Romans 12:1-2, Knowing God’s Will

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) ¹  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ²  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

William MacDonald said well, “Here, then, are three keys for knowing God’s will. The first is a yielded body, the second a separated life, and the third a transformed mind”.

The renewal of the mind comes with the meditation and imbibing of God’s Word in our heart and life. Moses left a deep conviction in Joshua’s heart of the benefit of keeping God’s Word. As Joshua inherited the mantle from Moses, the LORD gave him these instructions in Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua lived a fruitful life in obedience to God’s Word.

Noah, too, lived a fruitful life in obedience to God’s Word. The Bible recorded in  Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 

The Bible tells us that we are living in the days of Noah. The world certainly does not know or realise the impending judgment upon planet earth! Life goes on as usual — eat, drink and be merry, we have much goods laid up for the future. The world feels very secure with its make-believe sense of prosperity.

The world system is committed to at least four major objectives, which I can summarize in four words: fortune, fame, power, pleasure. First and foremost: Fortune, money. The world system is driven by money; it feeds on materialism. Second: Fame. That is another word for popularity. Fame is the longing to be known, to be somebody in someone else’s eyes. Third: Power. This is having influence, maintaining control over individuals or groups or companies or whatever. It is the desire to manipulate and maneuver others to do something for one’s own benefit. Fourth: Pleasure. At its basic level, pleasure has to do with fulfilling one’s sensual desires. It’s the same mindset that’s behind the slogan: “If it feels good, do it.” (Charles Swindoll, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, p.219)

Dear friends, this is the deception today as it was then in Noah’s time just before God brought on a global flood that destroyed the whole world. Be warned there is yet another global “flood” of God’s judgment that is coming. This time, it shall be by fire. This is recorded for us by the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:10-13, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

May God’s people be prepared. Amen.