Title: Romans 12:2 Imitating the World
Content Imitated the world
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
When you say don't imitate the world, what does it mean to imitate the world? It is the opposite of being like Jesus. Because Jesus and the world are at odds with each other. The world crucified Jesus. Jesus and his disciples do not belong to the world. The spirit of this world and the spirit of God are opposed to each other. Because the world neither sees nor knows God, it cannot receive the Spirit of God.
So what is the spirit of this world? It is the tendency of man to remain in his natural nature. However, when humans stay there, the Spirit of God cannot transform them into a new one. The spirit of the world comes from the evil one. The evil one has dominion over those who have not been newly transformed by the Spirit of God.
So where is the spirit of this world revealing itself? God's Word provides the answer. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). The three characteristics of the spirit of the world are first, the desire to enjoy the world, second, the desire to possess the world, and third, the desire to have glory in the world.
But these three are essentially the same thing. The spirit of this world makes man the purpose of his life. Man makes himself the center of the world. Let all creation serve man. He seeks his own life in sight. This is the spirit of the world that serves only the self and the visible. But the Spirit of Jesus makes us live not only for our self and for the visible, but for God and the invisible.
It is terribly wrong to think that by living in friendship with the world and in opposition to God, man can lead a busy and fascinating life - that is, free from sin and injustice.
If we are only interested in worldly things, such as food, clothing, shelter, and possessions, we will be shaped as the world is. It is a mistake to try to maintain the Christian life while living only for yourself and the visible, in partnership with the world. For this reason, Christians are given the following command: “Be made in the image of Jesus, not the world.”
So, what should we do in order not to be formed in the image of the world? Continue to meditate on the scriptures given above as you read them. There are two things to notice. The first is to offer one's body as a sacrifice on the altar. In other words, to give yourself to God in order not to be like the world, this is to be conformed to the image of Jesus. We must live each day as a life dedicated to God, a life of being crucified in Christ to the world. When you do that, you will cease to be like the world.
Second, if you are changed by renewing your mind, you will know what the perfect will of God is. Our minds must grow with continuous change. This is made possible by the Holy Spirit by allowing God to guide us. Then we will be able to discern spiritually which is the will of God and which is the will of the world. Christians who want to grow and change with all their heart will not be like the world. The Spirit of God will make him like Jesus.
Jesus gave the power to overcome the world for you as a Christian. He also gave us the power to overcome the deep-seated temptation to live for ourselves. Please believe this. Believe that the Lord is the victor and you are also the victor.