A soldier in the army of Alexander the Great was also named Alexander. He was not as brave as Alexander the Great, but rather was accused of cowardly actions. He was brought before Alexander the Great, who asked him what was his name. To this the man replied softly, “Alexander.” The ruler roared, “I cannot hear you.” The man repeated his name a little louder now. The monarch thundered, “I cannot hear you.” The process was repeated one more time, after which Alexander the Great commanded, “Either you change your name or your conduct.”

We are not in a dreamland of inaction. We are soldiers of Christ, enlisted in the work of showing our loyalty to Him who has redeemed us. We who are called and are made partakers of His salvation must reflect Christ. Are we following Christ with unwavering loyalty, keeping His life of perfect obedience, of purity and self-sacrifice ever before us that by beholding we may become changed into His image? Do we strive to imitate His fidelity? We are not to follow Christ erratically or impulsively, only when it is for our benefit. We must choose to follow Him. In our daily life we must follow His example, as a flock trustfully follows its shepherd.

The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians, Chapter 3 verses 13, 14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Our high calling is an upward call from God to Christlikeness. In the process of becoming Christlike (Romans 8:28), we acknowledge every good thing that results in us as coming through Him (Philemon 1:6). Our obedience in this process causes in our life an outflow of works and fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. Christ says, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (John 15:16).

We are called by Christ to be sons and daughters of God, to reveal a Christlike character. It is wonderful that He wants us to be His children. We are called to do His will for our lives, and He says for us not to be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:17). We are called to be holy, and to be representatives of Christ, to carefully avoid giving the impression that it is of little significance whether or not we retain the peculiar features of our faith. We have a very serious responsibility to take a firmer stand for truth and righteousness. We ought to make the line of delineation highlighted with distinctive clearness. It is sad to note that the border between the good and the evil is becoming finely thin in many places. The peculiarity once seen as noteworthy is unnoticed today. More and more common customs and social practices of the day are finding an entering wedge into the church today. As a people we must resist this evil, fight out the enemy and uplift the standard of truth and stand for the right.

“We are called to be the Lord’s special people in a much higher sense than many have realized. The world lies in wickedness, and God’s people are to come out of the world, and be separate. They are to be free from worldly customs and worldly habits. They are not to accord with worldly sentiments, but are to stand out distinct, as the Lord’s peculiar people, earnest in all their service. They are to have no fellowship with the works of darkness.”1

“We are to make no compromise with the habits and practices of the world. We are to stand upon the platform of eternal truth, pure, unadulterated truth. In this we may be considered singular, but this is the lot of all who make Christ their portion. Every worker in medical missionary lines is to make that work a success by living in connection with the Great Worker.”2

We should not imitate that which the world does; neither should we adopt that which is not in harmony with our principle. “How long halt ye between two opinions?” Elijah cried, “if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). We must put forth an influence that would bear witness to the power of heavenly principles and must present evidence of a change of principle. Unless we maintain the line of separation between the church and the world and carefully preserve principle, assimilation to the world will be the result.

Therefore, I urge you, brethren and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Be not conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and demonstrate what God’s will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will, says the apostle Paul in Romans 12:1, 2.