Do Not Learn the Ways of the World

Note from today’s Bible reading: Deuteronomy 16-20

The children of Israel were being led to the land of Canaan – the promised land. However, the land was inhabited by other nations – people who did not know God or serve Him. God was going to have His people drive out the other nations and take the land.

If they failed to do this and the godless nations remained in the land, it would negatively influence the people of Israel. They were warned, “When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations” (Deuteronomy 18:9).

There were many ways in which God’s chosen people were to be different from the nations around them. But there was a danger that they could be influenced to adopt the practices of the other peoples and lose their distinction.

The same thing can happen to us today. We are “not [to] be conformed to this world, but…transformed” (Romans 12:2). Yet if we are not careful, those around us can turn us away from God. Paul warned, “Do not be deceived, ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

So do not learn the ways of the world. Instead, we need to focus on the ways of God that are found in His word and put them into practice in our lives. Rather than allowing the world to negatively influence us, we need to strive to be a positive influence on those we come in contact with.