A friend emailed me the following question. Maybe you have the same struggle. Let’s look closer at what God wants for us:

“I’ve always struggled with this verse: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” For a time, I thought I truly understood it but then I get tripped up when I read articles on it or hear different pastors preach on it. Does this verse mean that watching secular tv is wrong? Does it mean that watching movies or listening to music with potentially questionable content are a sin? Aren’t these “of the world” and consequently things that shouldn’t be a part of a Christian’s life? I’m confused! As you know, I’m a huge fan of t.v, music and film and various other cultural things (like visual art and plays) and often wonder if I am not supposed to partake in them.”

First, let’s look at this Scripture in its context:

Romans 12:1-2 (TNIV)
¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.  ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

This letter, written by the apostle Paul to the Romans, is probably the most important of his many letters. Chapter 12 is the beginning of a discourse on the practical application of our faith and the positive reform of our new life as we follow Christ.

I wanted to look at the Scripture in context because I see another difficult to understand thought besides the one my friend asked about.

Often when we read, “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice”, we look inward at what we put in our bodies and how we take care of our bodies. I believe that Paul is saying much, much, more.

In verse 1, when Paul says, “to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship”.This is a much deeper thought than one might think. Worship is the act of praising God. It’s an expression of trust, love, loyalty and high adoration. The theologian John Stott shares with us:

 “No worship is pleasing to God which is purely inward, abstract and mystical; it must express itself in concrete acts of service performed by our bodies.”

Look at the bad things we can do with our bodies: piercing words can come from our lips, our eyes can look away from God, our hands and feet can be instruments of pain and suffering. Paul is telling us that true worship is to

John Stott goes on to tell us:

“Then our feet will walk in his paths, our lips will speak the truth and spread the gospel, our tongues will bring healing, our hands will lift up those who have fallen, and perform many mundane tasks as well like cooking and cleaning, typing and mending; our arms will embrace the lonely and the unloved, our ears will listen to the cries of the distressed, and our eyes will look humbly and patiently towards God.”

So, it’s important to understand that in worshiping God, it is not only what we put in our bodies and how we treat our bodies, but it is more importantly what we “do” with our bodies that pleases God.

NOW, let’s take a look at the next verses, the Scripture my friend had a question about:

Romans 12:1-2(TNIV)
²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I like how the translator, J.B. Phillips understands the first part of this verse:

“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God remould your minds from within.”

What Paul is telling us is not to conform, or take on the value system of this age, which leads us astray. And how can we resist conforming to the pattern of this world? By allowing ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. In other words, understand God’s values and apply them to our lives. John Stott explains:

“These two value systems (this world and God’s will) are incompatible, even in direct collision with one another. Whether we are thinking about the purpose of life or the meaning of life, about how to measure greatness or how to respond to evil, about ambition, sex, honesty, money, community, religion or anything else, the two sets of standards diverge so completely that there is no possibility of compromise.”

Does this verse mean that watching secular TV is wrong?The short answer, I believe is “no”. But there is more to it than a simple “no”. I believe in as much as it does not cause us to take on the values of those shows. I believe that this has less to do with what we watch or see and more to do with what our values are. I have watched the TV Show, “Two and a Half Men” and found it funny. Yet, as I have come to understand God’s will (doing what is right in God’s eyes), I almost grieve the message this show sends to young people and older people alike. The message of, “It’s cool to treat women as objects of sexual desire and to teach that to our children”. I often find it hard to watch shows focusing on gratuitous sex, containing gratuitous profanity, glorifying the use of drugs, sex outside marriage, etc.

Does it mean that watching movies or listening to music with potentially questionable content are a sin? It is near impossible to totally separate ourselves from the sin of the world….or the temptation of sin. However, the question I have is, how much do we do we buy into it? Do I watch TV shows or movies with gratuitous sexual, greedy, hateful messages because I find the messages pleasurable? This is a decision that I have to make, a decision that you would have to make. If they isa temptation to live in that way….we are treading on thin ice in my mind.  I don’t seek after sin but am often exposed to the temptation. I hope that makes sense. It is by the constant renewing of my mind that I am able to stand up to the temptation. There are some things I don’t do because the temptation would be too great and I know it.

Here is the question I have for myself, “If I like to watch things that are based on these messages…have I truly been renewed in Christ…or do I just say that I believe He was real. Am I simply a believer….or do I follow?”

I would also note that I draw my values from Scripture….but I recognize two things:
1. That many people draw their values based on what seems to accepted by society as a whole.
2. That while I am mature enough to view shows like “Two and a Half Men” and would not be tempted to condone or participate in this type of lifestyle, many young people are not mature enough to view these themes without recognizing that the message is wrong in God’s eyes.

Aren’t these “of the world” and consequently things that shouldn’t be a part of a Christian’s life? There are many movies, TV Shows, and much art that has positive and even Godly themes.

Lastly, let’s put it all together in context. As followers of Christ, we are called to use our bodies in a way that is pleasing to God, to use our hands and feet to help others, to use our mouths to speak the truth of Jesus and God’s wisdom, to use our arms to embrace the unloved, and our ears to listen to the cries of the distressed, and lastly our eyes to look humbly and patiently toward God.

To do these things we must live in the world. We are constantly bombarded with temptation and sin. We are called to be a light in this dark place. A light that can be followed, always pointing to the truth of Christ. I believe that we are called to be a part of the restoration of this world. We are brought there by the renewing of our mind in Christ, then we are able to live in God’s will (i.e., do those things that are pleasing in God’s eyes and consequently…that are good for us).

2 Corinthians 10:2-3(TNIV)
2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.