Everyone, who has repented and is born again in Jesus Christ, has become a new creation and belongs to the Body of Christ; the Church. The Church is seated in Christ and is supposed to live and reign from Him on earth, by doing the will of God and keeping the commandments of Jesus Christ and represent, preach and bring the Kingdom of God to the people. But because many congregations have neglected this, instead of the light, the darkness expands in the world, and death reigns instead of life. Therefore, you could ask yourself, do Christians convert the world or does the world convert the Christians?
“Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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 (Romans 12:1-2)
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3)
The Word says, when you are born again and risen with Christ and are seated in Him, to seek those things which are above and to set your affection on things above and not on the things on the earth.
The Word warns, to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God and walk by faith after His will.
Faith only comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Therefore it’s important to renew your mind with the Word of God, so that your mind will think like the Word and you will walk by faith after the will of God.
The power of the mind
The mind has great power in a person’s life. Because the speech, behavior, and actions of a person, derives from the mind. Now it’s all about, which kingdom controls the mind; the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of the devil (the world).
The mind of Christ
When a person is seated in Christ and seeks the things, which are above and prays, studies the Word, renews the mind and does what the Word says, and walks after the Spirit, the person shall live after the will of God in holiness and righteousness.
The person shall have the mind of Christ and shall do what Jesus has commanded to do and be a witness of Jesus Christ in this world and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Although the person lives in the world, the person is not of the world.
The person shall not be loved and accepted by everyone, since the person lives after the words and will of God and the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in the person, convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
Because of that, the person shall confront those, who belong to the world and live in darkness, with their sins and testify that their works are evil, just like Jesus, and by preaching the gospel, shall call the people to repentance and do what Jesus has commanded to do (a.o. Matthew 4:17; 9:13, Mark 1:14-15; 2:17; 6:7-13; 16:17-18, Luke 5:32; 13:2-5; 24:47-48, John 7:7; 14:12-13)
The mind of the world
But as long as a person feeds himself or herself with the things of this world, the person shall have the mind of the world. This means that the person shall have the same thoughts as the world, speak the same words as the world, behave the same way, and do the same works as the world; as those, who don’t belong to God, but belong to the devil, and bear the fruit of the flesh.
It shall be impossible for the person to walk by faith after the Word and by doing the Word walk after the Spirit.
Since the carnal mind, which is controlled by the world shall stand between the person and God, because the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, shall not submit to God and His will (Romans 8:7).
What God says in His Word shall be pulled down by the reasonings of the carnal mind, whereby the seed of God shall not grow in the person’s life and the person shall not walk as a son of God, but shall keep walking as a son of the devil, who is led by the death and bears the fruit of death, which is sin.
And so many Christians are influenced and tempted by the things of this world. Instead of living as sons of God according to His will and be witnesses of Jesus Christ and testify that the works of the world are evil and call the world to repentance and Christians convert the world, the world calls the Christians to repentance, by leaving the words and will of God and compromise with the world, and so the world converts Christians with her resources and lies.
The mission of the world
Because the world has a mission and pushes her agenda through all the resources, which the world has at her disposal, to accomplish her mission.
Throughout the years, the devil has inspired and controlled many people with his wisdom and knowledge, with the purpose of replacing God, separate man from God, and cause people to bow to him, submit to him, trust in him and execute his will on earth, so that people will exalt the devil with their lives and represent, preach and establish his kingdom on earth.
The devil tries to keep the people far away from God and His Word. And as long as people don’t repent, don’t become born again but instead remain carnal and walk after the flesh and feed themselves with the things of this world, the devil shall accomplish his mission.
How does the world convert Christians?
The devil not only uses people, and his knowledge, wisdom, methods, strategies, and tactics to tempt and deceive Christians and to make them lukewarm, passive, and cause apostasy, but the devil also uses many resources like music, books, television, (social) media, and games, to influence and feed the mind of people with his lies and possess the mind.
One of the most successful resources, the world has used to convert Christians is the television.
Throughout the years, the devil has very subtly promoted his will (sin) through a.o. amusement programs, comedies, series, soaps, and movies, and influenced the mind of people and ensured that, ridicule people, lying, rebellion, jealousy, discord, cursing, crime, violence, sorcery, astrology, divination, witchcraft, idolatry (a.o. eastern religions and philosophies, yoga, meditation, mindfulness), drug use, abortion, euthanasia, living together unmarried, premarital sex, adultery, divorce, homosexuality, broken families, etc. have become very normal and people have accepted it.
This has not only happened in society but also in many churches, through Christians, who have granted their eyes and ears to the things of the world and fed their mind with the things of this world, which has caused them to think like the world, speak like the world and act like the world and therefore have become world-like.
They not only have the same mind as the world, and think, speak and act like the world, but by watching and listening they have become partakers of the works of the world.
Carnal pleasures destroy the spirit
These resources may entertain and please the flesh, but destroy the spirit. They are gates of darkness, whereby unclean spirits of the kingdom of darkness enter the lives of people and influence and controls them in the flesh; the soul, and body, causing people to feel unhappy, anxious, fearful, down-hearted, depressive, angry, chaotic, stressed and cause sexual perversity, and affliction and torment in their minds.
The Word is clear and warns people, but if the people don’t want to listen to God and His Word, and think they know it all better and reject His words and participate in the wickedness of the world, they shall also bear the fruit of their decision in their lives.
Let us return and submit to our Lord Jesus Christ, renew our minds with the Word and live according to the will of God instead of compromising and adjusting His will and let us do what Jesus Christ has commanded us to do and confess Jesus Christ to the people and preach the cross and the blood and call the people, who belong to the world, to repentance and the removal of sin, despite the consequences.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
