George Davison

Two words stand out in contrast to one another, "conformed" and "transformed." The prefix "con" indicates "together with," and the prefix "trans" indicates "apart from." This makes the meaning of the exhortation clear. We are not to be together with this world, but wholly apart from it. It is a scriptural axiom that our three dangers are the world, the flesh, and the devil. Just as clearly it is taught that the world is in opposition to God as Father; the devil is in opposition to Christ, and the flesh is in opposition to the Spirit. We cannot limit these matters in a hard and fast way, but it has often been pointed out that in the main this is how they are presented to us; the first epistle of John makes the truth quite clear. Hence in this verse, where the will of God is in view, the world is seen as the great hindrance to our walking subject to His will. Why should we who are "called from above, and heavenly men by birth," desire to be like the men of this world? Why be anxious to dress like them, talk like them, associate with them, when we belong to God whom they neither know nor desire to serve? Rather ought we to be "like unto men that wait for their Lord," (Luke 12:36). Our greatest hindrance in carrying out our "dedication" is striving to be like this world.