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“And do not follow the customs of the present age, but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds, so that you may learn by experience what God’s will is–that will which is good and beautiful and perfect.” (Romans 12:2 WNT)
When it eventually dawned upon Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, that God had come down to deliver, redeem, and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt, he began to negotiate with Moses to keep them in Egypt under his dominion and influence.
Pharaoh was willing to offer the children of Israel a respite from their slavery and hard labor. But Moses rejected all Pharaoh’s offers (Exo. 8:25-28; 10:8-11, 24).
Moses rejected all Pharaoh’s offers and refused to reach any compromise with him because he knew that God wanted the children of Israel to come out of Egypt to become a holy, distinct, and peculiar nation under Jehovah’s government, a special people living and walking according to God’s laws and principles.
Having brought the children of Israel out of Egypt by His outstretched arm, God revealed His intention or purpose to them from Mount Sinai through Moses.
Exodus 19:4-6 – NKJV
4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.
5 ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
6 ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
While the children of Israel journeyed to the Promised Land, Moses constantly reminded them of God’s intention or purpose for calling them out of Egypt (Deut. 7:6-8).
God redeemed the children of Israel from the house of bondage to set them apart unto Himself as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Similarly, God has redeemed His children today from this evil world system to set them apart unto Himself as a royal priesthood and a holy nation to proclaim His praises to the world.
Apostle Peter aptly reveals this truth.
1 Peter 2:9-10 – NKJV
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
As a born-again believer, you have been called, chosen, and redeemed from this evil world system unto God. Therefore, you are not expected to live and operate like the world (the unbelievers), but Christ commands you to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.
Paul also admonishes us to refrain from following the customs of this present age.
Romans 12:1-2 – WNT
1 I plead with you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God, to present all your faculties to Him as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to Him. This with you will be an act of reasonable worship.
2 And do not follow the customs of the present age, but be transformed by the entire renewal of your minds, so that you may learn by experience what God’s will is–that will which is good and beautiful and perfect.
Sadly, having been redeemed from the house of bondage, the children of Israel never ceased to imitate the Gentiles around them. Though they were in a covenant relationship with the true and living God, they were always running after and flirting with the gods of the Gentile nations around them.
They perpetually forsook God’s commandments but adopted the Gentiles’ customs and ways of life. This is what is called “spiritual harlotry.”
Similarly, some believers today, having been redeemed from the world, like the children of Israel, are committing spiritual harlotry with the god of this world by seeking and striving to conform to and live by the values, ways, customs, maxims, principles, or standards of this present evil age.
The truth is this: the present world system is primarily under the influence of Satan. The Scripture testifies that “we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19 NKJV).
Under the devil’s influence, the system of this world is essentially characterized by lusts or fleshly cravings. The Scripture reveals, “For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16 NKJV).
The unbelievers are entirely under Satan’s sway, dominion, or influence. The Scripture describes all those walking according to the course of this world as “under the sway of the Prince of the Powers of the Air, the spirit who is now working among the sons of disobedience.” (Eph. 2:2 MNT).
Therefore, when you as a born-again believer choose to pattern or model your life after any unbeliever, regardless of his status or fame in society, his achievements in business, his successes in his career, or his influence in politics, are simply breaching your covenant relationship with God.
This is spiritual harlotry!
Beloved, if you are adopting the standards of this world to measure or determine your success and progress in life, you are spiritually flirting with the god of this world, yielding to him, and operating under his influence.
The unbelievers measure their lives by material acquisitions or possessions, successes, business accomplishments, financial incomes, or savings in the bank. However, it is wrong for you as a believer to measure your life by such standards.
As a believer in Christ, you must measure your life by God’s Word. God’s standard for your life is His Son, Jesus Christ. You are called, chosen, or predestined by God to be conformed entirely to the image or likeness of Christ (Rom. 8:29, Eph. 4:11-13).
The Scripture warns that when you are seeking and striving to please and befriend the world by adopting and conforming to the customs, values, ways, principles, or standards of the world, you are simply making yourself an enemy of God, for friendship with the world is enmity with God.
James warns against friendship with the world.
James 4:4-5 – NKJV
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
John also warns against loving the world.
1 John 2:15-17 – NKJV
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Likewise, Paul warns us against being unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – NKJV
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”
Peter also admonishes us not to conform ourselves to our former lusts.
1 Peter 1:13-16 – NKJV
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Beware of spiritual harlotry!
Prayer:
My Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for my spiritual harlotry. I disentangle myself today from the bondage of this world. I refuse to adopt the standards of this world to measure my life or conform myself to my former lusts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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