You asked

how do other biblical writers, like paul, address believers' relationship with 'the world'?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Romans 12:2

“Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to a community of early believers in Rome, likely around the mid-50s CE. In the preceding chapters, Paul laid out a theological foundation of God's grace and salvation. Now, in chapter 12, he transitions to practical instructions for Christian living, urging them to live out their faith in tangible ways within their community and the wider world.

How might renewing your mind lead to both personal transformation and a different way of engaging with the patterns of the world around you?

Then — the setting

Paul wrote Romans to the diverse Christian community in Rome, a mix of Jewish and Gentile believers, in a city that was the heart of the Roman Empire. The concept of 'the world' (Greek: 'kosmos') in this context often referred to the prevailing societal structures, values, and practices that were not aligned with God's will. For early Christians, this included aspects of pagan worship, imperial ideology, social hierarchies, and moral norms that contrasted sharply with the ethics of their new faith. Paul is calling them to a counter-cultural identity, distinguishing themselves from the dominant Roman culture while still living within it.

Across the Testaments

In the Old Testament, 'the world' often refers to the created order, which is good (Genesis 1). However, there are also warnings against adopting the practices of surrounding nations (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:9) that could be seen as an early form of 'not conforming.' The New Testament, particularly in Paul's letters and John's Gospel and epistles, significantly develops this concept, often using 'the world' to denote humanity in its fallen state, alienated from God, or the system of values and powers opposed to God. Paul's call to 'not be conformed' echoes the Old Testament's emphasis on holiness and separation, while his emphasis on 'renewing the mind' introduces a distinctly New Testament understanding of inner transformation through the Spirit, rather than primarily outward ritual or legal adherence.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

John 17:14-16
Jesus prays for his disciples, stating they are 'not of the world' even though they are in it.
1 John 2:15-17
Warns against loving 'the world' or the things in it, defining 'the world's' desires.
Ephesians 4:22-24
Encourages believers to put off their old self and be renewed in the spirit of their minds.

Ask your own follow-up