What Does It Mean Do Not Conform To The Pattern Of This World

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

In a world where social norms, cultural standards, and societal pressures can feel all-consuming, it's easy to find ourselves conforming to the pattern of this world without even realizing it.

But as followers of Christ, we are called to live differently - to reject the status quo and instead embrace a life that is transformed by the renewing of our minds.

See also: Cling To What Is Good

By refusing to conform to the pattern of this world, we open ourselves up to a new way of living, one that is grounded in love, faith, and obedience to God.

So let us break free from the constraints of conformity and embrace the freedom that comes with living according to God's perfect will.

Do Not Conform To The Pattern Of This World Meaning

Not conforming to the world means resisting the pressure to adopt the values, beliefs, and behaviors of society that contradict or go against God's will. It means that as Christians, we are called to live our lives in a way that is distinct from the ways of the world, following the teachings of Jesus and seeking to honor God in all that we do.

This often requires us to make unpopular or challenging choices as we seek to uphold God's truth and love rather than the world's fleeting and often misguided desires. By not conforming to the world, we can live a truly fulfilling, purposeful, and pleasing life to God.

How Can We Avoid Conforming To The World?

Avoiding conformity to the world is not always an easy task, but here are a few ways that can help us in our pursuit of living a life that is distinct and honoring to God:

1. Renew our minds: We can renew our minds by reading and meditating on God's Word, which helps us to understand His will and truth. This will enable us to recognize when the world's values and beliefs conflict with God's truth and empower us to resist conformity.
2. Surround ourselves with like-minded believers: We should seek fellowship with other believers who share our commitment to living according to God's Word. This can provide us with support, encouragement, and accountability as we navigate the challenges of living in a world that is often at odds with our faith.
3. Guard our hearts: We need to be vigilant in guarding our hearts against the influences of the world. This means being intentional about what we allow into our minds and hearts through media, entertainment, and relationships.
4. Live a life of love: Jesus taught us to love one another, even our enemies. By choosing to love and serve others, we can break free from the self-centered values of the world and demonstrate the transformative power of Christ's love.
5. Seek God's guidance and wisdom: We need to seek God's guidance and wisdom in all areas of our lives. Through prayer, we can seek His direction and strength to resist the pressures of the world and live a life that honors Him.

The Benefits Of Not Conforming To The World

Choosing not to conform to the world can bring about many benefits in our lives, both spiritually and practically. Here are some of the benefits:

1. Pleasing God: When we choose to follow God's ways instead of the ways of the world, we are able to please Him and honor His will for our lives.
2. Inner peace: Following the world's ways can lead to stress, anxiety, and a lack of peace. However, choosing to live according to God's ways can bring about inner peace and contentment.
3. Clarity of purpose: When we are not swayed by the world's values and beliefs, we are better able to discern God's purpose for our lives and follow His plan.
4. Positive impact: Our refusal to conform to the world can inspire others to seek a deeper relationship with God and live a life that honors Him. Our actions can have a positive impact on those around us.
5. Eternal rewards: By living a life that is pleasing to God, we can look forward to eternal rewards in heaven. As Jesus said, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it." (Mark 8:35)

How To Encourage Others To Not Conform To The World

Encouraging others to not conform to the world can be a powerful way to help them live a life that is honoring to God. Here are some ways to encourage others:

1. Set a good example: We can model what it looks like to live a life that is not conformed to the world. By demonstrating a commitment to following God's ways, we can inspire others to do the same.
2. Share personal experiences: Sharing our own experiences of how following God's ways has positively impacted our lives can be a powerful testimony and encouragement to others.
3. Speak truth in love: When we see someone conforming to the world, we can speak truth in love and encourage them to turn back to God's ways. We should always be gentle and respectful, seeking to build up rather than tear down.
4. Pray for them: Praying for others can be a powerful way to encourage them. We can pray for wisdom, guidance, and strength as they seek to follow God's ways.
5. Provide support and accountability: We can provide support and accountability to those who are seeking to live a life that is honoring to God. This may involve checking in with them regularly, sharing resources, or helping them find a community of believers who can offer support and encouragement.

Examples Of Those Who Did Not Conform To The World

There have been many individuals in the Bible who chose not to conform to the world and instead follow God's ways:

1. Noah: In a world full of wickedness and corruption, Noah chose to obey God's command to build an ark and save his family and the animals from the flood.
2. Abraham: Abraham chose to leave his home and family to follow God's call to a new land, even though he didn't know where he was going.
3. Daniel: Despite being taken captive and forced to serve in a foreign land with pagan practices, Daniel refused to conform and instead remained faithful to God's ways.
4. Esther: Esther risked her own life to save her people, the Jews, from being killed by the king's decree, even though it meant going against the customs and laws of the land.
5. Jesus: Jesus lived a life that was not conformed to the world, choosing to love and serve others, even those who were considered outcasts and sinners. He ultimately gave His life on the cross for the salvation of humanity.
6. Paul: Paul was a devout follower of God's ways, even in the face of persecution and imprisonment. He travelled extensively, spreading the gospel and encouraging others to live a life that honors God.

What Happens When We Choose To Conform To The World?

When we choose to conform to the world, we can experience a number of negative consequences that can have a significant impact on our lives. Here are some of the things that can happen:

1. Loss of spiritual focus: When we conform to the world, we can lose our spiritual focus and become more focused on material things and the desires of the flesh.
2. Compromising values: Conforming to the world can lead us to compromise our values and beliefs in order to fit in or be accepted by others.
3. Conflict with God's ways: The world's ways are often in conflict with God's ways, and when we conform to the world, we can find ourselves in opposition to God's will for our lives.
4. Damage to relationships: Our decision to conform to the world can damage our relationships with God and with others who are seeking to live a life that honors God.
5. Negative influence on others: When we conform to the world, we can negatively influence those around us and lead them away from God's ways.
6. Loss of eternal rewards: Choosing to conform to the world can lead us away from the path that God has for us, resulting in a loss of eternal rewards.

Bible Verses About Not Conforming To The World

1. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
2. James 1:27 - "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
3. 1 John 2:15-17 - "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."
4. Ephesians 4:22-24 - "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
5. 1 Peter 2:11-12 - "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
6. Galatians 1:10 - "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
7. 1 Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
8. Colossians 2:8 - "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ."
9. Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
10. Philippians 3:20 - "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."