“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
We all live in a relationship with something. What we surround ourselves with has some influence on our lives. Whether it is other people, what we read, or what we listen to, it all has an impact on our thinking.
For many people, it is our society or our culture that is used to define us. People measure their lives by what others think. As a result, people are left to feel inadequate or at least confused. Our youth are often depressed and without direction. People are always reaching for more and are never satisfied. Our world, much like the Roman world Paul is speaking to, is falling apart. After all, we live in a sinful, fallen world.
I remember witnessing to a man many years ago. He saw no need to consider church. He pointed out to me that another man we both knew attended church every Sunday, but lived a very sinful life on the other six days of the week. He said that if that man got into heaven, he should have no problem being accepted there. Of course, he was comparing his life to another person. He was judging his own life by man’s view, not God’s view. If we use another person, our society, or our culture to determine what is right or wrong, we are making a mistake. If we compare our life to that of Jesus, we will all fall short. Yet God gives us a solution.
If we measure ourselves by God’s principles, we learn to see ourselves by His perspective. We learn to see clearly with greater understanding. We learn to see our sinful nature thus realizing that we are in need of a Savior. We learn that God loves us more than we could ever comprehend, as demonstrated by the fact that He gave His Son on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
Each of us have a choice. Who will we allow to guide our thoughts? Will it be a lost and sin filled world, or will it be The Holy Spirit? May we keep our thoughts on the things of God, so that we can live the lives the way that God has intended for each of us.
Scott Kinnick – CBC Executive Board member
