There's a whole lot of stinkin' thinkin' going on?
"Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Rom. 12:2).
This brother and [had only met a short time ago, yet something seemed quite obvious. Just listen awhile and many times you will learn something. As we drove through the Texas countryside, I listened to him talk. This former pastor revealed a serious flaw in his thinking. Beside the highway was a cliff and rock formation. He pointed out the different shades and colors in the rock layers. Then the tell-tale comment was made. "That occurred over a 100,000 years ago." Now maybe that statement means very little to you, but to me it spoke volumes. Many of the decisions made by that man over the years could be interpreted by the thinking represented by...that statement.
More than once, from good people, have I heard such thinking. Years ago, my wife and I were eating lunch with a. fine Bible believing, soul-winning pastor. Stretching for miles just outside the restaurant window was a beautiful valley. Describing this part of Wyoming, the pastor's wife said, "Over 100,000 years ago, this valley was covered in water."
Born again, blood washed children of God, who seem to have their Bible Doctrine in order yet are seriously influenced in their practical everyday thinking by the philosophies of this world. It's as if they possess a split brain. In one compartment they house all the Bible, church and Christian thinking. Then in this other compartment is stored all the worlds thinking, which often includes elements of the personal e.g. family, finance, career, etc. Interestingly enough decision-making becomes muddled. The two compartments spill over into each other causing a very distorted Christian view of this world. They seem to randomly go to the two compartments to pick and choose. For decision making they apply a little Bible and a little of the world's thinking to arrive at their conclusion. From one compartment a little Bible thinking mixed with a little worldly thinking from the other compartment and voila - they have made the right choice. Or have they?
Tread this statement the other day - "Sometimes you must do a little wrong to do right." Have you ever heard anyone say, "Well, that's just the way, business is done, everybody understands that"? Or how about, "The check is in the mail," when the check is not in the mail or possibly has not even been written. One businessman said, "I would rather do business with a lost man that a Christian. I can expect the lost man to lie to me, but when the Christian treats me the same way the lost does, well..."
Christians dress like the world, listen to the world's music (perform it in the church even) entertain like the world, do business like the world, think like the world -for cryin' out loud, have you read the Bible? "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (IJn. 2:15). "Christians" and "the church" today have fallen in love with this world. If the heart is filled with love for this world, the love of the Father does not exist in that heart. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world"(IJn. 2:16). Explain to me how it could be possible for the love of this world and the love of the Father to abide in the same heart. Don't waste your time or mine—it is IMPOSSIBLE. The church is trying to put a pearl in the snout of the worldly soaked swine and call them by another name. It cannot be so.
"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you" (I Jn 3:13). Is the world your friend? Do you have a love affair with this sin cursed world? Truly if you are a child of God, this world will not love you, it will hate you and you will not love the world nor the things that are in the world.
Herein lies the indictment. Beware of stinkin' thinkin'! Have you been transformed by the renewing of your mind? We are commanded, "Be not conformed to this world. . ." The Greek word "Conformed" in Romans 12:2 is suschëmatizö meaning to fashion alike, conform to the same pattern, fashion self-according to this world. I see free will here. We have a choice not to fashion ourselves after this world, the times, styles, patterns and philosophies of this world. It is a choice of how you determine to fashions elf —yourself. The church has swallowed this worldly sales job hook-line and sinker. We do not have to follow the thinking: of this world. W6 have a choice. God does not need the world's marketing. techniques, its throbbing music, or hyped-up programs and, showmanship to win the lost.
No, the church service is not to be some dead dry funeral dirge. No Christianity does not need to be portrayed as some boring stiff stick-in-the-mud. With the Biblical dynamite of God, I am a two-edged sword welding Holy Ghost empowered child of the kingdom who knows where I came from, who I am and where I'm going. I have got the peace that passeth all, understanding, the love of heaven in my soul, a song in my heart, and joy in my step. There's no credit limit on my treasure account and have I got a message to TELL TO THE NATIONS!
"Come out from among them..." (Read II Cor. 6:17). Separation, personally and in the ministry as well is taught in II Cor. 6:14-18 and applies to all believers. "Be not conformed to this world" —that's the command. Earlier in Romans 8:29 Paul speaks of being "conformed to the image of His Son. We are not to be conformed (suschëmatizö ) fashioned like this world, but we are to be conformed (Greek: summorphos) to the image of Jesus Christ. This speaks of a union with jointly formed or to be like Jesus. We preachers may apply Romans 8:28 in an effort to comfort someone when in reality that individual is out of the will of God and far from His purpose. Yes, "All things work together for good to them:"
1. that love God,"
2. to them who are the called according to His purpose."
To abide in His PURPOSE is to know His Promise. Apart from that may very well be chastening, correction to bring us in line, punishment for disobedience. The promise of Romans 8:28 belongs to those who walk in His purpose. The child of God will know the power and provision in all things that will prove to be for good "to them that love God" (not the world) and "to them who are the called according to His purpose" (not the pattern of the world). Back to Romans 12:2, Paul says "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." This is indeed a supernatural change. The Greek metamorphoo or "Metamorphosis" is a "transformation by the renewing of your mind." The mind of God transforming your thinking, your attitudes, your philosophy of life. So clear is the sharp contrast given here. BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD - BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, how? - by His Word!
In Part 2 of this article, we will take a little test to see if you are thinking Biblically. You have a foundation for your thinking. What is it? We will take the following outline and honestly look at our thinking.
1. The Brain vs. the Bible
2. Opinions vs. Omniscience
3. Evolution vs. Eternal
4. The spade vs. the Sword
5. Agnosticism vs. Authority
6. Free Thinkers vs. Truth Thinkers
Let me leave you with this provocative thought. In 1861- 1865 this country went through a period of division and defining. What was that civil war all about—the Union, slavery or what? We call Abe Lincoln the Great Emancipator. However, listen to his words:
My paramount object in. this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it: and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save this Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union ... I have here stated my purpose according to my view of official duty, and I intend not modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men, everywhere, could be free. [James Truslow Adamas, The Epic of America (Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1931), p.266].
It is recorded that Lincoln was truly Born Again just prior to his assassination. If that is so, what kind of mind/thinking would Mr. Lincoln have possessed as an unregenerate religious thinker? Arguably one of the greatest presidents ever, yet without a transformed mind could he have possibly assimilated all the facts, yea, all the truth, and lead this country as best needed in such a dire hour? Woodrow Wilson surmised "that had the South fallen in the first few months, the status of slavery would probably have remained unchanged" ((Charles F. Pitts, Chaplains in Gray (St. John, IN., The Christian Book Gallery, 1957), p.24.))
Did some play the slave card knowing that people are often moved by the touchy, feely? Could history be written based on facts not rooted in TRUTH? During that tumultuous time, Christians, families, yes and a nation was divided. Brother would kill brother; kinfolk would go to war against each other. Ministries and denominations would splinter. This is fact, but what was the truth?
Bringing it back home today-we find good people on both sides of critical issues. How can we know the TRUTH?
-(continued in Part 2)
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