Conformity — The World or God? - Lee Brainard

Conformity. Everybody does it. We conform to the standards and practices of our identity group — whether culture or sub-culture or counter-culture. Even those non-conformists rebelling against the standards of family, or church, or society are heartily conforming to their favorite non-conformists. We may conform out of convenience or conviction, pleasure or profit. But conform we will. Conforming is an integral part of humanity. We are social creatures.

While the fact of conforming is human nature, the what of conforming is a matter of morality — a matter of choice. The Bible exhorts us, “Be not conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” And again, “Be imitators of God.” God wants man to be conformed to himself — to his character and ways, not to the character and ways of the world.

How can we do that? There are two ways. We can conform with the same superficial conformity we engage in when we conform to the world. This may please some religious segment of the world, but not God. Our heart direction will not be changed. It will still be aimed worldward, not Godward. But if we conform by God’s chosen method, the NEW BIRTH, our heart will be changed. We will have a God-conforming mindset in a God-ignoring world. (Read John 3).

~Lee Brainard, May 23, 2015