For God, Family and Republic

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
—Romans 12:2

What does this exhortation by the Apostle Paul really mean in the life of the believer? Christians often take it for granted that we should shun the more grevious sins which should be obvious. But sin in our life can often be sins of neglect, and sins of simply embracing the ways of the world. It's easy to get caught up in the information age and wander off to a virtual oasis somewhere and fritter away time, or pursue some entertainment like a game or the latest movie or fad. Sometimes, something that would otherwise be an innocent pursuit simply becomes a time-waster, as it leads us to neglect attending to those concerns requisite for spiritual growth. Yes, I like books—history especially—and I love to read. Perhaps I have misplaced priorities in what I read. Moreover, getting caught up in the mass-media exposes us to worldliness. Watching too much television can open one's mind to all manner of foolishness, and this is just regular television I am talking about.

I guess we as believers need to see Christian liberty for just what it is, and not become beholden to either the twin perils of legalism or license. But an earnest desire to please God means that we must yield in casting off the ways of the world. I know from experience, no less than revelation, that God really begins to use us, when we make the effort to submit to his will, and embrace his commandments. I try writing this message with a straight face, realizing that my blogspot recently is litered with humor, entertainment, and my political ramblings. All of this is inconsequential from an eternal perspective. Accuse me of double-mindedness. But as Alexader Hamilton said in his final hours, "I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a sinner. I look to Him for mercy; pray for me."

In recent years, I have become less apt to think critically of those who think you should totally cut TV consumption down to a bare minimum. Years beforehand, I might think of them as some sort of legalist or pious humbug who embraces boredom. Giving up television, for example, worked for me in college and helped me to accomplish a great deal of things, and I think I was better off for tossing it aside for a long time. Yet I crept back into watching it with some regularity out of college. I reflect upon this, as I get caught up in other trivial pursuits. It shows in my recent wave of blog posts. Perhaps I wasted too much time this past weekend watching a pundit comedian when I could have been reading my Bible more. Lately, I have wasted time following news (which is in reality mass-media gossip), political wrangling, or in trivial interaction with others. I find that mass-media diversions are huge distractions, however, innocent they might be. It's almost something that needs to be cut off across the board for a while. I need a good solid work-week to keep me straight.

Christian believers often find all of the parallels to the idol Baals and Molochs in the Old Testament as trivial and irrelevant today, because they think such idolatry persists today in isolated quarters among those who embrace the occult. Yet we can make idols in our lives out of material things or an unbridled epicurean pursuit of pleasure and entertainment. Some people literally make a religion out of sports entertainment by their devotion to it.

To be sure, there are no spiritual plateaus in life, and anyone who thinks they have found one is in a dangerous place. In introspection, I really need to set my sights more spiritually-minded pursuits.

In alluding to Romans 12:2, C.H. Spurgeon exhort believers:

Even small inconsistencies are dangerous. Little thorns make great blisters, little moths destroy fine garments, and little frivolities and little rogueries will rob religion of a thousand joys. O professor, too little separated from sinners, you know not what you lose by your conformity to the world. It cuts the tendons of your strength, and makes you creep where you ought to run. Then, for your own comfort's sake, and for the sake of your growth in grace, if you be a Christian, be a Christian, and be a marked and distinct one.

Romans 12:2 has so many dimensions, and my hope and prayer is that I can progress in sanctification to be Christian that I ought to be, and the future father and husband that I should be. I must progress in sanctification to better embrace discipleship, which has been a sore spot for me recently. I can certainly find enjoyment and fulfillment in hearing others confess Christ on my testimony, and not for my own aggrandizement of pride. But rather, it's because I hope to please God, and be a part of His wonderful works. We need to take joy in spiritual pursuits. It seems a disciple of Christ feels a more profound sense of purpose when he yields to the commands to be "salt and light," and especially when he takes heed to the tenor of Romans 12, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." As of late though, not much can be said of my evangelical outreach.

It takes a step forward, and walk in faith, to renew and revitalize our thought patterns and day-to-day routine that we might shun the world's way and break out of our spiritual doldrums. We have to walk in faith, and this take cooperation on our part, in order to continue being transformed by the "renewal of your mind," through the indwelling Holy Spirit. In his famous commentary, the late Matthew Henry says of Romans 12:1-2:

He entreated the Romans, as his brethren in Christ, by the mercies of God, to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to Him. This is a powerful appeal. We receive from the Lord every day the fruits of his mercy. Let us render ourselves; all we are, all we have, all we can do: and after all, what return is it for such very rich receivings? It is acceptable to God: a reasonable service, which we are able and ready to give a reason for, and which we understand. Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind; a change, not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on this renewing work, till it is perfected in glory. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this world. Take heed of forming plans for happiness, as though it lay in the things of this world, which soon pass away. Do not fall in with the customs of those who walk in the lusts of the flesh, and mind earthly things. The work of the Holy Ghost first begins in the understanding, and is carried on to the will, affections, and conversation, till there is a change of the whole man into the likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. Thus, to be godly, is to give up ourselves to God.

This is something I need to refocus my sights on. It's ironic how confronting worldliness in the believer's life works. When we are young, and only babes in Christ, we often have too much pride to admit worldliness. Still others are judgmental of those who do admit it, and not willing to peer into their own closets. As we progress in spiritual growth, we are confronted with only deeper conviction of the perils of sin, and the necessity for spiritual growth. We must recognize that the Holy Spirit's enabling is requisite for good works, and we have to embrace the incarnate Word, and strive earnestly to be doers and not just hearers of the Word.

This week—or maybe this past month—I lost sight of my priorities and I need to renew my commitment to seek the "good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Shunning wordliness is vitally requisite for spiritual growth. So, what does it mean in the life of the believer? This is something we as Christians have to reflect upon again and again.