Discerning God’s will begins with a choice. In Romans 12:1, it’s the choice of full surrender of every part of our lives (the good and the bad) to our loving heavenly Father. We delved into this in the previous post.
In verse 2, it’s an ongoing choice to stop allowing ourselves to be shaped according to prevailing culture. Instead, allowing ourselves to be transformed and renewed in our mind.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
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.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Be transformed
Transformation and the renewing of our minds is hugely important. If our minds are not renewed, we will always have an internal fight on our hands between God’s will and what we want. Furthermore, we will not be able to properly discern God’s will.
Interestingly, the word “transformed” is the same word used for the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2). At the transfiguration, Jesus’ form was completely changed, right in front of his disciples’ eyes. Matthew describes it like this:
His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
Matthew 17:2
While we may not physically shine like the sun as Jesus did, the change Paul envisages for us in Romans 12:2 is that radical. Paul is wanting to show how absolutely different we are to be, compared with the culture around us. This world’s value system and culture is utterly incompatible with the values and culture of God’s kingdom. They are completely opposite poles.
Peter says much the same as he calls for us to be holy in all we do:
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…
1 Peter 1:13-15 (NKJV)
You might like to pause here and think about the radicalness of what Paul and Peter are saying. What it might look like in your life? How will it impact your situation? It’s really quite challenging, isn’t it?
It’s also ongoing. That’s because the well-worn tracks in our minds are like habits that need to be changed. And changing a habit takes time and effort. The good news is that the Holy Spirit delights to work with us in the transforming process. He is the one who does the work – we just need to be willing and allow Him to do it!
The good, acceptable and perfect will of God
Verse 2 goes on to say that we will be able to prove (or discern) the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. “Good,” “acceptable” and “perfect” are not levels of God’s will. They are all at the highest level – because all these words describe God’s will. Surrendering our lives and being transformed, enables us to discover the fulfilment of all that God desires for us.
- God is “good.” Everything He does is good (see Genesis 1). God’s will is also fully good. And His good will is what He desires for us too.
- “Acceptable” is not something that barely crosses the mark. It’s the same word used in verse 1 to describe the sacrifice of our bodies as “acceptable” or well-pleasing to God. He is delighted with the sacrifice. And God’s will is also absolutely delightful.
- “Perfect” means “entire,” “complete” or “mature.” It’s the idea of complete fulfilment of God’s desire.
Transformation and the renewing of our minds means that we will be able to discern or discover God’s complete will. There won’t be any competing agendas, because we’ve laid everything else down.
So let’s not sell ourselves short by compromising or refusing to fully embrace all that God desires for us. Let’s let Him deal with our “rubbish” (see previous post), and make the choice to be shaped and utterly transformed by the Holy Spirit, into all that He desires us to be.
Then let’s go on the continuing adventure of discerning and discovering God’s will.
