Daily Christian Living

Not Conforming to This World

by Nick Bibile

Romans 12:1–2 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I. Living in the World, But Not of the World

We live in a world saturated with temptation — enticements that are exceedingly appealing to our flesh. The sights, sounds, and pleasures of this age constantly beckon us to gratify our earthly desires. Yet the apostle Paul issues a striking and urgent call: do not be conformed. The word 'conformed' in Greek is syschēmatizesthe — it means to be fashioned after, to take on the outward shape of something. The world relentlessly presses us into its mold, but God calls us to resist that pressure at every turn.

As followers of Christ, we are in the world but fundamentally not of it. We walk through this age as pilgrims and strangers, citizens of a heavenly kingdom. Our Lord Himself made this distinction unmistakably clear:

John 15:19 (NIV) If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

This separation from the world is not incidental — it is the direct result of being chosen by Christ. The hatred the world bears toward believers is, in fact, a confirmation of our election. We should not be surprised when the culture around us conflicts with our values, our speech, our priorities, and our devotion. Peter also reminded the early church of this identity:

1 Peter 2:11–12 (NIV) Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Every single day of our earthly lives, we are called to be dedicated to God — because He has set us apart as holy. Our thoughts, our words, and our actions are to be directed toward His glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

II. We Belong to Christ — Bought with a Price

A foundational truth of the Christian life is this: we are not our own. We were purchased — redeemed — at the highest conceivable cost. When we were yet sinners, spiritually dead and helpless, God did not leave us in our ruin. He sent His Son, who shed His precious blood to buy us back from the bondage of sin and death.

1 Peter 1:18–19 (NIV) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NIV) Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Because we have been so lavishly purchased, our lives are no longer our own to spend as we please. We now live and breathe for Him who gave Himself for us. This is not a burden but a glorious freedom — freedom from the slavery of sin and self. Paul captured this truth beautifully:

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

We must also heed the call to die to the old self daily — to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. The life we now live is by faith, not by sight, not by feeling, and not by the world's approval.

Romans 6:11 (NIV) In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

III. The Renewing of the Mind — Daily Transformation

Though we have been justified — declared righteous in God's sight through faith — we are not yet glorified. We still carry the flesh, with its impulses, desires, and tendency toward sin. Daily fleshly thoughts and feelings press upon us. The Christian life, therefore, requires a continuous, ongoing process of transformation. This is what Paul means by the 'renewing of your mind.'

The Greek word for 'transformed' in Romans 12:2 is metamorphousthe — the same root from which we get 'metamorphosis.' It describes not a superficial change in behavior, but a deep, inward change in the very nature of our thinking. It is a renewal — a renovation — of the mind from the inside out. And it is not a one-time event, but a daily, lifelong process:

2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

This renewal is not accomplished through human willpower or moral effort alone. We cannot transform ourselves. The great and glorious provision God has made is the Holy Spirit — the Comforter, the Parakletos — who dwells within every believer and works this transformation from within.

IV. The Holy Spirit — Our Indispensable Helper

Jesus promised His disciples that He would not leave them as orphans. He sent the Holy Spirit to convict, counsel, comfort, and conform believers to the image of Christ. It is the Spirit who applies the finished work of Christ to our hearts and minds daily.

John 16:13 (NIV) But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Galatians 5:16 (NIV) So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Two primary means by which the Holy Spirit renews the mind are the Word of God and prayer. When we meditate on Scripture, we are not merely engaging in intellectual exercise — we are feeding our souls the living bread that produces faith, wisdom, and spiritual power. The psalmist declared:

Psalm 119:11 (NIV) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Joshua 1:8 (NIV) Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

And through prayer, we draw near to God — casting our anxieties upon Him, aligning our will with His, and receiving grace to stand firm against temptation. Paul exhorts us:

Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It is through these spiritual disciplines — rooted in dependence on the Holy Spirit — that we see genuine, lasting transformation take place in our lives.

V. Crucified with Christ — The Foundation of Daily Living

The ultimate ground of all Christian living is the reality of our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. The old self — the person we were in Adam, enslaved to sin — was crucified with Christ on the cross. This is not merely a metaphor; it is a spiritual reality that defines who we are. Paul declares with triumphant clarity:

Galatians 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This verse is the heartbeat of daily Christian living. Notice the three movements: first, death — 'I have been crucified with Christ.' The old life has been put to death. Second, resurrection life — 'Christ lives in me.' The life we now live is not self-generated; it is Christ Himself living through us. Third, faith — 'the life I now live in the body, I live by faith.' Every moment of sanctification is sustained by continual, active trust in the Son of God.

This is why Paul could also say in Philippians:

Philippians 1:21 (NIV) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

And in Colossians, he extends this reality to our entire practical Christian walk:

Colossians 3:1–3 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

VI. A Daily Commitment — Clothed in Christ

Living as a Christian in this world is not a passive matter. It requires a daily, deliberate commitment — a choosing of Christ over the flesh, the kingdom of God over the kingdom of this world. Paul instructs us to put off the old self and put on the new:

Ephesians 4:22–24 (NIV) You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

And again in Romans, the daily call to wakefulness and holy warfare:

Romans 13:14 (NIV) Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Dear brothers and sisters, the world will pass away — with all its lusts and allurements. But the one who does the will of God abides forever. Let us therefore fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. Let us offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Let us not be conformed to this passing age, but be transformed, day by day, into the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — to whom be glory forever and ever.

Key Memory Verse: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." — Romans 12:2

Scripture References

Romans 12:1–2 • John 15:19 • 1 Peter 2:11–12 • 1 Corinthians 10:31 • 1 Peter 1:18–19 • 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 • 2 Corinthians 5:15 • Romans 6:11 • 2 Corinthians 4:16 • John 16:13 • Galatians 5:16 • Psalm 119:11 • Joshua 1:8 • Philippians 4:6–7 • Galatians 2:20 • Philippians 1:21 • Colossians 3:1–3 • Ephesians 4:22–24 • Romans 13:14