HOLY BIBLE 101 - CONFORMITY & Non-conformity

Sin is a degenerative condition that inflicts human beings in a creeping fashion from the flesh to the soul. From the time that Adam disobeyed God everything under the sun has waxed worse. It is evident to me and to most born-again believers that the world we live in is in a similar spiritual state like the one in Noah’s time, which was destroyed by water.

Entire kingdoms, civilizations and families from Noah’s time to now have succumbed to utter devastation because of people’s dramatic erosion into immorality, rebellion and perversion. We have examples like Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-25) and Korah (Numbers 16:30-33). Shouldn’t the thought of these be a wake-up-call to all of us? But no! People want to perpetuate depravity, insurgence and hedonism because it feels good.

The Apostle Peter wrote to the pilgrims throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, in a manner similar to how I am writing to you now. They were strangers scattered throughout five territories that were not their natural homelands. He wrote:

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (KJV)

This is a powerful exhortation. My focus here is verse 14, which says you MUST NOT fashion yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but be obedient children. This phrase ‘fashioning yourselves according to’ was translated from the Greek word SYSCHEMATIZO (Strong’s G4964). It is pronounced sü-skhā-mä-tē'-zō and refers to conforming one's self (i.e. one's mind and character) to someone else's pattern. In this case it refers to 'former lusts', a pattern that is anti-Christ.

Peter was telling these sojourners they should not fall back into the former lusts that they had been delivered from. As children of God we were delivered from some very diabolical circumstances and conditions. We MUST NOT fashion ourselves according to those former lusts that are gaining more and more acceptance in this very dark world. The Apostle Paul told the Roman Christians the same thing. He said:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)

Paul urged many things here but my focus for the purpose of this study is on the fact that we MUST NOT be conformed to this world. What is interesting is, in this scripture (it is no coincidence), the words ‘be’ and ‘conformed’ are also translated from the Greek word SYSCHEMATIZO. These three uses are the only places where the word is found in the Greek concordance of the New Testament.

Our mandate as born-again believers is crystal clear. We were delivered from conformity to the pattern of the world and cannot allow ourselves to kowtow to it anymore. The world cannot and MUST NOT determine who our associations are, where we are on the social ladder, whether or not we hold status in society, how we talk, joke, dress, or look, and more importantly, what our ideologies are or how we worship God!

The scriptures say we MUST gather the thoughts of our mind together, soberly, in everything we do, and be holy like Christ. We MUST dedicate our bodies to God and renew our minds (with God’s Word through the Holy Spirit) so that we can know what His good, acceptable and perfect will is. Mind renewal brings about transformation. This is not a mere request from the Apostles Peter and Paul but a direct command from God. We MUST obey God!

Peace!

Be SOBER, WATCH and PRAY!

Many people wonder about different aspects of prayer and wish they could grow more disciplined in their prayer life. I know for a fact that I need to be more disciplined about it. Prayer is communication with God and brings us greater intimacy with Him. We cannot be nonchalant about it because there is dynamic power in prayer. We have to be assertive and proactive.

We are urged to be sober, to watch UNTO prayer, to continue in prayer, and to watch IN prayer with thanksgiving. The following scriptures are very specific and speak to the entire person. It is remarkable when we analyse the Greek text that the scripture is urging us to be sober in mind, in spirit and in body.

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
1 Peter 4:7 (KJV)

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
Colossians 4:2 (KJV)

Let's first discuss the words UNTO and IN. In the Greek the usage of UNTO denotes going into something that has a hollow or open space relating to either place or time. It is saying we should watch and while watching, enter into prayer like you would enter into that open space. The usage of IN denotes a fixed position inside either a place or time. It is saying we should be inside prayer as if we are inside in the interior of something and we should be watching while we are in it.

In the Greek text of 1 Peter, ‘sober’ and ‘watch’ derive from different words, have different applications, but have similar meaning. The Greek word translated ‘sober’ applies to the mind in this scripture while the word translated ‘watch’ applies to the spirit. They both refer to being sound or sober. These scriptures therefore command us to be of sound mind and to be calm, collected and circumspect in spirit.

In the Greek text of Colossians, the word ‘watch’ has a different origin as well as a different application but similar meaning. It applies to the body and refers to watching in the sense of being awake and not sleeping. It has the connotation of being cautious and of giving strict attention to something. In this instance we are commanded to be cautious, to give strict attention specifically to prayer with thanksgiving, and to continue on the inside of prayer.

Now think about what all this is saying:
Be mentally and spiritually sound or sober as well as physically cautious and alert. Go into prayer as if you are inside a bubble and stay focused in prayer while you are inside. Continue to do this with thankfulness to God because the end of all things is approaching.

What a precious portrayal of sober and watchful prayer!

God Bless You!

BE SOBER

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” I Peter 5:8 (KJV)

Sober comes from the Greek word NEPHO, pronounced nā'-fō, meaning calm and collected in spirit, temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.
Vigilant derives from the Greek word GREGOREO, pronounced grā-go-re'-ō, which means to watch and not sleep, to be cautious, active.
Adversary comes from the Greek word ANTIDIKOS, pronounced än-tē'-dē-kos, meaning opponent, enemy.
Devil comes from the Greek word DIABOLOS, pronounced dē-ä'-bo-los, and refers to Satan as the calumniator, false accuser, slanderer.
Walketh derives from the Greek word PERIPATEO, pronounced pe-rē-pä-te'-ō, and literally means to live, make use of opportunities and to walk.
Devour comes from the Greek word KATAPINO, pronounced kä-tä-pē'-nō, meaning to drink down or swallow down, to destroy.

The scripture is saying that we have to be calm and collected in spirit as well as circumspect in our walk. We must be actively cautious spiritually without sleeping spiritually because Satan our slandering enemy walks around like a roaring lion seeking for opportunities to drink us down or swallow us down to Hell with him. The scripture also tells us to not give place to him.

"Neither give place to the devil." Ephesians 4:27 (KJV)

Place is TOPOS, pronounced to'-pos, meaning surrounding space, opportunity, power or occasion for acting.

As a lover of the martial arts, I sometimes train to keep my body defensively 'tight'. I train to never leave an opening for my opponent to get an effective strike in. The strikes come but they lose their damaging effect. If we translate this to our spiritual walk with Jesus the Christ, it means that we have to practice to remain in the Holy Spirit (under His influence) as much as we can.

We should try to be in constant fellowship with God. If we are not, then when the enemy attacks, we MUST seek fellowship with God immediately. When we seek God and we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit we are safe, secure, joyful, at peace and are one with our Heavenly Father. We should discipline ourselves with prayer and with reading the Word and should try to remain in this place once we are there.

Fellowshipping with God and Christ through the Holy Spirit means that we are not giving the enemy any surrounding space or opportunity to touch us.

God Bless you.