousness through the keeping of peculiarities which Christ has not commanded. As Brother Froehlich once expressed it, he has a false good conscience. He thought to have gained a wealth of virtue, but the Day reveals that he was only a slave to the commandments of men and that the virtue he thought to possess was a worthless counterfeit and has no value in the eyes of God.
Christ says: “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:20)
But not only is he who places value upon customs and traditions, which have no value, in danger of losing his own salvation; there is another important effect. These customs and peculiarities which are not according to Christ form a serious obstacle to such a man in spreading the Gospel. For one who places value in them seeks first to convert the world to his own peculiarity and then to Christ. But sincere souls seeking God are repelled when an effort is made to subject them to human traditions. So these traditions and customs can form an almost insurmountable obstacle to one who would otherwise be able to spread the true Gospel.
Having concluded not only that there is no virtue in mere non-conformity, in mere peculiarity, or in mere separateness from the world, but that there is great danger in these, it will be worth our while to consider what kind of non-conformity to the world is of value in God's sight.
The answer is very simple. That non-conformity to the world, which is conformity to Christ, and that alone, is of value; and that is of eternal value. That is the peculiarity which is peculiar to Christ and which is brought about by the “renewing” of the mind by the new birth.
But let us be more specific and analyze wherein the “renewing of the mind” makes one to differ from the world. Let us draw a parallel picture of the carnally minded person on the one hand and the spiritually minded on the other, in respect to a number of the phases of life.
1st. The natural man has his heart set only upon this life and its gain and pleasures. On the other hand the "renewed mind" or the spiritual mind of a converted and regenerated person sees farther. The Christian receives and enjoys thankfully in moderation all of God's good gifts for this life, but they are not his highest interest. His heart is set upon the Kingdom of Heaven and its righteousness and it rewards. In adversity he does not despair “as those who have no hope,” for his eye is set upon “the better land.”
2nd. The natural man loves the world to indulge himself in its lusts and vain pleasures. The spiritually minded man loves the world also, but in an entirely different sense. The lusts and sinful pleasures of the world he loathes because of their uncleanness and destructive nature. The vanities of life he neglects because they are too mean and common for one who has had a foretaste of heavenly things. But he loves the world, the people thereof, in the sense that God loves the world; namely, to help them. The spiritually minded man finds joys and pleasures in the peace of God and in the communion of the saints far greater than the pleasures which the world knows.
3rd. The natural man is apt to have a high opinion of himself which is not justified. He is inclined to be proud and arrogant and to look down upon others. The spiritually minded man thinks moderately and soberly of himself and, being humble in his own heart, he treats others with consideration and respect.
4th. The natural man is apt to be selfish and to lack consideration for others. The spiritually minded man in whom the love of God has been poured out, has learned the great lesson of unselfishness. He finds joy in the joy of others. He finds happiness in the prosperity of others.
5th. The natural man likes to be served, but the spiritually minded man delights to serve others, for the love of his fellowmen is in him.
6th. When the natural man feels himself injured he thirsts for revenge, but the spiritually minded man is ready to forgive and to make peace and even to return good for evil.
We might go on indefinitely in drawing contrasts between the natural or unregenerate man and the man who has experienced the “renewing of the mind” in our effort to show how and wherein a Christian should be “not conformed to this world.”
But now we shall let the apostle Paul speak for a moment. To the Galatians he writes: “Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party-spirit, envying, carousing, and the like. But what the Spirit produces is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Gal. 5:16-23)
In short our non-conformity with the world shall be in that, being converted and regenerated, we no longer shall bring forth the fruits of the flesh. But that alone will not be sufficient. We must also be diligent to bring forth in rich measure the fruits of the Spirit. Therein is the true non-conformity of the Christian, not in the keeping of customs in external matters which are different from those of the people surrounding us.
It has happened that when someone undertook or did something which was not according to previous custom that a critic would say, “That should not be; it is worldly," or, "That is the way the world does." The unconverted people of the world do many things which are entirely right and proper and the apostle Paul does not mean that in such matters we should try to be different. In fact Christ goes so far as to say, “The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” (Luke 16:8) So it is sometimes possible to learn a good lesson from the world.
But someone will ask: “Does not the 'renewing of the mind,' also shows itself outwardly?” Yes, it does. Not in that it puts us into subjection to man-made ordinances and traditions or to self-righteous customs, but it works an inward modesty which expresses itself in outward moderation and in obedience to the doctrine of Christ.
The fruits of the “renewing of the mind,” which are visible to the eye, however, are of minor importance when compared with the invisible qualities of the heart, such as faith, hope, love, patience, moderation, purity, humility, peaceableness, modesty, kindness, forbearance, gentleness, cheerfulness, unselfishness, loyalty, constancy and self-control. These are the true marks of unworldliness which adorn the Christian character and make him to differ from the world. These things are what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote, “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of the mind.”
One more important thought we must add: Let no one think he can accomplish this non-conformity to the world and “the renewing of the mind” through his own will and through his own strength. That is the work of the grace of God. It is possible for all to attain who seek it through the grace of God in Christ, who are willing that Christ shall rule in them and over them.