Brave to Live Counter-Culturally

Christians are called to be different...to live counter-culturally. We are to cease being conformed to the way of the world (worldliness) and surrender ourselves completely to Jesus to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The Greek word for "transform" is metamorphoó (meaning "to change form") from which the word "metamorphosis" derives. For example, a fuzzy, crawling caterpillar is transformed into a graceful, flying butterfly. Metamorphosis provides a wonderful illustration of the amazing spiritual transformation in a believer's life. A good example is Paul who wrote more than half the books in the New Testament. He used to be Saul who persecuted Christians. After encountering Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul was completely changed and became an effective & enthusiastic evangelist.

Spiritual transformation begins in the mind & heart and continues throughout our lives. We are gradually changed into the likeness of Christ as we spend time in intimate fellowship with Him. Our mind (thoughts and will) must be renewed by God's Word and guided by the Holy Spirit to be able to discover/understand that God's will is indeed good (for our spiritual growth), pleasing, and perfect. To know God more & more and to understand His heart/will, we must spend much time with Him in prayer and in His Word. There are no shortcuts! "This kind of transformation can occur only as the Holy Spirit changes our thinking through consistent study and meditation of Scripture. The renewed mind is one saturated with and controlled by the Word of God." (John MacArthur) It is only through God's Word that we can discern what God's will is and resist the pull of our own flesh, the Enemy, and the world. Seeing our circumstances, trials, tasks, identity as our Heavenly Father sees them changes our attitudes and actions. Think right thoughts. Think God's thoughts.

"Without the renewed mind, we will distort the Scriptures to avoid their radical commands for self-denial, and love, and purity, and supreme satisfaction in Christ alone." (John Piper) Sad but true, we have seen people, including those who appear to be "active" Christians distort the Scriptures to justify their sins, to serve their own agendas, and even to commit crimes. Satan knows the Scriptures. Most atheists know the Scriptures. Pharisees and false teachers know the Scriptures. What do they all have in common? The lack of the renewed mind (and transformed heart)! "The difference between worldliness and godliness is a renewed mind." (Erwin W. Lutzer) 

Christians are called to quit acting like the world and stop embracing the world's values which are self-centered and corrupting. We will never influence the world for Christ by trying to be like it. We're a new creation in Christ. We no longer think the way our old self thinks or the way the world thinks; we are to embrace the mind and the attitudes of Christ. Our old way of thinking and living has gone, being replaced with the new way of thinking and living according to God's Word. "When they see a follower of Jesus who is sold out for Christ, living free of legalism and bondage to the world, they are drawn to Jesus. When they see a follower of Jesus living for 'self' and the world, they have no problem rejecting Jesus because it allows them to play the hypocrite card. The world needs us to be an example of living the Bible so that they too are drawn to Christ. They need answers, and for us to say we are "Christians" and live our life in pursuit of personal gain would only be a contradiction to who we say we follow. " (David McGee)

"Conformity to the world, in all ages, has proved the ruin of the church!" (Rowland Hill) We live in a culture that bombards us with non-Biblical messages. Worldly pleasures are enticing and deceiving. We must prayerfully guard ourselves and our children. We must teach our children that God's Word is the final authority for our faith and practice and teach them to be like the Bereans (look up what God says about any given thing). 

“Farewell, vain world; my soul bids you adieu.
My Savior taught me to abandon you.
Your charms may gratify a sensual mind,
but cannot please a soul for God designed.”

(David Brainerd)

Prayer: Abba Father, please mold me and make me be more like Christ every day. Please renew my mind to reflect Your mind/Your thoughts/Your will. Please give me the strength to remain steadfast in faith and in pursuit of holiness. Please protect my children, my husband, and me from the enemy's lies, the world's lures, and the fleshly desires. Please empower my children to resist the negative peer pressure and immorality of the society in which we live and to hold true to the values they learn from Your Word. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen!