By: Lisa Wilmore
God has set a standard of living for all those who have accepted him as their Lord. Through the holy spirit, many were inspired to write a guide which helps us to live according to God’s principles. The written guide is his holy word, the Bible-which is commonly known as his basic instructions before leaving this earth. So, if God has set a standard of living for all those who believe, it behooves us to not conform to the world. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 8:2).
In essence, we must not do the things that the world does. We must decide that the world’s way is off-limits to those who have wrapped their hearts around the only true and living God. God has set a standard of living for all those who have accepted him as their Lord. Through the holy spirit, many were inspired to write a guide which helps us to live according to God’s principles. The written guide is his holy word, the Bible-which is commonly known as his basic instructions before leaving this earth. So, if God has set a standard of living for all those who believe, it behooves us to not conform to the world. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 8:2). In essence, we must not do the things that the world does. We must decide that the world’s way is off-limits to those who have wrapped their hearts around the only true and living God.
In the book of Daniel, Daniel was faced with a challenge to conform or not. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon took many of Jerusalem’s wisest men and brought them in the palace to be used for his benefit. Among those he chose were Daniel and the three Hebrew boys. Daniel and his friends were faced with the problem to conform or not when the king appointed them daily provision of his meat, and wine which he drank. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself (Daniel 1:8). Like Daniel we must commit to not conforming to temptation before it arises. It is not difficult to resist temptation when you decide to be faithful to God and commit to holy living.
Daniel and his friends decided not to conform to the king’s wishes and his customs. They did not hesitate to stick with their convictions, even before the temptation was handed to them on a silver platter. My brothers and sisters, there will be times when we are faced with decisions that are totally against the will of God. Nevertheless, as believers in Christ, we must decide before situations arise that we will not conform. We must draw the line and let the world know that we will not conform to their ways. Even though we are positioned in places that do not obey God’s word, he does not grant us permission to conform. God has called us to be a light. So, “decide not to conform”, even before the temptation arises.
