In Romans 1-11 Paul has laid doctrinal foundations and in Romans 12-15 he follows with practical applications.
Doctrine without practice is dead just as faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Paul speaks to his disciple Timothy of, “be(ing) trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed… train yourself for godliness… (1 Tim. 4:6,7).
Every kind of work is based on
doctrine in which we need to be trained. Without mechanical doctrine and training I
cannot fix a car; I cannot do plumbing or carpentry; I cannot build a house. And
without training in sound doctrine I cannot be an effective or godly Christian.
Last time we considered 12:1,2. Here Paul makes this great appeal:
“...by the mercies of God present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind….”.
Profound theology produces profound worship. If you have become a Christian then THAT does something to you and in you. It produces a desire to surrender your body as a living sacrifice for the glory of God. This, says Paul, is an act of spiritual worship.
Worship is
much more than singing songs of praise. Worship is the offering up of our
entire selves.
But where do we begin? How shall we worship? Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…”.
We begin with mind renewal.
This requires the unlearning of the wisdom of this world and the learning of God’s truth.
We are called to learn to think as God thinks.
God’s thoughts are contained in the Bible.
The sad truth about us Christians is that we say that we have Jesus in our heart but our minds are often filled with thoughts of the world. By nature we tend to be lazy feeders.
Mind renewal requires work. It requires getting input from the Word of God.
Be mindful that the devil knows that. He continuously tempts you not to read,
meditate or pray over your Bible. He knows that it if you do this, it will change you. He does not want you to glorify God with your mind and body.
DISCERNING
THE WILL OF GOD
Being transformed by the renewal of the mind brings about an unexpected blessing: Knowing the will of God…
Follow Paul's logic: ” that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”. What is the will of God? Many sincere Christians ask, “What does God want me to do in this or that situation”? We all know the experience of having made poor, prayerless choices based on our own untested, not-thought-out desires. Happiness in life is making one wise decision after the other. So, the matter of the will of God comes up a lot in our thinking.
Young people typically ask God, “What shall I do with my life? Who shall I marry?”
Those in the middle years seek God’s guidance around their families and careers. “Can I have a job that takes me away from family and church”?
Older people ask, “What is God’s will for my life when I can no longer work as I once did? How can I be useful when I get older?”
THE WILL OF GOD: COMPLEX AND SIMPLE
In theology we speak about the two wills of God. Deuteronomy 29:29 gives us an indication of these,
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law".
The first aspect is complex, and it relates to the secret or sovereign will of God.
The other one is simple and relates to the things that God has clearly revealed. Let us briefly consider this.
1. The Complex Aspects Of God’s Will
There
are aspects to God’s governance of the universe which He has chosen not to reveal
to us. These relate to God's "secret" will. These are puzzling and
mysterious. One of the greatest mysteries of God’s will is why He allows evil
to exist. Even more puzzling is that God would allow evil to advance His own
purposes in the world. He can even use sinful people and nations to accomplish His purposes.
Herod, Pilate, the soldiers, the Jewish leaders – sinfully crucified the Lord
Jesus Christ and YET they were fulfilling God’s will (Isa 53:10).
It is also mystifying that God uses our sufferings (e.g. persecution, troubles, sickness) to bring about a greater appreciation for Himself and to help us to understand the nature of our salvation. And talking about salvation – what is more mysterious than the doctrine of election of Romans 9? And Ephesians 1:11 says,
“In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will...”
Who can tell how a person is converted? The wind blows wherever it wishes”, says John 3:8.
And yet (see God’s revealed
will) that God commands us to “always pray and not lose heart” (Lk.
18:1) This includes our prayers for the salvation of others. We cannot save others. But we can pray and ask God to save them!
So, there are aspects of God’s will that are impossible to understand. In this regard we must learn not to question Him. He is, after all the Sovereign Lord.
2. The Simplicity Of God’s Revealed Will
This
aspect of God’s will relates to what He has clearly commanded. We learn this by
reading and obeying the Scriptures. Here are a few examples…
· 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “This is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” What is the will of God here?
· 1 Thessalonians 5:18:
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this
is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” What is the will of God here?
· 1 Peter 2:15: "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men”. What is the will of God here?
The entire Bible must be read with this will of God in mind. Whatever command there is for us - that is the will of God. There is no guess work needed. God has said it. That settles it. Plain reading and plain obedience will contribute to your happiness.
Both Wills Held Together Help Us Greatly
The
fact that we know that God works together for our good in all things (Romans
8:28) comforts us. It helps us to understand that nothing that happens to
us falls outside of His will for our lives. If you have been deeply hurt by
someone, or if you have experienced the death of a child, sexual violence,
abuse, you may know that God has allowed this to happen, without approving of
it as such. Sin is always sin and the perpetrator will face the terrible
justice of God. But in it, and though it all, He is at work in you in these trials in a far greater way, and for reasons you do not
yet fully understand. Beyond a doubt, God moves in a mysterious
way [i],
as William Cowper’s[1]
hymn reads (see endnote)
We need both these understandings of the will of God to cope with life.
IN ROMANS 12:2 Paul refers to God’s revealed will.
And here is the big point we are trying to make: A life that worships is a life submitted to God’s revealed will. That comes through training our minds, renewing our minds, adjusting our lives to what God’s Word teaches. That is what Hebrews 5:14 affirms:
“Solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil”.
By this mind renewal, you will be able to discern “by testing” (dokimazo – testing by fire) what is the will of God.” Renewal of the mind comes through reading, meditating, thinking upon the Word of God. By it we learn to have the mind of Christ;
With a good knowledge and
understanding of the Bible you can test all things and see “what is good and
acceptable and perfect” … And again, Philippians 1:9–10 has this idea in
mind, where Paul is praying “It is my prayer that your love may
abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve
[dokimazo -test!] what is excellent.”
SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS
1. Not every life situation is explicitly addressed in the Bible. The Bible does not tell you who to marry (except in the Lord); It does not tell you your choice of career. But if you learn to think biblically about everything then you have the mind of Christ. With biblical principles in mind and being obedient to God's revealed will, you may confidently use your sanctified common sense
2. People who want to hear God’s voice speaking to them, or who want to play ‘Bible Bingo’ are looking for quick fixes. They are too lazy to use their minds ! There is a big difference between reading the Bible meditatively and prayerfully, working towards having a Christian mind and those that ask God for dreams, visions and revelations of what to do. Many people that struggle with the “Will of God” are usually looking for quick fixes.
Fertilize your mind thoroughly with the Word of God.
Study the revealed will of God and obey it whenever you find it.
And you will hardly have a problem with God’s guidance.
[1] William Cowper’s five older siblings died in infancy. When he was
six, his mother passed away while giving birth to his younger brother, John. He
was teased at school. His father (and uncle) vetoed his choice of a bride
because she was William’s cousin. And his father forced him to study law, which
was not really what he wanted to do. John Newton was his pastor and helped him greatly to
cope with his bouts of
depression.
[i] 1.God moves in a mysterious way, His
wonders to perform:
He
plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.
2.
Deep in unfathomable mines, Of
never-failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs, And works His sovereign will.
3.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.
4.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But
trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.
5.
His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour:
The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet
will be the flower.
6.
Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan
His work in vain;
God is His own Interpreter, And He will make it plain.
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