Do Not Conform

 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Matthew 15:8

Some years ago, I was a principal in a Christian Academy. As part of my responsibilities, I would interview the seniors who were about to graduate. As expected,  they gave all the correct answers. A few days after their graduation, it came to my attention that one of the graduates was involved in drinking and sexual activity. While attending school, his behavior was above reproach, How could this happen? He had conformed his outward behavior, without allowing his heart to be transformed.  He knew the lingo, he knew what was expected of him and he conformed. 

But I'm afraid he isn't alone. Millions of professing Christians have done the same. They observed other Christians and saw them pray, go to church, give offerings, read their Bibles, etc., and thought "I can do that too!"  So, they conformed their lives and came to the conclusion, that they too were "Christians." But, they have never been transformed by the Holy Spirit. They were never made new. 2 Corinthians 5 If there hasn't been a change, it is doubtful you have been truly converted. 

Someone said, ""External conformity without internal transformation gives us an incomplete Christian identity." The Apostle Paul said it this way, "Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside..." NOTICE. Paul said don't change yourself, (Don't just conform!) But allow God to change you!