Conformity is a big issue today. It's a huge issue. In fact, if you don't conform, they attack you.

They call your names. However, the training for nonconformity starts early in life, very early in life.

Conformity, of course, is a neutral thing. We can conform to doing

good things or bad things. We can choose to imitate some bad people or some good people. And that is

why the Bible often talks about conformity to Christ, conformity to Christ, conformity to Christ.

No wonder the Apostle Paul repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly warns us against conformity.

And that is why the second half of Chapter 3, of 2 Timothy, chapter 3, the second half of it,

he continues to focus on Timothy's service as a defender

of the faith, as a man to stand up and to stand out and not to count the cost or not be

afraid and never, never, never give up.

And he starts with mentioning three things that helps.

These are the three things that Paul said are really very helpful for anyone who seeks not to be

conforming to the world. First of all, having an example, having a role model, having a spiritual mentor, and that's

why we emphasize mentorship here among the men, among the women, among the students. Mentorship is

vitally important. And the second thing is to have a strong connection built on spiritual foundation. And thirdly, is an absolute belief,

unshakable belief in the authenticity and the authority and the infallibility of the Word of God.

Here are three things right here. The Apostle Paul gives us.

We're going to unpack them in a moment.

We saw in the last message that there was a conjunction,

and I explained to you the conjunction, the word but that Paul uses,

it means he's going to make a sharp term.

It's going to make a contrast.

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