Proving God's Perfect Will
Romans 12:2 …Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
The purpose of having a transformed mind is found in the second part of v. 2: “so that you may prove what the will of God is…” Without a transformed mind, or a mind that is being transformed by the Spirit and His word (Scripture), one cannot know what the will of God is. Christians are to be able to “prove,” or discern, God’s will. This Greek term (dokimazō) carries the idea of testing with a positive result—to accept something after testing it. The ESV adds “testing” which is not in the Greek text but is implied in the definition of what “prove” means. A transformed mind, therefore, means to understand and agree with God about His will with the goal of putting it into practice. Man’s will is selfish and temporary while God’s will is eternal (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18). Once released from the world’s grip, Christians can know what God’s will is, a will that has been faithfully preserved in Scripture—inerrant and infallible.
God’s will is said to be “good, acceptable, and perfect” in v. 2. Being “good” (Gr. agathos), God’s will is morally excellent. Those who read God’s word know His will and inevitably grow morally and spiritually by allowing themselves to be molded by it. Second, God’s will is “acceptable” (Gr. euarestos), literally “pleasing.” As in the days of creation when God observed His own work as “good” and “very good,” God actually delights in Himself and finds His own will pleasing to Himself. God has no regrets about His will. Those who delight in what God delights will also experience God delighting in them! Third, God’s will is “perfect” (Gr. teleios), a term that can mean “complete” or “mature.” But Paul means it in this context as being “without defect.” Therefore, God’s will is morally perfect and cannot be improved upon.
The same word “transformed” Paul uses in 12:2 is also used in his second letter to the Corinthians (3:18). In that letter he said, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” There it is! Transformation comes from “beholding the glory of Christ.” In essence, Paul is saying that only Christians can behold the glory of Christ because they have had their “veil” removed—the spiritual blinders that keep unbelievers from seeing the truth of salvation in Christ. Once God has removed those spiritual blinders, Christians are transformed by beholding the glory of Christ. Notably, Paul said that transformation comes from “the Lord who is the Spirit.” The Spirit and the word of God are one, and the word has been given to all Christians which gives to us the glory of Christ. So, God has spoken to us in such a way that we can be continually transformed by His words as found in Scripture. No wonder Paul told the Colossian church to “let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Col. 3:16). The result of such, which is akin to beholding the glory of Christ, is being filled with the Spirit, and that results in thanksgiving, praising, singing, and submitting (cf. Eph. 5:18-6:9).
Food For Thought
There are countless people who attempt to kick their addictions through twelve-step programs and psychotropic drugs. Others read the self-help books or listen to TV personalities to solve their problems. But it is God’s word that has the answers. When we as Christians endeavor to continually renew our regenerated minds through a steady diet of God’s word, and nothing else, we will daily discover how imperfect we are and how perfect God is. The mind is renewed by the word of God which is the Spirit of God, and it shows us what is right and wrong—what and who God is and what He desires from us. If we read it and strive to follow it, we will be daily transformed and be given the power to overcome that which overcomes us.
The purpose of having a transformed mind is found in the second part of v. 2: “so that you may prove what the will of God is…” Without a transformed mind, or a mind that is being transformed by the Spirit and His word (Scripture), one cannot know what the will of God is. Christians are to be able to “prove,” or discern, God’s will. This Greek term (dokimazō) carries the idea of testing with a positive result—to accept something after testing it. The ESV adds “testing” which is not in the Greek text but is implied in the definition of what “prove” means. A transformed mind, therefore, means to understand and agree with God about His will with the goal of putting it into practice. Man’s will is selfish and temporary while God’s will is eternal (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18). Once released from the world’s grip, Christians can know what God’s will is, a will that has been faithfully preserved in Scripture—inerrant and infallible.
God’s will is said to be “good, acceptable, and perfect” in v. 2. Being “good” (Gr. agathos), God’s will is morally excellent. Those who read God’s word know His will and inevitably grow morally and spiritually by allowing themselves to be molded by it. Second, God’s will is “acceptable” (Gr. euarestos), literally “pleasing.” As in the days of creation when God observed His own work as “good” and “very good,” God actually delights in Himself and finds His own will pleasing to Himself. God has no regrets about His will. Those who delight in what God delights will also experience God delighting in them! Third, God’s will is “perfect” (Gr. teleios), a term that can mean “complete” or “mature.” But Paul means it in this context as being “without defect.” Therefore, God’s will is morally perfect and cannot be improved upon.
The same word “transformed” Paul uses in 12:2 is also used in his second letter to the Corinthians (3:18). In that letter he said, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” There it is! Transformation comes from “beholding the glory of Christ.” In essence, Paul is saying that only Christians can behold the glory of Christ because they have had their “veil” removed—the spiritual blinders that keep unbelievers from seeing the truth of salvation in Christ. Once God has removed those spiritual blinders, Christians are transformed by beholding the glory of Christ. Notably, Paul said that transformation comes from “the Lord who is the Spirit.” The Spirit and the word of God are one, and the word has been given to all Christians which gives to us the glory of Christ. So, God has spoken to us in such a way that we can be continually transformed by His words as found in Scripture. No wonder Paul told the Colossian church to “let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Col. 3:16). The result of such, which is akin to beholding the glory of Christ, is being filled with the Spirit, and that results in thanksgiving, praising, singing, and submitting (cf. Eph. 5:18-6:9).
Food For Thought
There are countless people who attempt to kick their addictions through twelve-step programs and psychotropic drugs. Others read the self-help books or listen to TV personalities to solve their problems. But it is God’s word that has the answers. When we as Christians endeavor to continually renew our regenerated minds through a steady diet of God’s word, and nothing else, we will daily discover how imperfect we are and how perfect God is. The mind is renewed by the word of God which is the Spirit of God, and it shows us what is right and wrong—what and who God is and what He desires from us. If we read it and strive to follow it, we will be daily transformed and be given the power to overcome that which overcomes us.
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Our mailing address is:
Harvest Bible Church
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Cypress, TX 77433
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1 Comment
Thank you so much brother Waldie in helping me see this verse much more clearly. I thank you brother for stating what should be obvious to us Christians that "The mind is renewed by the word of God which is the Spirit of God, and it shows us what is right and wrong—what and who God is and what He desires from us." How true that is by testing our thoughts against scripture and understanding it by study and faithful application is in fact following the Spirit of God.