A message by Pastor Michael Palmer
Given to
September 27, 2009
Don’t Let The World
Press You Into It’s Mold
Romans 12:2
“do not be conformed”
–
from the Greek word SUSCHEMATIZO –
it means an outward expression that does not reflect what is within. It is often used as masquerading, putting on
an act, specifically by following a prescribed pattern or scheme (schema). It is transitory, impermanent, unstable. The verb is present, passive, imperative –
implies the need for continual vigilance in this area! And the passive tense implies it is something
we allow to be done to us, on us, in us, etc. And the imperative is a command, this
is not optional for the true believer.
This
desire to shun the world is in every Christian.
The true believer is never comfortable with the world. But as we will see, we all need to be
continually educated in our inner man (mind, will, emotion) to the Truth and
the way of holiness. The consciousness
of the Christian can be seared, the mind of the Christian may not be developed
in sound doctrine and therefore he/she may have a lack of discernment; this can
be very dangerous.
“to this world” –
aion = this age
Kenneth Wuest quotes two others in
his comments on this word; it is very insightful so I put the whole quote here
for you: “The world ‘world’ is aion,
which Trench defines as follows” “All
that floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses,
aims, aspirations, at any time current in the world which is may be impossible
to seize and accurately define, but which constitute a most real and effective
power, being the moral, or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our
lives we inhale, again inevitably to exhale, --all this is included in the aion
(age), which is, as Bengel has expressed it, the subtle informing spirit of the
cosmos or world of men who are living alienated and apart from God.” The Germans have a word for it, the zeitgeist
or spirit of the age. This masquerade
costume which saints sometimes put on, hides the Lord Jesus living in the heart
of the Christian, and is an opaque covering through which the Holy Spirit
cannot radiate the beauty of the Lord Jesus.
The world says to that kind of a saint, “The modernism of your
appearance nullifies the fundamentalism of your doctrine.”
FOUR KEY EXPRESSIONS OF WORLDLINESS
SECULARISM = “The Cosmos Is All That Is”
HUMANISM = “You Will Be Like God”
RELATIVISM – truth is relative; there
are no absolutes
MATERIALISM: “Be As Healthy As You
Can, Live As Long As You Can, Get As Rich As You Can”
“but be transformed”
– METAMORPHOOMAI –
A present passive imperative – a
continual action and a command to allow ourselves to be transformed in our
inner man by the truth and Person and power of Almighty God (Jesus and the Holy
Spirit). The same word was used of Jesus
on the Mount of Transfiguration i.e. – the very nature of Jesus shown through
as He was literally glowing! When we are
transformed, we let the Holy Spirit in us (our new nature) touch and change
every facet of our being into Christ likeness.
“by the renewing of
your mind”
Renewing = ANAKAINOSIS = new of a
different kind! Restoration of the
divine image. A renovation, a renewal, a
complete change for the better!
your mind
The world has so incirculated us
that we are a generation that has forgotten how to use and cultivate our
minds. We have been dumbed down and
desensitized.
We renew our mind through
understanding and applying SOUND DOCTRINE and having a BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW.
There is POWER in the Word of God. We
need God’s Word to saturate our minds so we can battle the incessant cry of the
worlds false standards.
FIVE KEY DOCTRINES
THE DOCTRINE OF
REVELATION (The Bible)
THE DOCTRINE OF MAN
- man has
·
Personality
·
Morality
·
Spirituality
THE DOCTRINE OF THE
FALL
THE DOCTRINE OF
CHRIST – Person and Work of Christ
THE DOCTRINE OF
REDEMPTION – Jesus Christ the Only Way to be saved
“that you may prove”
– DOKIMAZO –
To put to the test for the purpose
of approving and finding that the thing tested meets the specification laid
down, to put one’s approval on it.
“what is that good,
acceptable and perfect”
perfect = telios – a view towards
the end; it is the long view – complete
“will of God” -
The world is working
hard to press you into its mold.
Our challenge and
God’s command is that we do not allow the world to press us into it’s mold.
We can be
transformed if we will yield to Christ and intentionally saturate our minds
(our whole being) with the things of God.
·
It
requires release (the heart) to Him
·
It
requires effort
·
It
requires engagement of our minds
·
It
requires sound doctrine
GOD DOES HAVE A
GENERAL AND SPECIFIC WILL FOR YOUR LIFE
·
When
you allow Him to have your life and He begins to change you . . . you find out
His will is good, acceptable, perfect
·
If
you are saved, you should want this process to be ongoing
·
The
issue is the heart
·
We
can trust the Lord and His purpose for our lives!
Would you let Jesus
have all of your life today?