Tuesday, April 2, 2024
A Spiritually Bankrupt Culture
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)
The culture in which we live today is spiritually bankrupt and hostile to God. We’re living in a world that is hostile to our faith and values as followers of Jesus Christ.
That is why the Bible says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world” (1 John 2:15-16 NLT).
As Christians living in a culture that is hostile to our faith, it is tempting for us to try to fit in and not stand out as people who really believe in Jesus, as people who hold certain values. But if you are a child of God, then don’t hide it. Be proud of it.
In this day when it’s acceptable to openly mock and deride Christians, it is a real temptation to not stand up for what you believe.
Yet the Bible tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NLT).
Instead of being squeezed into the mold of the world, we are to fill our minds with the things of God. We’re to fill our lives with the things that will build us up spiritually. If we do this, God says that He will reveal His will.
This is called a conditional promise. We need to do our part, and thus God will do His. And if we do not do our part, then He will not do His. If you are not willing to “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think,” then don’t expect to know God’s will for your life.
But if you are willing to take these steps and make this commitment, then God promises that He will reveal to you His good and pleasing and perfect will. And God’s will for you is always good. The psalmist David reminds us, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8 NLT). Remember that God is good.
Some people have a warped concept of God as being some kind of celestial party pooper in Heaven. They think that God is waiting for them to surrender their lives to Him so that He can make them miserable. However, that is a warped concept of our heavenly Father. His plan for you is good. It is perfect. And it is better than your plan for yourself.
If God gives you many years in life, I think you’ll find, in retrospect, that you were glad you walked in the will of God. I can also guarantee that you’ll regret it if you don’t.
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