There is one thing that a nonconformist hates, and that is another non conformist who refuses to obey the rule of nonconformity All of us conform, conformists and nonconformists alike What do we conform to? The world conforms to the styles and practices of those who know not God They slavishly buy the latest style clothing and shoes Just because the apparel industry preys on their desire to conform to the “m” thing Even in the toy business, if a particular toy becomes popular, people will stand in line for hours and fight each other trying to buy the last one in stock
Paul tells us, “Be not conformed to this world” We should not be a slave to the fads and fashions that appeal to those around us, nor are we to conform to the world’s way of life m thoughts and in deeds Paul goes on to say we are to “be transformed by the renewing of our mind ” The Phillips translation of this verse reads “Don’t let the world around you press you into its mold”
We need to be aware of this pressure brought to bear on us by the world and fight back And we fight back by changing The word “transformed” m the KJV comes from the Greek word metamorphoo. The English word “metamorphose” comes from this same root word Every school child understands that when a fat little caterpillar turns into a beautiful colorful butterfly it has gone through metamorphosis That is, a real change.
Paul is telling us that we also need to make a radical change We need a real metamorphosis and we do it by renewing our mind We can change our ways by changing the way we think.
Again it is Paul who explains we can have the very thoughts of Christ To have the very thoughts of Christ we need to go to the same source he did, his Father’s inspired word We cannot begin to think like Christ if we allow the world around us to press us into its mold by thinking its thoughts We don’t want to conform to the world There is something, however, that we should conform to and again it is Paul who tells us about it “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren”
So we need to conform to the image of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ He’s the one we want to imitate and follow We need to fill our mind with scripture, as he did, so we can develop his very thoughts We want to change so that we are pressed into a godly mold rather than a worldly one.
Paul tells us that when Jesus comes he will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body He does not say mind because we are supposed to be transforming our mind now If we do change our mind to think like Jesus, then our hope may be fulfilled as we sing, “We shall be like him, 0 how rich the promise”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One