"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." Romans 12:1-2
If giving yourself to God as a living sacrifice is the "reasonable" thing to do why don't more people do it?
And if offering yourself to God as a living sacrifice allows Him to transform you by the renewing of your mind, why aren't more people offering themselves to Him?
At least part of the answer, and I suspect a big part, is that it is easier to conform or to try to reform rather than surrendering to be transformed by a holy God.
But rather than surrender to transforming power some choose to revert to their default setting and allow their thinking, their values, their decision-making and their behavior be shaped by their sinful nature.
Paul would call that "being conformed to the world".
You are born as a sinner because your nature has been shaped by the sinfulness of Adam. Unless you choose to do something about that condition you will remain as Paul describes "conformed to the world" . And if you die that way you have no hope of making Heaven.
Since the mind that is "conformed to the world" is controlled by the sinful nature it will not recognize it's need to change and merely do what comes naturally - sin. Sin will keep you from God and it will keep you out of Heaven.
So, denying that you are really that bad of a person is a "conformed to the world" thing.
Deciding to just fit in with the ways of the world is a "conformed to the world" thing.
Choosing to "go along just to get along" is another is a 'conformed to the world" thing.
No wonder Paul emphatically states, "But do not conform to the pattern of this world".
If you were a passenger on a sinking ship at sea, would you be concerned about fitting in and being like all the other passengers?
Of course you wouldn't!
No, you would make every effort to do the reasonable thing - find a way to get off the ship and survive!
Apart from Christ, your life is a sinking ship!
If giving yourself to God as a living sacrifice is the "reasonable" thing to do why don't more people do it?
And if offering yourself to God as a living sacrifice allows Him to transform you by the renewing of your mind, why aren't more people offering themselves to Him?
At least part of the answer, and I suspect a big part, is that it is easier to conform or to try to reform rather than surrendering to be transformed by a holy God.
But rather than surrender to transforming power some choose to revert to their default setting and allow their thinking, their values, their decision-making and their behavior be shaped by their sinful nature.
Paul would call that "being conformed to the world".
You are born as a sinner because your nature has been shaped by the sinfulness of Adam. Unless you choose to do something about that condition you will remain as Paul describes "conformed to the world" . And if you die that way you have no hope of making Heaven.
Since the mind that is "conformed to the world" is controlled by the sinful nature it will not recognize it's need to change and merely do what comes naturally - sin. Sin will keep you from God and it will keep you out of Heaven.
So, denying that you are really that bad of a person is a "conformed to the world" thing.
Deciding to just fit in with the ways of the world is a "conformed to the world" thing.
Choosing to "go along just to get along" is another is a 'conformed to the world" thing.
No wonder Paul emphatically states, "But do not conform to the pattern of this world".
If you were a passenger on a sinking ship at sea, would you be concerned about fitting in and being like all the other passengers?
Of course you wouldn't!
No, you would make every effort to do the reasonable thing - find a way to get off the ship and survive!
Apart from Christ, your life is a sinking ship!
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