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Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2; NIV). 

The Kingdom of God versus the kingdom of this world.  That is the age-old battle that has been raging for centuries for the hearts, minds, and ultimate allegiance of human beings everywhere.  The intensity of this battle has seemingly increased in recent years, especially for teens and high school students.  “Do I remain sexually pure until marriage or go ahead and experiment sexually with my boyfriend or girlfriend?”  “Do I remain sober or begin using drugs and/or abusing alcohol?”  “Do I study hard and do my best on the exam, or do I cheat on the exam by stealing someone else’s answers to the questions?”  These common battles and others like them are not limited to non-Christian teens, but are experienced by Christian teens as well – perhaps even more so because the Holy Spirit dwelling within them brings about an awareness and grief for sinful acts and behaviors that non-Christian teens do not have.  This becomes even more of a challenge when parental and adult authorities under the guise of “no one is perfect,” either actively encourage sinful acts or fail to discourage them because they have more confidence in the sinful desire’s ability to overpower someone than in the Holy Spirit’s ability to overpower sinful desire.  It’s often challenging enough for Christian teens to consistently fight these battles successfully.  It can become exponentially challenging when their parental and adult authorities – whether knowingly or unknowingly – become advocates for the kingdom of this world over the Kingdom of God.  

What is a Christian teen who is serious about doing the will of God supposed to do during these very challenging times?  Advertisements for the kingdom of this world seem to be far more prevalent than those for the Kingdom of God.  The lie that worldly experiences are more fulfilling and pleasurable than what God has to offer is deeply rooted in our society.  Well, the only way to successfully combat lies is with truth, so I would like to offer three Scripturally-backed truths for Christian teens to prayerfully remember as they navigate toward adulthood and beyond:

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Matthew 6:24; NASB).

The first thing to remember is that, fundamentally, you have a make a decision from the depths of your heart:  “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . “ (Joshua 24:15; NIV).  Often times, people try to straddle the fence between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world, and they wind up being miserable because, on the one hand, they don’t feel fully “free” to engage in the sinful desires of their hearts because of their relationship with God, and on the other hand, the Holy Spirit Himself is actively opposing and defeating their attempts to engage in worldly behaviors apart from His will.  In other words, they are, in effect, trying to serve two masters, and they are miserable.  Therefore, the first thing is that, in your heart, you have to make a decision one way or the other as to which kingdom you will choose to serve. 

Secondly, I believe that it is important to also remember that, often times, the kingdom of this world is offering you some kind of “wealth” on its terms in exchange for serving God wholeheartedly.  Consider the following examples:  A career path based on service to God and others (Kingdom of God) versus a career path based on money, fame, and prestige (kingdom of this world); Maintaining faithfulness to God by abstaining from certain behaviors and activities that you know are wrong (Kingdom of God) versus the “wealth” of popularity among your friends by engaging in those behaviors (kingdom of this world).  These are just a couple of examples.  By identifying the “wealth of the world” that is being offered and contrasting that with its Kingdom of God alternative, it may help you be able to say “no” to the “lesser thing” being offered by the kingdom of this world in order to say “yes” to the “greater thing” being offered by the Kingdom of God (even if it’s delayed).  Why?  Because it will no longer be only about what you’re seemingly losing out on by saying “no” to the kingdom of this world, but it will also be about what you’re gaining by saying “yes” to the Kingdom of God.

Finally, the unbelieving parental and adult authorities I mentioned earlier are actually right:  “No one is perfect.”  Despite our best efforts, prayers, and sincerity, unfortunately we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (ref. Romans 3:23).  When that happens to you – and it will – it is very important to remember God’s word in 1 John 2:1-2 (NIV):

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  Jesus.  It’s all about Jesus.  Turn to Him, pray, and ask for help and grace when you’re tempted to sin.  Turn to Him, pray, and ask for grace and mercy when you sin and fall short.  Praise and honor Him in all things.  Jesus.  The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  The literal Centerpiece of what the Kingdom of God is all about.  He is why we choose the Kingdom of God over the kingdom of this world.  Jesus Christ is better than anything or anyone the world has to offer; therefore, the Kingdom of God is superior to the kingdom of this world in all things.

The Kingdom of God versus the kingdom of this world.  God versus self.  Jesus versus satan.  The age-old battle.  This is really no contest, actually.  One is far greater and superior than the other.

Therefore, returning to our original question, what is a Christian teen who is serious about doing the will of God supposed to do during these very challenging times?   

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33; NLT).

-W. Brad Jones, PhD