Rebellion (Romans 12:2)

Do not be conformed to this world.

Well then what is the opposite of conformity? Rebellion. Christians are supposed to be rebels looking to Jesus, the ultimate rebel, as our example. Jesus came and turned the world upside down. He rebelled in the desert against Satan, refusing to fall to temptation, he brought the Mosaic law to fulfillment, completely changing the way people thought about the law, he called the religious leaders of the day “hypocrites” and told us not to be like them, he ate and drank with sinners, he kicked people out of the temple, and he claimed to be God which is what got him arrested and killed.

Think about the culture today. So many people try to be rebels by tatting their whole bodies, listening to controversial music, using foul language, smoking, saying “truth is relative”, getting drunk, going to strip clubs, having sex with anyone who has a pulse, and whatever else they see as rebellious. The hilarious thing is that all these “rebels” are nothing but conformists being blown around by the winds of popular culture. Think about it. If everyone is doing it, it’s no longer rebellion, it’s conformity.

Paul is telling us here not to be conformists like the rest of the culture who follow whatever is cool at the time. So if you want to be a rebel here is some advice: read your Bible every day, save yourself for marriage which you define as being between one man and one woman, go to church and actually give an offering, don’t curse or smoke or get drunk, don’t cheat on your spouse or get a divorce, don’t go to strip clubs, believe that truth is absolute and not relative to each person, and be willing to say that if a person does not believe in Jesus they are going to hell. That is the only rebellion left! Most people will read this and think that it sounds ridiculous. THAT’S THE POINT. It’s rebellious and it’s what we are called to do.