Are you different?

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Sac49

Sac49

Senior Member
#1
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#1
There is one "theme" throughout the Bible that we often forget about. We are called to be different. We see this repeated in each of the four major sections of the Bible; the law, the prophets, the gospels and the epistles.

Leviticus 18:3 "You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices".

In the writings of the Prophets we constantly see how Isreal started to conform to those around them. God has to constantly reprimand Isreal for conforming to another society.

In Matthew 6:8 Jesus is talking about prayer but i feel this also speaks to us in other areas of our lives. "Do not be like them".

Romans 8:2 "Do not conform any longer to the paterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will".

Romans 8:2 tells us why we are to "not conform" to this world. If we are living according to this world we cannot know what Gods "good, pleasing and perfect will" is for our lives. Also, it tells us that if we are calling ourselves Christians yet are living according to the world are we really "in Christ"? We cannot be both "in Christ" and "in this world". This does not mean that we are not living in this world but it means that we are "living for this world" not "living for Christ". We cannot live for this world and expect God to cast His blessings upon us. If we are putting worldly things before God then we cannot expect God to show us what His "good, pleasing and perfect will" is.

We are a "new creation" (2 Cor 5:17) in Christ and this "new creation" cannot live according to the world. We are to be transformed by the Word of God not to conform to this world. Do others see you as "different" or do they still see the world in you?

We are called to be different.
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#2
#2
I think God changes us - to a degree but it also requires effort on our part to conform to God's way and that is the difficult part. Easier is one surrounds oneself with Godly people but that is hardly practical when the "normal" is secular. I was discussing this with my pastor on Wednesday - I don't see another Christian from one Sunday to the next in an average week, it's like fighting with the enemy in my thinking, my work and just about everything else I do. I try to be different but more often than not I blend in with my surroundings and It's a constant source of concern to me.
 
Sac49

Sac49

Senior Member
#3
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#3
MadParrotWoman said:
I think God changes us - to a degree but it also requires effort on our part to conform to God's way and that is the difficult part. Easier is one surrounds oneself with Godly people but that is hardly practical when the "normal" is secular. I was discussing this with my pastor on Wednesday - I don't see another Christian from one Sunday to the next in an average week, it's like fighting with the enemy in my thinking, my work and just about everything else I do. I try to be different but more often than not I blend in with my surroundings and It's a constant source of concern to me.
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You are correct in that it is God who changes us but we also play a role in this transformation. We must actively strive to be diffetent and we must allow God to change us. If we fight God in an area that He is working on then we wont see a difference. Its not easy to allow God to remove things that we dont think "are all that bad". Are we really willing to allow God to change us or do we want to hold on too certain things? Because of our "sin nature" it isnt easy to change from something we have lived with for so long. Constant prayer to God for that change is a must. If we dont confess to God then He will not change us because He wont "force" Himself upon us. We must be willing to change.
 
Angela53510

Angela53510

Senior Member
#4
Jan 24, 2011
11,780
2,943
113
#4
And yet in so many churches, we are called to be the same. I was told how to dress, how to cut my hair and wear my makeup and how to be in relationship to my husband. This was when I was a new Christian, but very close to God.

I prayed as to whether this was God's real will for me - to conform outwardly to these strange non-biblical standards. God answered me by showing a small conflict in what people had been pressuring me to do. He asked me how does my husband like my hair. I answered that he liked it long. And then I was asked, so what did these people tell you to do? Cut my hair short and obey my husband. I obviously couldn't do both.

That is when I first began to realize that the outward standards were not God's standards. God wanted me to shine from within and to be a witness to what he had done for me. I couldn't do that as an early 1980's Chrisitan female clone.

So many years later, I am finally in a church, where I am not pressured to come to scrap booking sessions (lucky for me I had two strong Christian women friends that were part of a Bible study I taught, and none of us wanted to do this!) or be the little wifey serving in the kitchen. Not that those things are wrong in themselves at all. Just that we do not all have to conform to that artificial contemporary view of the church. Instead, women are on the elder board, we preach and teach, and we also help in the kitchen, beside the men!

But there is that property committee! All men who like fixing the church. Or maybe none of the women want to be on that committee?

Ooops! Was this supposed to be about being different from the world, or different from the mold the church tries to force us into?
 
M

Miri

Guest
#5
#5
Angela53510 said:
And yet in so many churches, we are called to be the same. I was told how to dress, how to cut my hair and wear my makeup and how to be in relationship to my husband. This was when I was a new Christian, but very close to God.

I prayed as to whether this was God's real will for me - to conform outwardly to these strange non-biblical standards. God answered me by showing a small conflict in what people had been pressuring me to do. He asked me how does my husband like my hair. I answered that he liked it long. And then I was asked, so what did these people tell you to do? Cut my hair short and obey my husband. I obviously couldn't do both.

That is when I first began to realize that the outward standards were not God's standards. God wanted me to shine from within and to be a witness to what he had done for me. I couldn't do that as an early 1980's Chrisitan female clone.

So many years later, I am finally in a church, where I am not pressured to come to scrap booking sessions (lucky for me I had two strong Christian women friends that were part of a Bible study I taught, and none of us wanted to do this!) or be the little wifey serving in the kitchen. Not that those things are wrong in themselves at all. Just that we do not all have to conform to that artificial contemporary view of the church. Instead, women are on the elder board, we preach and teach, and we also help in the kitchen, beside the men!

But there is that property committee! All men who like fixing the church. Or maybe none of the women want to be on that committee?

Ooops! Was this supposed to be about being different from the world, or different from the mold the church tries to force us into?
Click to expand...

Both are as bad.
 
L

lastofall

Senior Member
#6
Aug 26, 2014
609
38
28
#6
The same as in followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, which nothing to do with separating ourselves from the world: being the same is another topic.

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10)
 
L

lastofall

Senior Member
#7
Aug 26, 2014
609
38
28
#7
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#8
#8
lastofall said:
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)
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So where exactly do I find these other believers you speak of? There isn't anywhere in the UK where there is more than 2% of Christians - should I move to a different country?
 
Sac49

Sac49

Senior Member
#9
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
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#9
God looks inward which is reflected outward. The world looks outward which is then reflected inward. If we have the outward "dress" of the world then our heart will have the same intentions. If our heart is transformed by God then our outward "appearance" will be that of holiness which we are to be not worldliness which the world will accept. Be Holy for I am Holy!
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#10
#10
There are several problems with being different that the bible doesn't address, since it probably wasn't as much a topic back then. The main two problems I see are:

1: Everyone is trying to be "different" in some way or another
2: Your motive for being different will always be questioned.
(I.e. If you don't think alcohol, most young Norwegians will assume it is because you are trying to loose weight, rather than being abstinent)
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#11
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#11
I live in a very liberal, humanistic area of New Jersey but I openly profess my faith in Jesus. Let me tell you, the godless liberals challenge my walk but I maintain for the most part. Yeah, I'm very different from most folks in my neck of the woods.
 
PennEd

PennEd

Senior Member
#12
Apr 22, 2013
12,945
8,664
113
#12
Utah said:
I live in a very liberal, humanistic area of New Jersey but I openly profess my faith in Jesus. Let me tell you, the godless liberals challenge my walk but I maintain for the most part. Yeah, I'm very different from most folks in my neck of the woods.
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Is there a neck of the woods in N.J. that isn't liberal, humanistic?
 
Sac49

Sac49

Senior Member
#13
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#13
Because we are human we like to be accepted by other humans. We want others to like us. From this way of thinking comes the conformity to the world. Those who are different are generaly shuned. We dont want to be pushed away by others so we instead follow what they do. How often have we gone against our own nature just to be accepted by someone else? But when we do this we cause a division between us and God. Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit we begin to realize how being different can lead to a better life. The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to a whole better world which we would have never seen had we stayed in conformity to this world. As Paul tells us...we are transformed into something better when we follow God instead of the world.
 
M

mpaper345

Banned
#14
Feb 9, 2010
2,486
39
0
#14
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
 
Dino246

Dino246

Senior Member
#15
Jun 30, 2015
24,696
13,384
113
#15
MadParrotWoman said:
So where exactly do I find these other believers you speak of? There isn't anywhere in the UK where there is more than 2% of Christians - should I move to a different country?
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Yes, Fiji. I heard that it is over 90% Christian. Apparently Tonga is similar. I wouldn't mind joining the Bora Bora Chorus. ;)
 
M

MadParrotWoman

Guest
#16
#16
Dino246 said:
Yes, Fiji. I heard that it is over 90% Christian. Apparently Tonga is similar. I wouldn't mind joining the Bora Bora Chorus. ;)
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Hardly practical though..
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#17
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#17
PennEd said:
Is there a neck of the woods in N.J. that isn't liberal, humanistic?
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Yeah bro, southern Jersey in the Pine Barrens is pretty conservative and more Christian.
 
Sac49

Sac49

Senior Member
#18
Jun 26, 2016
582
30
0
#18
MadParrotWoman said:
So where exactly do I find these other believers you speak of? There isn't anywhere in the UK where there is more than 2% of Christians - should I move to a different country?
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At the moment i have very few friends let alone Christian friends. My life at the moment is work, home and my kids. Unless i am at work i dont really have any communication with adults other than on here. I dont get many chances to attend church let alone a Bible study because of my work schedule. But at the moment God is teaching me to be content in Him.

I know my situation is very different from yours but God may be telling you the same. Be content in the fellowship you have at the moment so i can teach you what contentment in Me is. You and i are both social people and enjoy discussing Gods Word in person. But we can learn just as much here as in person thru fellowship with other Christians. You told me to trust God and have faith in Him and He will bring you the fellowship that you need when you need it. Sometimes it is easier said than done and this is one of those times my dear friend and sister in Christ.
 
Utah

Utah

Banned
#19
Dec 1, 2014
9,701
251
0
#19
Sac49 said:
At the moment i have very few friends let alone Christian friends. My life at the moment is work, home and my kids. Unless i am at work i dont really have any communication with adults other than on here. I dont get many chances to attend church let alone a Bible study because of my work schedule. But at the moment God is teaching me to be content in Him.

I know my situation is very different from yours but God may be telling you the same. Be content in the fellowship you have at the moment so i can teach you what contentment in Me is. You and i are both social people and enjoy discussing Gods Word in person. But we can learn just as much here as in person thru fellowship with other Christians. You told me to trust God and have faith in Him and He will bring you the fellowship that you need when you need it. Sometimes it is easier said than done and this is one of those times my dear friend and sister in Christ.
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Let me know when you want to get together and fellowship. I'd be very honored to shake your hand my brother.
 
O

oldethennew

Banned
#20
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,972
113
#20
MadParrotWoman said:
So where exactly do I find these other believers you speak of? There isn't anywhere in the UK where there is more than 2% of Christians - should I move to a different country?
Click to expand...
==================================

MPW,

very often when you give your self to Jesus, He will begin to separate you from the world,
even from your own family,..this is a great 'test' that He asks of us and this will enable us
to discern just where we are in our journey in our Love for Him, and it never stops, not
for even a day...
 
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