When we entered into adolescence, one of the most powerful driving forces in our lives was the desire to be with it.

We don't want to stand out or be thought of being weird or bizarre or strange or alien.

Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed. But be transformed.

Now I want you to notice those two words that are crucial here in Romans 12.

On the one hand, there is the word conform. On the other,

there is the word transform. Now they have the same root, form. And form, or morphology,

has to do with the structure of things, how things are put together,

what they look like, how they are shaped, how they are built, and so on. But the difference in

these two words is the difference in the prefix that is attached to the root. In the first instance,

the prefix is con. Now, you don't have to be a master

of ancient languages to understand that. You know what chilly con carne is. It means with meat.

And so the prefix con means what? With. And Paul says to the people who are the believers in the Roman

community, do not be conformed to this world. Now that's a hard thing for us to assimilate because when we were children, and particularly

when we entered into adolescence, one of the most powerful driving forces in our lives, was the desire

to be with it. The worst judgment that could befall us as young people would be to be considered

out of it. We don't want to stand out or be thought of being weird or bizarre or strange or

alien to whatever culture we find ourselves involved.

Paul says, do not be conformed.

And instead of conformity, the Christian is called to being transformed.

Now what does trans mean?

We have transatlantic, transcontinental, trans American, and so on.

That prefix means across or over. That is, we are called to go to a higher structure, a higher form.

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