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The focus for this study is the last part of verse 2 in Romans, chapter 12 – that we may prove what is the good, acceptable (or pleasing if you wish), and perfect will of God. I feel verse 36 of Romans chapter 11 is also part of this study in that what is “good” is “of Him”, what is acceptable (pleasing) is “through Him” and what is “perfect” if “to Him”.
Paul’s focus is that our life proves the good, acceptable and perfect will of God in that we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. I use to take this statement by Paul at face value and found it very meaning full. I now feel that Paul develops this harmonic-of-three and defines God’s purpose for us in His good, acceptable and perfect will. Essentially, the good will of God is developed in the rest of chapter 12, the acceptable, or pleasing, will of God is developed in chapter 13 and the perfect will of God is defined in chapter 14. I will underline the areas I believe are important.
Good Will of God
The good will of God is “of Him” and as we read through the rest of chapter 12 it deals with our relationship with each other as Christians and our relationship with people in the world.
Acceptable (pleasing) Will of God
The acceptable will of God is “through Him” and as we read through chapter 13 we can see that God’s will for us is that we submit to authority, both within the Church and in the world.
Perfect Will of God
The perfect will of God is “to Him” and in verses 7 + 8 we see: “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord”. While these two passages by themselves lack the specificity to our lives that we see for “good” and “acceptable” a short review of the verses which surround them are more than specific.
God has not left the nature of His will a mystery it is very specific as it applies to our lives.
Romans, chapter 11
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen
Romans, chapter 12
1 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. 2 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.
3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to
think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think
soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
4
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the
same function,
5
so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of
one another.
6
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let
us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our
faith;
7
or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in
teaching;
8
he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads,
with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what
is good.
10
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor
giving preference to one another;
11
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13
distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but
associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath;
for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a]
says the Lord.
20
Therefore
“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans, chapter 13
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has
fulfilled the law.
9
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not
murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,”[a]
“You shall not covet,”[b]
and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this
saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”[c]
10
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the
law.
11
And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake
out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first
believed.
12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works
of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in
lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to
fulfill its lusts.
Romans, chapter 14
The Law of Liberty
1
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful
things.
2
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only
vegetables.
3
Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not
eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.
4
Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.
Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day
alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
6
He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord;[a]
and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.
He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat,
to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
7
For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.
Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9
For to this end Christ died and rose[b]
and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.[c]
11
For it is written:
“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”[d]
12
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
13
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to
put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
14
I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean
of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is
unclean.
15
Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer
walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
16
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
17
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18
For he who serves Christ in these things[e]is
acceptable to God and approved by men.
19
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by
which one may edify another.
20
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are
pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
21
It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by
which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.[f]
22
Do you have faith?[g]
Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn
himself in what he approves.
23
But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat
from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.[h]