09/22/2025
By Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"All In: A Life Offered Back to God – Becoming Who God Says You Are, Not What the World Expects"
I remember trying on a dress shirt someone had given me. It was thoughtful. Brand name. Still had the tags on. But when I slipped it on at home, I knew right away—it wasn’t going to work. The sleeves were too long, the fit was off, and I felt like a kid wearing his dad’s Sunday best. It didn’t fit—not because it wasn’t nice, but because it wasn’t me.
That’s what trying to live by the world’s expectations feels like. You can do it for a while—pull the sleeves up, straighten your posture—but eventually, you realize: this wasn’t made for who I really am.
Paul gets right to the heart of this:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
(Romans 12:2)
The word conform in the original Greek carries the idea of being pressed into a mold. That’s what the world does—it tries to shape you by pressure:
Be impressive. Be agreeable. Be successful. Be the version of yourself that gets noticed.
But Peter points us to a different pattern:
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
(1 Peter 1:14–16)
Holiness isn’t about perfection. It’s about being set apart. Being distinct.
And most of all, it’s about reflecting the nature of the One who called you.
You weren’t made to blend in. You weren’t made to spend your life adjusting the sleeves on an identity that doesn’t actually belong to you. In Christ, you’ve been given something that fits—and it may not be flashy, but it’s free, and it’s yours.
That won’t always win you applause. But it will bring clarity. And peace. And presence.
🧠 Reflection Questions:
- Where are you most tempted to conform—either to gain approval or avoid rejection?
- What "fashion" of this world doesn’t fit you anymore—but you’re still wearing it out of habit?
- What would it look like to pursue holiness this week—not as performance, but as alignment with who you already are in Christ?
📖 Dwelling Point: Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 1:13–16
You weren’t made to blend in. You were made to become like Jesus.
