"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S WILL"
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God"
Some explanatory thoughts/application, and a prayer:
1. Paul is telling us in no uncertain terms how a christian can know the will of God. By the way, the phrase "will of God" actually means "what is pleasing to God" It's interesting to think of it in this way. How to know what is pleasing to God. Or, that our Father is pleased when we walk and live a certain way.
2. This verse is telling us what is required on our part to personally know what is pleasing to our Father, how we can enter into the personal knowledge of what God's will is for our lives, Let's take a closer look at what is said here.
(1) Rom 12:2a "And do not be conformed to this world" Or, don't copy the behavior and customs of this world. The world here is not the physical and beautiful creation around us, but rather that mindset that unbelievers have. They live as if there is no God, and they are basically given over to three things. They do what they want to do. They get what they want to get, and they become what they want to become. God is saying, that's not how to live if you want to know His will.
(2) Rom 12:2b "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind" Or, let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think" There is a change that God will bring about in our lives as we allow His Word into our lives, and as we seek to understand it, and obey it. When we do that on a consistent basis, we will experience a real transformation in our lives. God will change us into what He wants us to be, by renewing our mind. We will not think the way we used to think, but we will think the way He wants us to think, we will have the mind of Christ.
(3) Rom 12:2c "That you prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" Or, then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. The process of coming to know God's will is kind of like what happens in a baseball game. If you want to get to home plate, then you have to hit the ball, and then make your way to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and then home plate. You will have then scored a run. It's first things first you might say.
(4) In closing, as you can see there are some steps we must take if we are to know the will of God for our lives. And, just like in a baseball game, we must play by the rules. And, God has shown us here just how we can know His will. In fact, He has more than just shown us, it's actually a promise that we will. And, it's an expression of what He wants in our lives. He wants us to be blessed, and we are blessed beyond anything else we could possibly be, when we are knowing and walking in the will of God for our lives. So, if we will follow His instruction given to us here in Rom 12:2, we have God's guarantee that we will find ourselves right were God wants us to be.
A prayer:
Father, You have been so merciful to us. You have come to us while we were dead in our sins, and You have made us alive together with Christ. By Your grace, through faith we have become Your children. And, as adopted children living in Christ, You have something very pleasing to You. It's Your will for our lives, and for situations, and circumstances that we are in. Thank You that there is a clear cut path for us to follow that leads us into what is pleasing to You. Help us Lord to have the personal resolve, to follow Your Word and Your ways, for surely they lead us into that which is pleasing to You, and if it's pleasing to You, it will certainly be the greatest blessing we can experience in our lives. We love You Father, in the name of Jesus.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
