The Consequences of Making Profession of Faith⤒🔗

Upon having made public profession of faith before God and His church, one has now enlisted in the service of King Jesus. He has professed publicly whom he desires to serve. As a consequence of this profession, we therefore have the sacred calling to “let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27). Nobility obligates!

The Lord Jesus taught, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

We are therefore duty-bound to confess Him, whom we have con­fessed within the walls of the church, precisely there where God has placed us — at work, within the circle of our friends, and upon encountering all whom the Lord causes to cross the pathway of our life.

Anyone who has a baptized forehead and has made public pro­fession of faith cannot live as the world lives. The Lord calls you to live a radically different life.

How many there are who think after having made profession of faith, “That’s behind us.” This is not true, however. It is but the beginning, for all who have made profession of faith now have a sacred calling — the calling to be different from the world. The Lord had been very gracious to the peo­ple of Israel. By His mighty hand He had led them out of Egypt. The apostle states in 1 Corinthians 10 that they all passed through the Red Sea and that they were all bap­tized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. What a magnificent reality this was!

And yet, with many of them God was not well pleased. Why not? Because they lusted after evil things. The apostle then quotes Exodus 32:6 as being applicable to most of the Israelites: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play” (1 Cor. 10:7). They committed fornication and murmured, for the spirit of the Egyptian world still dwelt in their hearts. Even though they had been led out of Egypt, Egypt still remained in the heart of many.

In such a world we also live. Once more we live during such a period and among such a people which eats, drinks, fornicates, and murmurs. May we who have made profession of faith participate in this? May we dwell in their company? No, we may not. We have been baptized! We bear the distinguishing mark of King Jesus. We have made profession of faith and sworn allegiance to His banner. We are therefore now called to do what our baptism requires: “forsake the world, crucify our old nature, and walk in a new and holy life.”

In the World and not of the World←⤒🔗

Many people from other nations deem it a privilege to be able to live in either North America or Western Europe. In these parts of the world there is prosperity, freedom of speech, and a good social support system — thus an ideal world in which to live.

However, for a Christian it is a very dangerous world! We are sur­rounded by what the world has to offer, namely, “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). The Western world has degenerated from a Christian society to a pagan society. It is a process that is still in motion. Our culture wants to erad­icate whatever reminds her of Christian morality and Christian tradition. The remains of a Christ­ian civilization must be eliminated. In its place comes a humanistic world- and life-view in which man himself is the norm for what he does and desires. Our Western society is becoming a godless society in which few have any regard for God and His Word.

This can be noticed in a variety of ways. Whoever goes to church on Sunday will be the exception and will often be the only one to do so in the street in which he resides. One will be mocked when he lets it be known in the work place that he believes in God and the Bible and desires to live according to God’s laws. At best, there will be some respect for his views — but then as a world- and life-view which no longer belongs to our age. And even if he is tolerated, he will no longer be understood.

In this world we are called to live and work, and in this world our Christianity must become vis­ible. This is, however, nothing new. The position of a Christian has never been any different. The world has always been hostile toward God. This was true both before and after the flood — and it was true before and after the birth of Christ.

The Scriptures speak of the world in very negative terms especially in the letters of John. There is a sharp antithesis between true believers and the world. The world is the domain of evil and is in bondage to Satan. Satan is called the prince of this world. Believers, on the contrary, are not of this world and have come out from among her.

The world in which we live lies in wickedness. Ever since the fall in Paradise, Satan has taken the reins of this world, and goes about as a roaring lion and an angel of light, seeking whom he may devour.

However, this world is at the same time the place where Christ gathers His church. It is here, in this evil world, that He has His church and gathers unto Himself a church chosen unto eternal life.

If you could have a bird’s-eye view of the spiritual disposition of this world, everything would appear black and defiled. With Paul you would have to say, “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God” (Rom. 3:11).

However, upon closer examination, you would discover that there are nevertheless some white spots upon this spiritual map of the world. Those are the places where Christ has built His church and Satan’s power has been broken. These white spots reveal the coming of God’s kingdom.

Nevertheless, there are but few white spots in our dark world, and upon those places where the light of the gospel has been, it becomes at times dark again. The world continues to lie in wickedness. Such will be the situation until the return of Christ.

The kingdom of Jesus is not of this world, and God’s children are therefore strangers and pilgrims in this world. By grace, they are citizens of the kingdom of heaven and no longer of this world. They look for that “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10).

The life of the Christian is therefore referred to as a pilgrimage. And the more our society gravi­tates away from biblical norms and values and the less traces of Christian morality are to be found, the more this will become a reality for all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity. It is in that way that our present situation will increasingly resemble the situation in which the early Christians found themselves.

The early Christians truly lived in a godless world. The moral deca­dence of the first centuries was great. It was a world which resembles our present world. This, among other things, becomes evident in the film based on the book Satyricon, written by Petronius who was a contemporary of Nero. It is noteworthy that the modern man of our Western culture found this film appealing. People recognized and were prepared to accept the morality that came to the fore in this film.

The lead character of this book is Encolpius. He is a fornicator, homosexual, liar, and thief. Yet, he maintains that his way of life is normal. He claims that he has a right to indulge in pleasure and to be what he wants to be. The story begins in a brothel. It then proceeds to give an account of a journey through southern Italy, interspersed with numerous sexual escapades, and concludes with a description of one of the most lewd orgies of antiquity. Again, it is noteworthy that Western man endorses this lead character and approves of his morality.

Juvenalis (60-140 A.D.) also describes the decadence of the Roman culture. It is he who coined the phrase “bread and games.” He writes: “How greatly the majesty of the Romans has declined! For­merly they dominated the world and governed all affairs. Now there are but two things toward which all her wishes and desires are inclined: ‘bread and games.’”

Roman culture had become a decadent culture which had but few traces of its former greatness and lofty ethics. And how did Christians live in this world?

The Example of the Early Christians←⤒🔗

Probably the clearest description of how Christians viewed their position in this world is given by Diognetes (175 A.D.):

Christians do not differ from others by the places in which they live, nor by the language they use or the morals they espouse. Nowhere do they live in their own cities, nor do they speak a unique language, nor is their manner of existence extraordinary. Their doctrine is neither the invention of the ingenuity of busily occupied humanity, nor are they, as others, proponents of human notions.

However, though they live in both Greek and non-Greek cities, dependent upon their circumstances, and adhere to the traditions of the land in regard to dress, food, and other matters pertaining to daily life, nevertheless they manifest a lifestyle which is generally recognized as both unique and strange.

They live in their own country — but as strangers. They share in all things as fellow citizens, and yet in all things must endure being treated as strangers. Each foreign country is their homeland and each country is foreign to them.

They marry just as anyone else would. They have chil­dren, but do not abandon them. They share their tables but not their beds. They live “in the flesh,” but not “accord­ing to the flesh.”

They reside upon the earth, but are at home in heaven. They obey the laws of the land, but in their own lives they exceed the norms of these laws. They love everyone, and yet are persecuted by all. They are unknown, and yet they are murdered. They die, and yet they are made alive.

They are poor, but they make many rich. They are lacking in everything, and yet they have everything in abun­dance. They are dishonored, and yet this constitutes their glory. They are slandered, and yet they are justified. They are reviled, and yet they bless. They are insulted, and yet they honor others. When they per­form acts of benevolence, they are punished as evildoers.

When they are punished, they rejoice as if they are stim­ulated by this. They are treated by the Jews as out­casts, and the Greeks persecute them. And those who hate them, cannot give any reason for their hostility.

Thus, the Christians occupied their place in the world, but were at the same time not of the world. They were, so to speak, citizens of two worlds. In the world, they faithfully engaged in their occupation, but at the same time they were citizens of the kingdom of heaven. They fulfilled their obligations as citizens, but at the same time their conversation was in heaven from where they expected their Lord.

They occupied every position in society in which they were not compelled to act contrary to God’s Word, and refused to be involved in anything that was contrary to God’s Word. The apostles had taught them to conduct themselves thus in the world. In church, they heard the following preaching:

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the pun­ishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 1 Peter 2:11-17

Christians were not called to escape the world. Rather, they were called to manifest their faith in God and live in harmony with His commandments in a pagan culture.

They were also called to live as strangers. Peter uses here the word paroika, from which our words “parochial” and “parish” are derived. The Christian church was a community of strangers whose home was elsewhere. The congre­gations were parishes, that is, com­munities of strangers. Their loyalty was to God and not to the world.

However, this being a stranger manifested itself in the midst of a profane world — in the very first place by their way of life. The Christians did not participate in the sinful excesses of the heathens. They lived a new life. They lived according to the commands and precepts of Christ, their Lord and Savior.

The early Christians drew attention by their lives. And indeed, it was as such that the pagans assessed Christianity as an entirely new and entirely different way of life. Justin Martyr writes of this:

Previously we found delight in uncleanness — now in cleanness. Previously we engaged in black magic — now we are devoted to the good and eternal God. Previously money and possessions were supremely valued by us — now we share with each other what we possess and give to whoever is in need. Previously we hated and murdered one another and refused to eat with people of a different race — however, now that Christ has appeared, we have fellowship with one another, pray for our enemies, and seek to win over to our side all who hate us without a cause.

Then there was also fraternal fellowship. The early church was truly a community. There was mutual care for each other. Within the church community care was extended to widows and orphans, slaves sat next to their masters, the sick were cared for, and pris­oners were visited.

Praamsma writes correctly that “in a world in which egotism and lust for pleasure were dominant, this living sermon (a sermon of deeds) made a deep impression.”

The Example of the Early Christian Martyrs←⤒🔗

The early church was a martyr church, consisting of people who were prepared to die for their faith. The majority of executions took place in a circus-like atmosphere, as entertainment for the masses.

To this belonged the beastly (in the literal sense of the word!) spectacle of the martyrs’ struggle with wild animals. Naked and sometimes wounded due to the torture they were subjected to, Christians were driven into the arena. In unison the people would cry out, “Death to the ungodly!” Or they would cry out, “Salvum lotum, salvum lotum,” that is, “I wish you a delightful bath.” Thus they would mock with the blood-covered martyrs.

Such mocking, however, would not last very long. For instance, when in the stadium of Carthage the blood-covered martyr Saturus was repeatedly assaulted by wild animals and the people were screaming, “Salvum lotum, salvum lotum,” their mocking changed into fear and dread. Saturus willingly endured the torture inflicted upon him and his face began to shine. He began to speak of the fact that Christ was with Him and he cried out, “Resurrection, resurrection!”

This faith of the Christians in the world to come and in the judgment before God’s judgment seat made the world very uncomfortable. For this reason they not only burned the remains of the executed Christians, but their ashes were dispersed in the river in order to attempt to destroy their hope in the resurrection. In Carthage, they even removed the bones of Christians from their graves in order to burn them and scatter their ashes to the wind. The pagans did everything in their power to crush this faith in life eternal. It must not, should not, and would not be true that there would be a judgment and eternal life after death!

Such were the life and death of the early Christians. They were not of this world. However, they being strangers in this world did not make them recluses. Though strangers, they were turned toward the world. Theirs was a Christianity which had a message for the world and manifested com­passion toward the world.

The early Christians believed resolutely that Jesus was the only hope for the world — the only way to be reconciled with God. Apart from faith in Jesus, man could only expect eternal death.

This faith was one of the great incentives for mission work during the first centuries of Christianity. The early Christians truly believed that without Christ people would eternally be lost.

Justinus says it very plainly: “Hell is a place where all shall be punished who have lived an un­godly life and did not believe that those things would come to pass which God has taught us through Christ.” That understanding caused them to speak with compassion to their fellowmen. This touching compassion for their fel­lowmen and their deep joy about what they themselves had found in Christ made a deep impression on many.

Citizens of two Worlds←⤒🔗

The early Christians were citizens of two worlds — and then not in the sense of being a Christian on Sunday and a citizen of the world during the week. While they so­journed on earth, their conversation was in heaven and their heart was with God and Christ. As long as they were not yet in heaven, God and Christ were with them. The words of Jesus, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20), were very real to them. For the early Christians, there was an intimate relationship between their daily lives and their being a Christian. And yet their home was not here below. They knew themselves to be strangers and pilgrims who looked for a better country.

This is how we ought to live after having professed the name of God and Christ publicly. On the one hand, the Christian is a citizen of the nation in which he resides, but on the other hand the true Christian is a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. His conversation is upon earth, and yet his conversation is in heaven.

How can we be like this and still live in this world? This is only possible when one has become a new creature as a result of regeneration and has been united to Christ by a true faith. Without regeneration one ultimately still belongs to this world — and without knowl­edge of the love of Christ, love for the world will be the dominating force of your life.

Attempts to live a holy life before God apart from faith in Christ will only lead to a cold and legalistic self-righteousness. Only they who as lost sinners have become acquainted with the love of God in Christ, will have a desire to walk uprightly before God. We need this in the very first place. Only then will we be able to serve God and confess Christ in this world.

Only when the Holy Spirit unites us with Christ who is in heaven, will there be a seeking of the things which are above where Christ Jesus is at the right hand of the Father. Then we will not seek those things which are on earth (Col. 3:1-2).

By nature we are (as is true of all men) of the earth earthy. When Calvin deals with the subject of meditating upon the future life, he begins by saying, “How strongly we are inclined by nature to a slavish love of this world” (Institutes 3.9.1).

How we all are entangled in cov­etousness, lust for pleasure, and all manner of sin! The affections of fallen man have become so blunted that his life often does not tran­scend the life of the beast. Animals are satisfied when they can eat and mate. Frequently people have no higher desires than that.

In light of this, how true are the words of Jesus: “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:7)! God must again become the highest purpose of our lives. It is God who has given us life. He alone has a just claim upon our hearts. How obligated we are to return everything to Him!

When God converts a person, a longing after God will be born in his heart. One’s heart will cry out after Him more than a hart pants after the water brooks. To miss God is the most difficult thing that can happen to such a person. How one will then grieve over sin, for it is sin that makes separation between God and our heart! The Lord will then again become the supreme object of one’s affection. One will then see so much worthiness in God that he will say, “Even if there were neither hell nor heaven, yet do I desire to serve and fear Thee.”

You will then understand Augustine who said, “O God we are created, unto Thee, and our heart will remain restless until it finds rest in Thee.”

This constitutes the beginning of being a stranger upon earth. Then there will be times that you long to be forever with the Lord so that you will never again have to sin.

In true conversion, a person will become acquainted with the Lord Jesus. Not only will he perceive how greatly he has sinned against the Lord, but it will also become a grievous reality that he is continually inclined toward all evil. The way of self-improvement becomes a dead-end road. He will be compelled to say, “With me things are only becoming words. My heart is polluted and evil. From my side it is a hopeless case!” however, it is in that way that Jesus Christ becomes precious for such a person. His ears will then be open for the message of the gospel in which Jesus exclaims, “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

When one, as a lost and ungodly sinner, may look upon Jesus — that is, how He has endured the punishment and borne the curse in the stead of hell-worthy sinners, and one may find peace in the blood of His cross — a longing will then be kindled in the heart to live for Him and to follow Him through thick and thin. How this will motivate true conversion, the Lord will teach us self-denial and our flesh will be crucified. This bestial love for the world will then be crucified a person to be a stranger in this world!

In true conversion, the Lord will teach us self-denial and our flesh will be crucified in us. Frequently the Lord will use the cross and adversity to accomplish this. Our view of the cross and adversity is so wrong. Paul says, “Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb. 12:6).

Cross-bearing and trials will teach us that our home is not here below and will see to it that we do not feel at home here below. Their purpose is to make us strangers here below. It will teach us that this life is full of sorrow, trouble, and misery, and that we do not have an aiding city here below.

The well-known Thomas Boston said that whenever he wanted to lay down in the nest of this world, the Lord would put a sharp thorn in that nest.

How blessed are we when we may say that the cross has decreased our love for this world! Then we will no longer see this world as being rich and full, but as poor and empty. We will then join Asaph in saying, “It is good for me to draw near to God” (Ps 73:28).

Everything ultimately boils down to two options: either you will be conquered by the world or you will conquer the world. Calvin said, “There is no medium between the two things: the earth must either be worthless in our estimation, or keep us enslaved by and intemperate love of it” (Institutes 3.9.2).

When heaven becomes our home, the earth will be nothing more than a place of exile. When it becomes one’s chief delight to enjoy the presence of God, he will no longer be able to find his chief joy in this world.

This does not mean, however, that one may not enjoy the good things which the Lord grants us. Marriage, the family, friend, a vocation, youth, nature and so many other things are also God’s gifts. We may be grateful for them. They are God’s gifts bestowed upon us to serve Him and to thank Him for them. All these things also come from the Lord. Calvin wrote, “Therefore, while this life serves to acquaint us with the goodness of God, shall we disdain it as if it did not contain one particle of good?” (Institutes 3.9.3).

A person may not become so attached to this world’s goods that they become our chief joy. We are called to be strangers in this world, and yet not be strange to this world! Christians are not hermits who withdraw themselves entirely from this world. We do not walk around with blinders. Rather, we need to be conscious of what goes on in the world. We are no monks who attempt to keep the world outside of the walls of the monastery.

A Christian stands with both feet in the midst of this world and knows that God has given him a task there. Nevertheless, he has caught sight of a better country.

This life must be for us a place in which we are as strangers. The Christian is a pilgrim who is journeying to that city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. His heart will yearn for this. That will be his comfort in the midst of affliction. One day he will ever be with the Lord. It will cause him to say, “Oh bliss which cannot be measured! O joy which banishes all sorrow! There our pilgrimage will be forgotten; and there we will be at home!”

Witnesses←⤒🔗

The Lord Jesus prayed, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world” (John 17:15). Jesus did not ask His Father to remove true believers out of this world. They must remain in the world, for the Christian has a calling in this world. Jesus said to His disci­ples, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” and “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-14).

He also said to them, “Thou shalt be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). However, not only were the apos­tles called to bear witness to Jesus, but all Christians are called to do so. They are called to confess Christ before men. Bearing witness and confessing are, therefore, intimately connected with one another. The church may not be silent in the world. It is the will of Jesus that true believers would be His witnesses in the world.

The verb “to witness” is the equivalent of the Greek word “martureo.” Our word “martyr” has been derived from it, for in the ancient world bearing witness to the truth that Jesus is the Son of God would frequently go hand in hand with martyrdom.

The Christian witness has as its content that Jesus is truly the Son of God. This testimony is never a take-or-leave-it proposition. Precisely because it is only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who saves from death and the curse, this testimony will always be accompanied by the call to repentance and faith. He who is a witness for Christ will call sinners to break with a sinful world, and his objective will be to lead them to faith in Christ. In such a testimony, it will be unmistakably declared that he who neither repents of his sins nor believes in Christ shall perish forever. It is exactly this latter aspect which prompted the world to oppose the testimony of the Christians and frequently resulted in the witness becoming a martyr. Chris­tians truly believed that whoever did not believe in Christ would perish forever.

Tertullian therefore pleaded with the people to repent and flee the wrath to come:

Do not ignore the future. We who have no fear ourselves, are not trying to make you fearful. Rather, we wish that we could rescue all men by warning them not to resist God. Therefore, since we grieve over your ignorance, pity you for your human error, and consider your future, the threatening signs of which are evident every day, we are compelled to speak to you in this manner.

From the accounts of martyrs, one gets the impression that the issue is not so much whether the martyr remained steadfast, but how the judges responded to their testimony.

It is known of the martyr Hermes of Adrianapolis that he so earnestly warned his judges about their impending eternal perdition, while calling them to faith in Christ, that the presiding judge, Justinus, exclaimed, “You speak as if you are capable of changing me into a Christian.” And so the pagans were called to come to grips with the message.

The early Christians were witnesses. Slaves spoke to their mas­ters, merchants testified in the marketplace, and the common women in the bath houses. They could not remain silent about what they had found in Christ. That is what made the early church so effective in her outreach. During the early centuries of Christianity, there was hardly any organized mission effort, and yet the church grew very rapidly. Every Christian was a missionary. They could not remain silent about the hope which was in them.

Profession of faith must be fol­lowed by bearing witness. Evan­gelism must not only be conducted by way of organized evangelistic outreach. The best approach will always be to use encounters with those who belong to our circle of family and friends, or those with whom we work or attend school.

Our testimony must proceed from a personal faith. When we believe personally that all who remain outside of Christ shall per­ish forever, we will be compelled to bear witness. And if we have personally become acquainted with the saving power of the blood of Jesus, we will be compelled to speak to others about Christ. Knowing the power of the gospel will lead to its proclamation.

How can we recommend the Bread of Life if we have not eaten from it ourselves? We will not be able to be silent about the One whom we love and to whom we owe our salvation. We will then desire to bear witness to what He means to us. Thus it will be with the person who, conscious of the need and guilt of his life, has become acquainted with Jesus. Sooner would the stones speak than that such persons could be silent!

This is something entirely different than what is so often heard in certain circles: “I wish to testify about my faith.” Such compulsive witnessing does more harm than good. Frequently such a person merely wishes to prove that he is a Christian. If we had to bear wit­ness to our faith, we would soon be finished. No, we must bear witness of Christ and of what God in Christ is willing to be for a sinner.

On the other hand, however, we may not remain silent about the hope which is in us. Our modern world says, “Religion is a private matter. One must not bother oth­ers with it. It is something for Sunday and for private use.”

True witnesses will, however, not be able to be silent. We read of the apostles that they were forbidden by the Sanhedrin to speak about Jesus. But the apostles responded by the mouth of Peter, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

We must, however, not only witness with words, but especially with our lives. Our lives must be a living witness. The world can ignore your words, but not your life. Therefore, we must especially bear witness with our lives. We do not have to preach to prove that we are Christians. The best sermon is a godly life.

The early Christians drew attention by their different way of life. They were different from the world. In their marriages and families, they displayed purity and care for one another. Moral purity and faithfulness were highly esteemed by the early Christian church.

The old world was characterized by sexual promiscuity and egotism. One did not care for the elderly, invalids, and chronically ill in their society.

The Christians, on the contrary, drew attention by their hospitality, mutual love, and the care they extended to the sick, the elderly, the handicapped, and prisoners.

The world noticed their love, their joy because of the salvation they had found in Christ, their new way of life, their purity, their self-sacrificial spirit, and their genuine care for their fellowmen. It drew attention and aroused curiosity. During a time period which was as pleasure-oriented, materialistic, and promiscuous as our own, the world saw in Christianity a man­ner of life, and, above all, a man­ner of dying, which was nowhere else to be observed.

It is this which we again need in our age. Then the world will be prepared to listen to the Christian church.

In a proper manner, we must be “different” from the world. When an innocent and honest man is locked up with a group of rowdy prisoners, the prisoners will notice that this man is different and that he really does not belong with them.

Our lifestyle is, therefore, of such importance. It will often mean that one will not be able to participate. Frequently, one will have to say “no,” and, consequently, be mocked for it. Know, however, that you are then in good company. “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (1 Pet. 4:4).

Lifestyle←⤒🔗

In Romans 12:2, the apostle says, “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This text pertains to our heart. In the first place, we are not to be conformed to this world inwardly.

That which the world deems to be of utmost value, beauty, and to be most desirable, is, for the Christian, not most valuable and desirable. For the Christian, God is the highest good and Christ is the pearl of great value.

However, the words of Paul also pertain to our exterior appearance. Also externally, we are not to be conformed to the world.

What temptations there are in the world — especially in the world of today! Many things which God condemns in His Word are commonplace in the world. I only need to refer to the sexual immorality which prevails in our world. By working and living in this world, we are confronted with views which run counter to a life in the fear of God.

It is in the midst of this world that Paul exclaims, “Be not conformed to this world.” That is the calling of all who have made pro­fession of faith. By doing so, we have chosen God and His service. We must, therefore, demonstrate to the world to whom we belong and whom we serve. We will then be unable to do what the world does or endorse the world’s agenda.

This must proceed, however, from the renewing of your mind. Renewal is necessary. Your heart and mind must be different from that of the world — yes, your very principles must be different. Without inward renewal of the heart, we will espouse the same princi­ples as the world.

Paul warns equally strongly against the appearance of godli­ness, which denies its power, as against world conformity. A person can outwardly be pious and live a very strict life. However, if this does not proceed from love to God, one will be no more than a whitened sepulcher. Then everything will be no more than an empty shell.

If, however, a person has learned to love God and his heart cries out after God, it cannot but be that his life will also be different. Yes, when one may be acquainted with Christ and God’s forgiving love, his position in this world will be different. Our external walk will then be changed from the inside out.

Many say, “The outside does not matter.” Indeed, external customs are no guarantee that there is genuine godliness. Nevertheless, the fear of God does manifest itself in our lifestyle — and thus also on the outside.

Scripture gives us directions regarding this. Our apparel must be modest and honorable (cf. 1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:3-4). Clothing has been provided to cover our nakedness. The difference between male and female must be evident in clothing and hairstyle. It is, for example, shameful for a woman to have her head shorn (1 Cor. 11:6).

God says that it is an abomina­tion to Him when a man wears a woman’s garment and when a woman dresses herself as a man (Deut. 22:5). Of course, I hear someone say, “It is not in the clothes.” Nevertheless, our external appearance is a mirror of our heart. There is a connection between our inner life and our external appearance. There is clothing which a Christian young man or a Christian young woman will refuse to wear. Calvin says concerning this:

The manner in which one is dressed is in and of itself not a matter of such great weight. However, since it is a shame when men are feminized, it is equally shameful when a woman seeks to assert herself by way of male garments and conduct. Therefore a modest and honorable walk is pre­scribed here. The best preserva­tion of modesty is therefore a modest form of dress.Calvin’s Commentaries, Deut. 22:5

Perhaps you may say, “What then is permitted? How shall I dress myself?” There is an old adage which says, “One must be dressed in such a fashion that the world will not laugh at you and that God’s people will not weep over you.” Our dress must be modest and honorable.

Scripture likewise speaks about all manner of make-up and seductive clothing. Hear how the prophet Isaiah, in his penitential message to Israel, addresses the made-up women with their wanton eyes:

Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet.Isaiah 3:16

Also the use of a television set is an expression of world-conformity. By having a TV, one truly brings the world into his home. Together with the books and music of the world, it completes the picture. One has then become like the world. The antithesis has then vanished.

Therefore, let it be evident in your lifestyle that you wish to serve the Lord. Do not ask, “How far may I go?” but rather, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”