“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
AARP (The American Association Of Retired People). is the largest senior citizen political advocacy group in the USA. It offers a wide range of benefits to senior citizens. Those benefits include insurance, travel and hotel discounts, grocery discounts, retirement plans,
financial planning assistance, cell phone and natural gas discounts, job training and even movie ticket discounts.
Unfortunately for AARP they have taken a number of positions that many in their customer market do not agree with. This resulted in people not renewing their memberships or signing up at all. AARP did not want to change its positions so it changed its marketing campaign instead. Perhaps you have seen the recent AARP commercials. A very educated and rational appearing man makes the statement that while he may not agree with all that AARP does, he gets many benefits from being a member. Thus despite his disagreement over values or positions, there is much for him to gain, therefore he overlooks AARP’s more controversial positions. The implication is that if one disagrees with AARP on an issue, they should hold their nose and join because they can profit from an AARP membership even as their dues fund ungodly acts. This is self-centeredness at its worst – sell your morals if you can save a few bucks
What can we learn? We know from the book of Revelation that the church that exists before the coming of the Lord will be lukewarm. It will be hot on some commandments of God but cold on others. Like
the city of Laodicea where both water and cold water mixed together to produce tepid lukewarmness, living a compromising Christian life is repulsive to the Lord. (“I will spew you out of my mouth.”)
We must recognize the wiles of the devil as he seeks to conform us into the image of the world. The word “conform” means to squeeze into a mold. The idea of being squeezed tells us we will initially be uncomfortable. The believer has an uneasy feeling, he feels he is being asked to go along with something in his heart he knows is not consistent with God’s word. Yet the world squeezes and pressures – “go along, get along, there is benefit for you if you do.” Thus the believer is to cave – we are told we will learn to tolerate it over time. This is selling our values to the devil.
How can we stand against conformity with evil? It is not our strength summoned up in the moment of temptation that will save us. It is not even praying when we are tempted (as important as that is). Paul tells us how to prepare right now to stand against evil. Unless we “renew our minds” with God’s word, we are in jeopardy. Renew means ”a renovation, complete change for the better”. The only other time this word is used in the Bible is Titus 3:5. “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit takes the word of God and makes our mind think a new, a better way – God’s way, not the world’s way.
Satan wants believers to compromise with evil. He wants to make what God says “No” to, to look acceptable to us – not that big a deal. He has used this strategy throughout man’s history. We see it clearly in the temptations in the wilderness. You can still accomplish God’s will and just compromise a little with the evil practices of those who live round you.. The early church faced this temptation. Just throw a little incense on the altar and say Caesar is Lord”. Words don’t mean anything – do it and then go back and worship Jesus!
Compromise with evil! Sell out your beliefs if you can benefit just a little.
We must be able to discern what God’s will is. That comes from the Holy Spirit talking the word of God we put in our minds and
helping us see things the way God sees them. There is no more urgent time to read, meditate on and memorize God’s word. If
the time is short for the Lord to return, we do not want to be found compromising with an evil world system just before He returns. Like the AARP ad, the world will continue to tell us just to tolerate a little evil. Holding our noses and tolerating what we know is wrong is still sin in God’s sight.