Answer: We must no longer conform to the pattern of
this world, (verse 2).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
"Conform" is the Greek word
syschematizesthe. It comes from syn,
"with" or "together," and schema,
which means "form." The word in its present
imperative means "stop being conformed," "stop
being fashioned or do not have the habit of being
fashioned."
"World" is from the Greek aion. The
more usual meaning of the term is "age."
Basically, it means a segment of time, "age." It
is used of the present age, the age to come, and also of
eternity. But a distinction should be made between
cosmos (world) and aion (age).
So, one could say, "Do not take this age as your
fashion plate," "Do not continue in the habit of
being formed, fashioned or made by the world, or this present age,
of evil and corruption."
Acts 2:40-41: "With many other
words he [Peter] warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save
yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who
accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were
added to their number that day."
Romans 12:2b: "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."
2 Corinthians 10:2-5: "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. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as
the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons
of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that
sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive
every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
Galatians 1:3-5: "Grace and peace
to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave
Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age,
according to the Will of our God and Father, to Whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 1:14: "As obedient
children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived
in ignorance."
1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the
world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For everything in the
world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and
the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the
Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass
away, but the man who does the Will of God lives
forever."
