blhowes
Puritan Board Professor
1Jo 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.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I was wondering if anybody had any thoughts about how we should apply these verses in our everyday lives. How can we discern if we love the world to the exclusion of the love of the Father? What does it mean to be conformed to the world? What doesn't it mean?
I come from a tradition that sees many things as being either black or white, with few gray areas, for better or for worse. Sometimes external behaviors are used by some as cues in determining the stability or authenticity of another person's walk with the Lord. They are used to determine if somebody is following the world or is following Jesus. Coming from that tradition, I have held these views at one time and have over time been able to filter out some (hopefully most) of these views. Some I'm sure still linger.
Don't take it the wrong way, but some of the practices of many of the people on this board would have "raised a flag" in my mind and in the minds of people like me about how serious you were about your walk with the Lord. Things like smoking cigars/cigarettes, drinking alcohol, going to movies, and listening to anything but "Christian music" just wouldn't cut it.
Well, praise the Lord God has used the people on this board to help me rethink those kinds of thoughts. He's even allowed me to loosen up a little ... PARTY !! ......(kidding).
I was just wondering how you guys/gals put these two verses into practice? We don't want to love the world in a negative sense nor do we want to be conformed to the world, but what does that mean to you - or should I say, how do other scriptures help us know where to draw the line?
Any thoughts?
Well, I've gotta go now. My beer's getting cold and its time to get another cigar.
Bob
[Edited on 7-1-2004 by blhowes]
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I was wondering if anybody had any thoughts about how we should apply these verses in our everyday lives. How can we discern if we love the world to the exclusion of the love of the Father? What does it mean to be conformed to the world? What doesn't it mean?
I come from a tradition that sees many things as being either black or white, with few gray areas, for better or for worse. Sometimes external behaviors are used by some as cues in determining the stability or authenticity of another person's walk with the Lord. They are used to determine if somebody is following the world or is following Jesus. Coming from that tradition, I have held these views at one time and have over time been able to filter out some (hopefully most) of these views. Some I'm sure still linger.
Don't take it the wrong way, but some of the practices of many of the people on this board would have "raised a flag" in my mind and in the minds of people like me about how serious you were about your walk with the Lord. Things like smoking cigars/cigarettes, drinking alcohol, going to movies, and listening to anything but "Christian music" just wouldn't cut it.
Well, praise the Lord God has used the people on this board to help me rethink those kinds of thoughts. He's even allowed me to loosen up a little ... PARTY !! ......(kidding).
I was just wondering how you guys/gals put these two verses into practice? We don't want to love the world in a negative sense nor do we want to be conformed to the world, but what does that mean to you - or should I say, how do other scriptures help us know where to draw the line?
Any thoughts?
Well, I've gotta go now. My beer's getting cold and its time to get another cigar.
Bob
[Edited on 7-1-2004 by blhowes]