Disciple of the world

Stuart L. Brogden 14 Jan 2006

Romans 12:1 – 2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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.”

What does it mean to be “conformed to this world”? A person so characterized could rightly be called a disciple of the world. Let’s look at few common behaviors and examine the heartbeat that they often reflect.

1.) A Google search on the term, “financial security” returned over 2.5 million links. Lots of people are anxious about their finances and many are making money writing and selling information to put folks at ease. Nothing wrong with planning for one’s future – but we must recognize the tendency we have to cross a line and elevate that concern too high. God says to not trust in “uncertain riches” (1 Timothy 6:1); in the parable of the rich farmer (Luke 12:16 – 21), He tells us “he that lays up treasure for himself, is not rich toward God.” And we are warned in 1 Timothy 6:9 “those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”

In the verses preceding that warning we are told, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

Is your mind renewed on God’s Word regarding finances, or are you conformed to the world’s value system? A disciple of the world trusts in his investments more than the Lord of heaven. His god is money.

2.) Marriage is also a hot topic of discussion in the world today. Can two men get married? How about two women? Or three? Among the top 5 Google links on marriage is the “Alternatives to Marriage Project” – a group of folks who think it is wrong that marriage is confined between one man and one woman. Several main-line church organizations have been accepting and supporting homosexual “marriage” – as if there were such a thing.

God created marriage and man cannot change the definition simply to satisfy his whim for sin. Matthew 19 is normally – and rightfully – discussed in the matter of divorce: “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” But I submit another way the world tries to “put asunder” what God has created is to claim two men or two women can marry. Indeed, a British woman took part in a “marriage ceremony” with a dolphin earlier this month in Israel.

Is your mind focused on the Word of God or do you use the word “divorce” as a weapon? A disciple of the world thinks he owed a partner that makes him happy and trades up or over until he finds such or dies. His god is his fleshly desires.

3.) Work is an honorable task. We have the privilege of living in a country with perhaps the highest standard of living in history – and certainly with the lowest cost/benefit ratio. Yet we often are addicted to work – the satisfaction of achievement, increasing salary or position, wielding influence, or being well thought of by others.

The Bible has good things to say about work. Solomon advises, “every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.” And Paul tells us in1 Timothy 5:3 – 8 that taking care of our family comes before taking care of the poor in our church, ” But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

Are your efforts at work honorable before God or are you working yourself hard to please yourself and your earthly masters, no matter the cost to your family or your relationship with the Lord? A disciple of the world thinks the opinions of men and material stuff will satisfy his desire to be significant. His god is his ego.

4.) Priorities reflect what our words do not – our honest appraisal of what is important. How we spend the time allotted us is the universal measurement. Talk is cheap, time and actions are not – and they reflect what your true priorities are. What is your highest priority? Worldly success or security? The applause of men? Convenience and amusement? My perception is more church going men are more familiar with their fantasy sports teams than with the content of the Bible. Perhaps you – or I – have another god that we treasure but dare not speak of it in those terms.

God tells us to have no other gods before Him – no higher priority. Is the sports page more important than the Bible – not according to your words, but your actions? When you lay down at night, are you satisfied a good deal of the time that this day was lived in surrender to Christ Jesus? If not – what are you willing to do about it?

Ephesians 2:1 – 10 gives us a short reminder of how not to live and how to live: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We were created and given new life in Christ to glorify God with our lives, to do the good works He has set out for us. Nowhere in scripture are we instructed to please ourselves. Many things and attitudes we pursue in honor of Christ will please us – but that’s a side benefit. The aim is to please God; He will often give us joy in the doing.

In my life, too often I am willfully disobedient, rather than willingly submissive to the Word and Spirit of the most high God. I must regularly remind myself and discipline myself to focus on the Lord and not the deceptive earthly rewards and pleasures that are, in truth, simply dirty ashtrays cleverly disguised.

It’s been well said – Sin will take you farther than you ever intended to go, keep you longer than you ever intended to stay, and cost you more than you ever intended to pay. Yet be not fooled – neither Satan nor your sinful flesh can make you do anything. We are occasionally “taken unawares” but mostly simply willfully disobedient.

The Bible calls Saints of God, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.

Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.” (1 Peter 2:9 – 12).

Our chief end – or reason for being on planet Earth – is to glorify God. No one will do this by accident or by default. Your flesh, the world and its prince will sweep you down stream before you wake up. We who are in Christ are equipped for victory and, through His Spirit we can live honorably. One of my favorite sayings – “The path of least resistance makes both men and rivers crooked”. Want to live a crooked life? Run on autopilot. You will have many regrets. One of my favorite verses of scripture – Galatians 5:16 gives us the short prescription: “Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” You will leave a Godly legacy and have few regrets. To walk in the Spirit of God entails being purposeful in our daily decisions and obedient to take captive every thought and cast down vain imaginations of the flesh that war against the spirit.

Join with the Psalmist who cried out, “Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path” (Psalms 27:11)

This is the battle to which we have been called. When your day is done, when time has run out, how will your life have answered?

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