Are you being conformed or transformed? It’s a question I heard a preacher ask not too long ago. The question is both cutting and convicting and should lead to a healthy dose of self-reflection. If we give our lives to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will begin the work of transforming us into the image of Christ.
However, if we give ourselves over to the pursuits of pleasure, success, and happiness, the spirit of the age will be at work conforming us to the things of this world. Depending on our choices, our lives will reflect either the Holy God or the evil devil. Being transformed leads to eternal life, while being conformed leads to eternal damnation.
Being conformed or transformed are both daily choices. Every day we get to choose the direction we will go. In God’s love and providence, He has given us free will. He will not force transformation on anyone. We must seek it by devoting our lives to Him. But be warned, becoming transformed while living in a world that demands and rewards conformity will not be easy. Transformed people make the conformed uncomfortable. Peter tells us we are called to be peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). The life of a disciple will never be widely praised or admired. More likely, we will be mocked and despised.
To be conformed to this world is the easier path. You’ll face little resistance from those around you, and the pleasures of this world will always be before you. However, the ease of conformity never lasts long. The consequences of sin will catch up to everyone. When death comes calling, all the conformity in the world will not save your soul. Your opportunity for transformation will be over. The window will close and you’ll be on the outside looking in.
Conformity is not an option for a follower of Jesus. To be conformed to the world is to love the things of this world. The apostle John minces no words on this subject. He plainly states if we love the things of the world, the love of God is not in us (1 John 2:15). There’s no wiggle room or middle ground here. You love the world or you love God. Either you are being conformed or you are being transformed. You cannot have it both ways. The way you live will be determined by the one you choose to serve.
Looking at your life (as I look at mine), are you being conformed or transformed? Do you spend your time in pursuit of money, fame, pleasure, entertainment, and happiness? Or are your days spent pursuing the knowledge and character of God? Your focus will either be on today or tomorrow. Followers of Jesus are always looking forward to His return. They don’t care about what happens to them in this life, only the one to come.
Don’t fall for the lies of Satan. Jesus did not conform to the culture of His day, and neither should we conform to the whims of society today. Jesus is all that matters. Nothing you acquire, achieve, or experience in this life is worth your eternal destiny. Jesus died to provide a way for you to live eternally in His presence, free from sin, free from pain, and full of joy. Satan’s alternative is torment, sorrow, regret, and eternal loneliness. Don’t take the easy way out and choose the wide path. Don’t waste your life conforming to the world. Find your life in the transforming work of God.