Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]." (AMP)
Do not be adapted by the ways of this world. Paul warns christians here about the lifestyle of the world we live in.
Yes it is true that because of peer pressure people end up doing things they really don't want to do, sometimes they do things just because it's the "in-thing" and everybody is doing it. Well that is dangerous especially if you are a child of God.
If I may speak of the few things that the youth found themselves into, one of them is drinking alcohol. I know some may challenge this saying Jesus did turn water into wine so it's ok to drink wine. I will explain how is it wrong.
If you are a christian, and doing this you are being rebellious against God. We all know what alcohol has done into our nation, broken families, road accidents, people find themselves in situations they would not have put themselves if they were not drunk.
The bible warns us about drunkenness "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler, and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise. Proverbs 20:1 (AMP)" This scripture warns us what wine and strong drink can do to a man. Men can end up raging and brawling and doing things in a drunken stupor that are very unwise and that they will also regret. How many times have we heard the expression when someone talks unwisely after drinking too much? They say: “That was the alcohol talking.”
Yes wine on it's own is not bad, When I say wine i speak of a drink that is alcohol free, because Jesus did not turn water into an intoxicating wine but sweet wine. To an extent that all those who tasted it said the master of ceremony kept the best wine for later. It doesn't talk about people being drunk after they have had that wine.
It is when you are drunk where things begin to be wrong and sinful and that could only be from an intoxicated drink. That is when God is not pleased.
"(KJV) 1Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." Drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Now we all know that people drink to get drunk, obviously that is against God's will. Some People drink only because it seems cool and certain people do it, that's when you are being conformed.
Another example is body piercing and tattoos. If I could ask why do people pierce their body? They would say It's just to look good. There is no harm in it, yet on the other side it poses danger to your spiritual being.
They piece their nose, tongue, stomach, multiple earrings on their ears. some even in unspeakable places. Yes they do it to look good, but the most correct answer is that everyone is doing it, and it's the "in-thing", it's trendy.
Now, I don't want anyone who has pieced or has tattoos to feel like I'm condemning them, but I want to reveal how dangerous a harm less piercing and a tattoo can be if you are not aware of the spirits beyond that. So that even if you have done it not being aware, you must pray to God to protect you from these forces behind it, and for those who were still thinking of doing it, you will know about it and don't pursue it.
What does the bible say about that?
Leviticus 19:28 “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.”
The bible warns us about doing these things.
Tattoos and body piercing originates from witchcraft. When the verse talks about doing it for the dead, that's when the witchcraft part of it comes in. Some tattoos have devilish images such as a scary skull, snake, ugly demonic image or sign and all. This without knowing, attracts evil spirits into your life. Just to have that satanic display in your body is enough to make you part of that spirit.
We can see some Rock music stars with these kind of tattoos and piercings, and we can see how devilish they look. So if your life is conformed by these things you are being rebellious to God. We know that no parents in their right mind will want their child to have a tattoo. Kids have these tattoos and piercing out of rebellion of their parents. That does not please God, The bible speaks of honoring parents in Exodus 20:12 and in Colossians 3:20.
There is so much to be said about these things, but I won't mention all of it. I just want to show you how dangerous to let your life to be determined by the things of this world. It may seem harmless but it can destroy your whole life. I know some one might say, but it's just a small flower that I have as a tattoo. (Song of Solomon 2:15) says, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”
It's the little foxes that kill the whole vine, because they can't reach to the grapes so they eat the branches. Such is the case with our spiritual life, the little things we allow and do may be disastrous for us.
A simple thing like a greeting signature by your favorite movie star, or a celebration signature by your favorite soccer star. If you do not understand the meaning of those hand signs, you might find yourself inviting satanic spirits in your life. I've seen some soccer players as they celebrate after scoring a goal, that does not mean they are satanists, but they just might have seen someone they admire do it and they copied it. The same goes for you, you see your friends doing these greeting signs yet you don't know what it means but you end up doing it too because it looks cool and you want to fit in and you want feel "Macho". Only to find that it's a satanic symbol. This is why God warns us not to be conformed by the things of this world.
In verse Romans 12:1 Paul ask us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. God needs our bodies to be clean and free from all these things I've just mentioned. But it does not mean that if you've already done these things you can no longer be a child of God, as long as you repent and move away from all these things. God will accept you with that tattooed and pierced body (with the rings removed). There are a lot of christians with tattoos that are serving God in truth. They just gave their lives to God and He is working through the though they have tattoos.
If you haven't done it yet, this is the warning for you. Do not do it. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit you have to glorify God with it. Keep it clean.
How do you move away from all these things? By the transformation of your mind, that's what Romans 12:2 also says. Do not look at the things that happens in this world and try to fit in with them. If you want a beautiful life, prosperous life, it is found in God. Wealth is found in Him. The bible says in Matthew 6:33 "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." (AMP). Seek first His face and what ever you need in life it shall be given to you.
Do no be conformed by the life of this world, it's disastrous.
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