Donald Grey Barnhouse once wrote: “Some years ago, musicians noted that errand boys in a certain part of London all whistled out of tune as they went about their work.  It was talked about and someone suggested that it was because the bells of Westminster were slightly out of tune.  Something had gone wrong with the chimes and they were discordant.  The boys did not know there was anything wrong with the peals, and quite unconsciously they had copied their pitch.” *

Barnhouse made this application: “So we tend to copy the people with whom we associate; we borrow thoughts from the books we read and the programs to which we listen, almost without knowing it.”

The Apostle Paul admonished, “Do not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:1).  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world” (NIV).  The New Century Version states, “Do not be shaped by this world.”  Using Barnhouse’s analogy above, the truth of Romans 12:1 could be stated, “Don’t listen to the wrong music because it will make your life out of tune.”

Now consider the rest of Romans 12:1 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

The best way to have our minds transformed is by filling them with the Word of God.  The Psalmist said, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!” (Psalm 119:11).

Barnhouse added: “God has given us His Word which is the absolute pitch of life and living.  If we learn to sing by it, we shall easily detect the false in all of the music of the world.”  And, we will know what is true!

The Truth is: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  We listen to the wrong people, conform to the wrong ideals, make bad decisions, and we sin against God.  We are heading down the wrong road (Matthew 7:13-14).

The Truth Is: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV).  God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

The world will lead you astray and ultimately to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).  But God’s Word is true and it will lead you to eternal life.

To whom or what are you listening?  “Therefore consider carefully how you listen” (Luke 8:18).

-- David A. Sargent

* From illustrations about worldliness in www.sermonillustrations.com

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org