“Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity.” (Jeremiah 10:1–3, ESV)
Years ago, I was working in an office complex in the Chicago suburbs. The guys there knew that I liked to fish and one day I was in the copying room and they were looking for another guy to go out on Lake Michigan for a Salmon fishing trip. They asked me if I wanted to go. So, I asked them when the trip was, they said, “This coming Sunday.” I answered them, “I would like to go, but I cannot because I am going to church on Sunday.” Their reply hit me as a little strange as a new believer. They said emphatically, “Why would you want to do that?” You see, they thought I was weird to give up a fishing trip like that for a church service.
Here we have the conflict between the ways of the world and the ways of God’s kingdom. Those of the world look at us as believers and think that we are weird because of our priorities that are so contrary to theirs. If the truth be known, they also look a bit weird to us. However, we understand their weirdness since we all were once there.
Here in this passage, we see that the Israelites had the same conflict. Yet unfortunately, the Israelites chose poorly. Rather than appearing weird to the world or culture around them, they caved to the system of the world. Thus, the Lord spoke to them, “Learn not the way of the nations . . . for the customs of the peoples are vanity.” The way of the nations was that of idolatry, the denial of the ways of devotion to God.
This temptation to be swayed by culture is strong today. It is the reason that many Christians keep their Christianity in the closet. They chose to look like the world so that they will not look weird to those around them. It rarely happens the other way around. I mean that they would put on the pretense of being a Christian, unless they had some sort of ulterior motive.
There are several driving factors in this area of compromise. One is the fact that we as believers still have an old fleshly nature lingering that fights against the leading of our new divine nature wrought by the Spirit. This old fleshly nature wants to be accepted, that is to not look weird, by others. So, we can be overcome by the chameleon syndrome, an ability to change colors based upon our surroundings.
A second driving factor is the world system. It is that system instituted by Satan that is contrary to the principles of God’s kingdom. The natural tendency of one’s fleshly nature is to be attracted to this world system of lust and pride.
The third driving factor is the spiritual forces of evil that are arrayed against believers. Scripture indicates that the devil is on the prow like a lion seeking one to devour. What are the tactics of the devil? They are designed to deceive believers into living by the flesh according to the system of this world.
One of the major results of the spiritual attack against Christians is that of causing compromise. This is so the believer will morph into the world and be accepted as normal rather than being viewed as weird. Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Renewing the Heart 