ROMANS 12:2 KNOWING GOD'S WILL

 

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.

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[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.

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[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.

ROMANS 12:1-2 Presenting your Bodies as Living Sacrifices

 

We now come to the practical application of Paul’s letter to the Romans in Chapters 12-15.  

The great doctrines of Romans 1-11 (Orthodoxy) must lead to application (Orthopraxy).   

Right doctrine must be followed by   right doing.  Right living comes as a result of right thinking.  Paul, in almost all his letters deals with the doctrinal foundations of Christianity first before turning his attention to the duties of Christians. 

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) said, “The foundation of Christian practice must be laid in Christian knowledge and faith. We must first understand how we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and then we shall know the better how to walk in him “.  Truth must be believed. It must be lived out. 

Paul reminds Timothy:” Watch your life and doctrine closely!” (1 Tim 4:16 NIV).

REMINDER: Primary theological truths  contained in Romans 1-11 

• Mankind is a fallen race - “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God“ (Rom 3:23).
• All can only be redeemed through Christ alone, by faith in Him alone.
• All who have faith in Jesus are justified and receive full forgiveness of their sin.
• This brings about true freedom from the slavery of sin and the wrath of God (Rom 8)
• Since no one believes naturally, God sovereignly elects His people from among Jews and gentiles. If He did not do this no one would be saved.  (Rom 9-11)
•  Chapter 11   concludes with the strong reminder that God is merciful to sinners.  This pivotal thought will be carried into Romans 12-15. Sinners who receive God’s mercy are thankful and grateful. They are debtors to God’s mercy. These are the doctrines of grace and if you are a recipient of the doctrines of grace then these   will make us gracious.  This is indeed the mark of a true believer. If you have been saved by the grace of God then you will increasingly exhibit the marks of that grace, by growing in grace (2 Pet. 3:18).  We will return to this thought  shortly...

OUTLINE OF ROMANS 12-15

•  12:1 – 2 Duty to God - WORSHIP
•  12:3-8 Duties to the Church
•  12: 9 – 21 Marks of a true Christian  
• 13: 1 – 7 Duties to  the governing  Authorities
• 13:8 - 14 Duty to love one another
• 14:1 - 15:13 Concerning Christian liberty

1. ROMANS 12:1-2 OUR DUTY TO GOD

OUTLINE

1. Starting point: God’s mercy
2. Response:  worshipping God with our bodies
3.  Exhortation: negatively - nonconformity to the world and positively   - transformation of the mind
4. A surprising result:  God’s will for our life can be discerned

1.  God’s Mercy – The Starting Point

 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God…”.   We saw that Paul ended Romans 11:30-32 on the high note of God’s mercy.  

What is mercy?

On a human level, mercy is the compassionate treatment of someone suffering or in need. The Bible calls Christians “to love mercy” (Micah 6:8); to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36).  This includes forgiving offenses and helping the poor or suffering— all because  we  have received mercy from God.

On a divine level, mercy is the free gift of God’s undeserved kindness and compassion to us, sinners. In Titus 3:4–7, Paul gives us one of the best descriptions of God’s mercy: 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. “God’s mercy is freely granted. It not only forgives our sins and saves us but also withholds the punishment we deserve and makes us fit for heaven.

The difference between mercy and grace: 

Mercy is not receiving the punishment, wrath, or consequences that you do deserve. 

Grace is receiving the unearned gift, favour, and spiritual blessings that you do not deserve (Eph. 2:4–9)

Paul has shown the  greatness of God’s mercy to sinners.  He says in effect, “Look what God has done! Even though you were disobedient, rebellious sinners, God has shown you undeserved mercy. ”

2. An appropriate Response : Give Him your Body as a Living Sacrifice!

“…by the mercies of God … present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”.  

What ought to be our response to God’s mercy?  Knowing that we cannot repay God for His mercy, there is yet something that we  can and must do: “…present your bodies as a living sacrifice.”  

Ironically, salvation is the free gift that costs you everything. Paul is not saying, "give Jesus your heart”. God wants all of you. “You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, soul, mind and strength”(Deut. 6:4,5; Mk 12:30).

Paul reminds the Corinthians: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”  (1 Cor 6:20). Salvation is the free gift that costs us everything.  Christian discipleship means giving the totality of ourselves to God.  

“…Which is your spiritual worship… That is the meaning of true worship!  Modern Christians think of worship as an event. Some think that singing praise songs is worship. However, the Bible thinks of it as a lifestyle and a habit that pervades our body and mind every day, as it influences the way in which we think and act.  I am a Christian 24/7. Sadly, many Christians have this incredible disconnect between life (how we live) and doctrine (what we believe). And it makes them fundamentally unhappy, because they live a compromised life. The Bible teaches me that what I do with my body is important.    Therefore, I must care  about  where I take my body and what I do with my body. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19). I am called to use this body to glorify God – in all situations!  

And all this because I have come to understand that this is not out of a mere sense of duty. Mere duty is legalism.  “Legalism  lacks the supreme sense of worship. It obeys, but it does not adore.” (Geerhardus Vos).  When I adore, I delight in God. I adore because I have begun to understand the nature of His mercy. I understand the consequences. I have been redeemed from a future in eternal hell. I am adopted as His beloved a child. I am loved. I have a place, a home in His eternal family.  I adore, therefore I give myself to Him, not because I have to because I want to.  

3. EXHORTATION : THIS IS HOW WE DO IT 

Exhortation  #1 Do not be conformed to this world

“Do not be conformed to this world”.  That is the great problem with nominal and liberal Christianity.  Liberal Christians think little of God and much of man. Liberal churches accommodate themselves to what people think and want. To do that they will even go against God’s Word, or they twist it.  But God does not want us to be ruled by current culture or the prevailing social norms.  We do not belong to the world.  God’s will is uppermost in our hearts, minds and behavior. And so, we must not send confusing messages into the world.  We must not be   ruled by double standards.   We do what God says in His word.

Exhortation #2 Be Transformed by the Renewal of your Mind

“…but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”   Here we are challenged not to put our minds into neutral but to actively seek the renewal of our minds by learning to think God’s thoughts after Him.   With our mind we  believe, think and exercise our will and desire.   Our mind in the wrong hands can be easily swayed, depending on who we listen to.  

Dear believer, you were designed to listen to God.  

How many years have you spent listening to the world?  

Who is talking to you?  

Many Christians claim to have Christian hearts but  their  minds are instructed by  the ungodly at many levels,  from the  social media, the entertainment culture to our systems of education. The late Voddie Baucham famously said, “We cannot  continue to send our children  to Caesar for their education  and be surprised  when they come home as Romans”.   We can’t be naïve. Our children are  not strong enough  to resist  the world. Do/did you teach your children well?  Do you/ did you know what your children were being taught at school and University? And did you help them?   Are you surprised that they turned out sceptics?  

The Bible says that our mind  has  to be transformed in order to live the Christian life. Well,  how is it transformed? Through renewal.  How is it renewed? Through learning to think God’s thoughts after Him. Our minds need to be held captive by the Word of God.  

Martin Luther  when at  the Council of Worms on April 18, 1521 was  under strong  pressure to  capitulate  to the  very corrupt Catholic  thought system of his day. His response was, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God! To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I therefore cannot, and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen." That is where we need to be! Don’t be conformed … be transformed  by the renewing of your mind as your mind is held captive by the Word of God.

IV. THE RESULT:  A TRANSFORMED MIND KNOWS THE WILL OF GOD

“… that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Here is a  surprising and wonderful byproduct: A mind that is transformed by the renewing work of God’s Holy Spirit in accordance with the word of God will be a discerning mind.  It’s as simple as this: You cannot do the will of God if you do not know the will of God.  Wise living, making wise choices begins by  learning what the Bible teaches. The renewed mind, even whilst living in a fallen world is able to discern the issues of life.

Feeding on sound doctrine, feeding on the Word of God, believing God more than you believe anyone else will show you above all else how merciful God is to you. And when you have seen that, all your life will be lived in heartfelt worship, and if that is true,  you will be a blessed woman or man (Psalm 1). 

Romans 11:33-36 PROFOUND THEOLOGY LEADS TO PROFOUND WORSHIP

 

Romans 1-11 concludes Paul’s doctrinal section. 

Doctrine is not a dirty word. 

It is not a divisive word.  

Doctrine brings clarity. 

Doctrine is to the soul and to  the mind  what the skeleton is to the body.

We are  now  ready to move on to consider Romans 12-15, which consists of practical application- the “how- shall- we- then-live” section of Paul’s letter to the Romans. 

Sound doctrine must produce sound living.

Sound living must be based on sound principles.

In this regard we need to know something fundamental about ourselves.  

This is what Romans 1-11 explains.

Here we learn concerning the fundamental human condition: Sin!

Here we learn about how people are made right with God: Justification

Here we learn how that righteousness changes our daily life: Sanctification

Here we learn how God’s plan includes both Jews and Gentiles : Election

 

After reflecting on God’s wonderful plan of salvation for Jews and Gentiles in Romans 9-11, he bursts out in praise at the end in 11:33-36.

This is the result of profound theology. 

It leads to profound worship. 

Great theology leads to doxology. 

When we begin to understand something of the unsearchable wisdom, the mercy and the sovereign grace of God, our pride dissolves and gives way to total adoration.

This is truth on fire!

This leads to true worship.

This is where God wants us to be when we have considered  Romans 1–11.

And this is the response that will make us able to live out the practical moral demands of Romans 12–15.  “Morality in the Christian life is not simply the willpower to do right things, because God has the authority to command them. Christian morality is the overflow of worshipping the sovereign, merciful God. That will become plain as soon as we turn to chapter 12”. (Piper).

 

I am looking forward to doing the practical application of Paul’s letter to the Romans with you. But I want to be careful how I deal with it. We must not fall into the trap of becoming mere legalists, people that are merely duty bound. Legalism produces joyless Christianity.  Legalism lacks the supreme sense of worship. It obeys but it does not  adore (Geerhardus Vos) 

We are asking the Lord to do for us what He is doing here with Paul.  

Our prayer is that God would put a delight into our hearts.

Our prayer is that God would be pleased to help us to live from the center of our great theology with great gladness and joy, for the glory of His Name. 

You who are parents will understand the difference. When you ask your children to do something, then your hope is that they will not do it grudgingly. 

Your desire is that they will do it willingly, because they love you and because they love you and want to please you.  

When you are a Christian, God is your Father – your parent. And true Christians will show their love for Him by their obedience to His commandments. That is the spirit of true worship. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn.14:15) 

As Christians we must see all of life as worship. Sundays are days of worship, but so are Mondays and the rest of the week. In that sense we must take note of the opening words  of Romans 12 

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

GREAT THEOLOGY PRODUCES PROFOUND WORSHIP

In 11:33-36 Paul is gripped by the greatness of God. And it has far reaching consequences.                                                                  

1:33a “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!”. After pouring out his heart in profound theology under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit in the first 11 chapters, Paul is lost in wonder, love and praise [1]. 

He marvels at how God directs His plan of salvation. 

God’s ways and methods often leave us astonished e.g. here using Israel's hardening to reach the Gentiles, and then (wonder above wonders) to reincorporate the Jews back into His plan after the fullness of gentiles has been brought in!   Amazing mercy! It is good to be lost in the greatness of the mercy of God! We need to think and meditate much on these things.  We need to remind ourselves and know that we are always in the hands of a God whose character and nature is so large and inexhaustible that it cannot be fathomed (a nautical term). 

We need to be reminded that the riches of His Being cannot be exhausted. We need to be reminded that His wisdom makes us look foolish. His knowledge blows AI (which is the sum-total of human intelligence) out of the water.  

He is the God who has the whole world in His hands. We ultimately own nothing. 

He owns everything.   God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge are very deep. We cannot give Him anything he doesn’t have. We cannot tell Him anything which He doesn’t know.  

He is never confused, and always perfectly in control (Psalm 2). 

Experiencing something of the Majesty of God is an unknown cure for the troubles of our soul. When sickness or trouble or death stares you in the face you know that Someone greater is here! Someone who knows what He is doing is here!

1:33b “How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways”: 

This is a very challenging statement. We know that God is unfathomable, and wise. We know that He knows everything – the beginning from the end. He knows what He is doing in us and with us. 

What we find harder to cope with are some of His judgments – 

• why He does not heal us, or 
• why He does not deliver us from certain evils (e.g. Paul’s thorn in the flesh); 
• why He takes away a father in his prime; 
• why He allows us to live in a broken body for so long; 
• why He does not save a loved one even after many repeated prayers.

We wonder what good can possibly come from some of His divine judgments.  Here  are some of these unsearchable judgements. 

• What God did to Job was unsearchable. 
• What God allowed to be done to John the Baptist (Matthew 14; Mark 6) is unsearchable
• and to Stephen (Acts 7) 
• and  to  James,  the brother of John (Acts 12:2) ... 

The current deaths of many Christians at the hands of the Islamists is beyond our comprehension. And yet it is undeniable that God works in and through these circumstances.  The phrase, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" originates from the second-century Christian church father, Tertullian. And so, it was and so it is. From the  early Roman arenas where Christians were viciously  put to death, through medieval persecutions (see Foxes Book of martyrs)  through to modern persecutions, it is undeniable that Christian suffering has always served as a fertile witness rather than a silencer of the gospel.

11:34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?  

This is a quote from Isaiah 40:13. Like Isaiah, Paul points out that no finite creature (and we are finite creatures) has ever grasped the mind of the Lord.  Likewise, it is also apparent that we cannot offer Him advice or instruction in His governance of the universe (Are we not often guilty of this in our prayers?). God does not hold committee meetings or ask human beings for strategic advice on how to run the universe. God in His very nature needs no counsel.  

Let that sink in. 

11:35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”  

Here is another thing to think about. Paul quotes Job 41:11, implying that God is never put in a position where He becomes a debtor. We can never put God in our debt. Any "good" thing we offer Him, belongs to Him anyway.  

Let that sink in.

11:36a “For from him and through him and to him are all things”. 

This answers three basic questions about our existence:

• Where did our life come from? It came from God. God is the source (from Him).
• How did we come into existance? He is the means (through Him). We came into being through the power and the creative workmanship of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:10).
• Why did God create us?  We were made for God. He is the goal (to Him) of all things. We were made to worship!  We were made to bring God glory. All things exist ultimately for His pleasure, direction, and final purpose.   

11:36b “To him be glory forever. Amen”.  

Because God is self-sufficient and sovereign over history (including Israel's stumbling and Gentile inclusion, and Israel’s re-inclusion), the only proper human response is  to give Him the glory! 

The final word is, Amen (Affirmation: "So be it."). Like Job and his “comforters” we must learn (often the hard way) to submit to God. Let us learn to say Amen frequently when we hear the Word of God read or expounded.

CONCLUSION

This is where God wants us to be,  following a consideration of  Romans 1–11.  

We need to be amazed at His mercy, His free grace to us through Jesus Christ.  The fact that God will have anything to do with ungrateful, thankless, sinful human creatures is amazing!  

But the last word in 11:32 is MERCY!   

Thank God for His mercy.  

Because of mercy we will not perish in our sin. 

Our Saviour has paid the price for our sin.  

We are overwhelmed by His mercy. This is the response that will make us able to live out the practical moral demands of Romans 12–15. And we will be more than dutiful servants. We will feel ourselves to be grateful and thankful debtors.

That will be our entrance ticket into  Romans 12 

Let profound  theology drive you to worship deeper! Amen.

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[1] (Charles Wesley 1747- Love Divine all Love’s excelling)

Finish, then, thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see thy great salvation; Perfectly restored in thee; Changed from glory into glory, Till in Heav'n we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise!