Sanctified Excuses (Part 4)

April 1, 2010

Excuse #4 - We are suppose to be different from the world.

Of all the excuses I hear from pastors, this is probably the most common. Here are two verses used to support this thought.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate’, says the Lord.” 2 Cor 6:14-17

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² 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.” Rom 12:1-2

What does Paul mean when he tells us not to be “conformed to the world”? What his point when he quoted Isa 52:11 as a called to be “separate”? More importantly, what are we to separate ourselves from or avoid being conformed to and in which areas of our lives do these verse apply?  

I won’t go into a huge diatribe about these two verses because it would take too long and I would lose you as a reader very quickly. However, here is my thought: Why is it that these verses only apply to what we do inside the walls of the church? Those who use these verses as proof texting for why they won’t move to a more contemporary format in their services don’t use the same measure for their “other” life. I say “other” because it seems as if many have been able to compartmentalize their “Sunday morning life” from the rest of their “day-to-day life”. While the insides of their churches look like something from the last century, they still drive up-to-date cars, watch TV on their new HD TV, (and mind you many shows that are not very appropriate) use the latest appliances and live life to the fullest in century of which they are a part. I find it interesting that these leaders and their members are not personally committed to live separate or non-conformist lives, as least to the level they require on Sunday morning. Doesn’t that seem odd to anyone else? Isn’t that a real definition of hypocrisy? I fear many are using the church as a place to create a sense of comfort rather than commissioning. I fear many have elevated comfort as a higher value than the call to do the Great Commission work?

Maybe I am over simplifying, but it seems to me the Biblical calling to be separate or not to conform has to do with a calling not to live an ungodly, Christless, sin-filled life. I don’t believe “stuff” or methodologies of ministry were even a thought in Paul’s mind when he penned these verses. Besides if they were, then even the traditional church of today would be worldly to Paul because it looks nothing like the church of his era.

Posted 4/1/2010 in Stephen Gray | 0 Comments - Add Comment