Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to previous sermons: By the Mercies of God - Romans 12:1
I Beseech You Therefore, Brethren - Romans 12:1-2
A Living Sacrifice - Romans 12:1
Romans 12:1-2 reads, “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.”
In Romans 12:1 God the Holy Spirit pleads with us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord our God. Then in verse 2 God the Holy Spirit gives us two commands that we must obey if we are truly to present ourselves to live unto the Lord our God. The first of these two commands is found in the opening portion of the verse – “And be not conformed to this world.” The word “conformed” means “to be formed together,” that is – “to be made into the same form, or to be brought into agreement.” Brethren as God’s people we are not to have the same form as this present evil world; and we are not to be in agreement with this present evil world. We are not to think like this world thinks. We are not to feel like this world feels. We are not to behave like this world behaves. We are not to talk like this world talks. We are not to look like this world looks. We are not to have the same philosophies that this world has. We are not to have the same priorities that this world has. We are not to have the same purposes that this world has. We are not have the same desires and interests that this world has. We are not to have the same habits and activities that this world has. We are not to make our decisions like this world does. We are not to be conformed unto this world.
Yet the question might be asked – Why are we not to be conformed to this world, and how important is it to our Christian lives that we not be conformed unto this world”? God’s Holy Word reveals a great number of answers to this question, and these answers from God’s holy Word are worthy of our notice. Let us then begin to consider them.
This sermon is a companion to previous sermons: By the Mercies of God - Romans 12:1
I Beseech You Therefore, Brethren - Romans 12:1-2
A Living Sacrifice - Romans 12:1
Romans 12:1-2 reads, “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.”
In Romans 12:1 God the Holy Spirit pleads with us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord our God. Then in verse 2 God the Holy Spirit gives us two commands that we must obey if we are truly to present ourselves to live unto the Lord our God. The first of these two commands is found in the opening portion of the verse – “And be not conformed to this world.” The word “conformed” means “to be formed together,” that is – “to be made into the same form, or to be brought into agreement.” Brethren as God’s people we are not to have the same form as this present evil world; and we are not to be in agreement with this present evil world. We are not to think like this world thinks. We are not to feel like this world feels. We are not to behave like this world behaves. We are not to talk like this world talks. We are not to look like this world looks. We are not to have the same philosophies that this world has. We are not to have the same priorities that this world has. We are not to have the same purposes that this world has. We are not have the same desires and interests that this world has. We are not to have the same habits and activities that this world has. We are not to make our decisions like this world does. We are not to be conformed unto this world.
Yet the question might be asked – Why are we not to be conformed to this world, and how important is it to our Christian lives that we not be conformed unto this world”? God’s Holy Word reveals a great number of answers to this question, and these answers from God’s holy Word are worthy of our notice. Let us then begin to consider them.
Answer #1: We are not to be conformed unto this world because this world stands opposed to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In John 7:7 our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said to His unbelieving brothers, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” Again in John 15:18 our Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” In the opening portion of Isaiah 53:3, God’s Word declares, “He is despised and rejected of men.” To this 1 John 4:3 adds, “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” Brethren, the spirit of this world is an anti-Christ spirit. It is a spirit that is against Christ. It is a spirit that is opposed to Christ. Certainly, we should not be conformed to such a spirit. Certainly, we should not be like and be in agreement with a world that stands opposed to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Answer #2: We are not to be conformed unto this world because this world stands opposed to true Christianity and to the true followers of Christ.
In Matthew 10:16-22 our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake [Take notice that this persecution will come for Christ’s sake.], for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake [Again take notice that this hatred is for Christ’s name sake.]: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Again in John 15:18-21 our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” Then in John 17:14 our Lord Jesus Christ prayed unto God the Father concerning His disciples, saying, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
Even so, 1 John 4:4-6 declares, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” In addition, 1 Timothy 3:12 proclaims, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Brethren, by definition true Christianity means to “live godly in Christ Jesus.” It means to walk in the truth of God’s Holy Word. It means to stand for the Lord Jesus Christ and to follow Him. Yet this present evil world stands opposed to such things. Certainly then, we should not seek to be like and to be in agreement with this present evil world. Certainly then, we should not be “conformed to this world.”
Answer #3: We are not to be conformed unto this world because this world is willfully without God.
In John 15:18-23 our Lord Jesus Christ continued, saying to His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake [Why?], because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” Again in John 16:1-3 our Lord Jesus Christ stated unto His disciples, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you [Why?], because they have not known the Father, nor me.”
Even so, the opening portion of 1 Corinthians 1:21 declares, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God.” AGain Romans 1:28 declares, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Brethren, this present evil world is without God. They do not know God, and they do not want to know God. This present evil world does “not like to retain God in their knowledge.” As Psalm 2:1-3 reveals, this present evil world is ever seeking to cast away from them God’s authority and rule over them. They want nothing to do with God and the things of God. Certainly then, we should not be “conformed to this world.” Certainly then, we should not be like and be in agreement with a world that so willfully rejects the Lord our God.
In John 7:7 our Lord Jesus Christ Himself said to His unbelieving brothers, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” Again in John 15:18 our Lord Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” In the opening portion of Isaiah 53:3, God’s Word declares, “He is despised and rejected of men.” To this 1 John 4:3 adds, “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” Brethren, the spirit of this world is an anti-Christ spirit. It is a spirit that is against Christ. It is a spirit that is opposed to Christ. Certainly, we should not be conformed to such a spirit. Certainly, we should not be like and be in agreement with a world that stands opposed to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Answer #2: We are not to be conformed unto this world because this world stands opposed to true Christianity and to the true followers of Christ.
In Matthew 10:16-22 our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake [Take notice that this persecution will come for Christ’s sake.], for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake [Again take notice that this hatred is for Christ’s name sake.]: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Again in John 15:18-21 our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” Then in John 17:14 our Lord Jesus Christ prayed unto God the Father concerning His disciples, saying, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
Even so, 1 John 4:4-6 declares, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” In addition, 1 Timothy 3:12 proclaims, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Brethren, by definition true Christianity means to “live godly in Christ Jesus.” It means to walk in the truth of God’s Holy Word. It means to stand for the Lord Jesus Christ and to follow Him. Yet this present evil world stands opposed to such things. Certainly then, we should not seek to be like and to be in agreement with this present evil world. Certainly then, we should not be “conformed to this world.”
Answer #3: We are not to be conformed unto this world because this world is willfully without God.
In John 15:18-23 our Lord Jesus Christ continued, saying to His disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake [Why?], because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” Again in John 16:1-3 our Lord Jesus Christ stated unto His disciples, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you [Why?], because they have not known the Father, nor me.”
Even so, the opening portion of 1 Corinthians 1:21 declares, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God.” AGain Romans 1:28 declares, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Brethren, this present evil world is without God. They do not know God, and they do not want to know God. This present evil world does “not like to retain God in their knowledge.” As Psalm 2:1-3 reveals, this present evil world is ever seeking to cast away from them God’s authority and rule over them. They want nothing to do with God and the things of God. Certainly then, we should not be “conformed to this world.” Certainly then, we should not be like and be in agreement with a world that so willfully rejects the Lord our God.
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