Paganism and Discerning the Will of God

How Paganism Discerns the Will of God.

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How Paganism Discerns the Will of God

Modern American Christianity has been convinced that if you are to find or operate in the will of God, it must be done without logical rational thought. It must be done without using the mind. Christians must not only not walk by sight, but they must also not walk with thought.

But is this what the Bible teaches? What does the Bible say about using our minds and finding the will of God. How does thinking relate to the decisions that we make and the issue of walking in God’s will?

thinking as it relates to the decisions that we make. And, this issue of walking in God’s will

In Bruce Waltke’s book “Finding the Will of God?: A Pagan Notion?” he tells a story:

“Margaret is a successful career woman with a desire to please God. She worked her way up to a supervisor’s position in the accounting division at First National Bank and married rather late in life. Now in her late 30’s, she is struggling with the importance of her job. She would like to do something significant for Christ but feels that her job prevents her from making any changes.

Margaret’s church recently held a missionary conference in which the speaker challenged Christians to become involved in world evangelism and encouraged everyone to justify why they are not ‘serving the Lord overseas’. Those words stay with Margaret as she ponders spending the next 25 years at her desk doing the same old accounting tasks.

“Margaret is a successful career woman with a desire to please God. She worked her way up to a supervisor’s position in the accounting division at First National Bank and married rather late in life. Now in her late 30s, she is struggling with the importance of her job. She would like to do something significant for Christ but feels that her job prevents her from making any changes. Margaret’s church recently held a missionary conference in which the speaker challenged Christians to become involved in world evangelism and encouraged everyone to justify why they are not ‘serving the Lord overseas’. Those words stay with Margaret as she ponders spending the next 25 years at her desk doing the same old accounting tasks. The next day she reads in the paper about a hurricane devastating the Marshall Islands. The accompanying photograph of two children crying over the death of her parents vividly captures the destruction and depravation and Margaret prays for those poor souls left to fend for themselves. That very afternoon a co-worker making plans for his vacation leaves a brochure on the Marshall Islands and Margaret decides to pray that the Lord would make His will clear to her. That night her husband comes home complaining that the best lawyer in his office, a young man named Marshall, has just been transferred to their East Coast office. ‘Honey,’ Margaret says to her husband, ‘I’ve been thinking about what the speaker said in church yesterday and the funniest set of circumstances occurred. Do you think God could be calling us to be missionaries in the Marshall Islands?’”

The next day she reads in the paper about a hurricane devastating the Marshall Islands. The accompanying photograph of two children crying over the death of their parents vividly captures the destruction and depravation and Margaret prays for those poor souls left to fend for themselves.

That very afternoon a co-worker making plans for his vacation leaves a brochure on the Marshall Islands and Margaret decides to pray that the Lord would make His will clear to her. That night her husband comes home complaining that the best lawyer in his office, a young man named Marshall, has just been transferred to their East Coast office. ‘Honey,’ Margaret says to her husband, ‘I’ve been thinking about what the speaker said in church yesterday and the funniest set of circumstances occurred. Do you think God could be calling us to be missionaries in the Marshall Islands?’”

I am sure that this is a fictional story, but in my years of going to church I have heard many stories just like this one. Do you know what would happen if Margaret and her husband became missionaries to the Marshal Islands? From time to time they would come back and go to churches to get funding where they would tell their story. And everyone would stand up and applaud and praise God for revealing his will through those circumstances. I know, I have been one of them standing up and applauding.

But here is the thing. That is paganism and not Christianity. Its reading tea leaves, Its looking at the stars trying to discern their story. Its horoscopes. Its divination. Margaret and her husband did not discern the will of God. Not according to the Bible. But it is the common approach to following God's will in the Modern American church.

It is difficult to find Biblical thinking on the issue of finding God's will. The majority of instances that we are exposed to are pagan and not Christian. Paganism has so infected the church that many look at this story and have no theological problem with it. I know, because I was there too once.

Paganism has so infected the church that many look at this story and have no theological problem with it. I know, because I was there too once.

Methods Paganism uses to discern the Divine Will

So what is the difference between how pagans and Christians discern the will of God. Before we look at how the Bible says to discern the will of God, lets look at how paganism does it.

The way Paganism tells you to get in touch with the divine will is you do this: You have to transcend your humanness, your human limitations, you have to empty your mind to access the divine will. That's paganism.

You have to transcend your humanness, your human limitations, you have to empty your mind to access the divine will. That's paganism.

How does paganism do this?

Fortune Telling

Fortune Telling

I will have someone tell me what the will of the divine is. I will have someone else that is in touch with the divine or has the knowledge tell me what the divine will is.

Meditation

Meditation

Transcendental Mediation is a method pagans use. It is he idea that you have to empty your mind, because an empty mind is the only way to get into touch with the divine. And by emptying your mind you are able to to cast off all this humanness and get in touch with the divine will.

Pharmaceuticals (Drugs)

pharmaceuticals

Drugs is another method. The Indians used peyote, and in the 60's and 70’s it was LSD. You take a drug which alters your mind, alters your consciousness and therefore you transcend the human and physical and tap into the divine for guidance and direction.

The reading of signs

Looking for the reading of signs

The reading of signs, reading tea leaves, the entrails of animals, looking at that stars. It's like the divine will is dropping breadcrumbs to let you know where to go.

Romans 12:2

What does the Bible say about discerning the will of God? How does the Christian discern the will of God?

Say the word “Mind” together

Say the word “Mind” together

Say the word “Mind” together

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The irony of finding the will of God is that paganism tells you that you need to get away from being human. You need to get away from using your mind. You need to empty your mind. Alter your mind. Turn it off. Read tea leaves, have your fortune told, get your palm read. The Biblical way says that you go through the mind.

Prompt

everyone say the word "mind" together.

The irony of finding the will of God is that paganism tells you that you need to get away from being human. You need to get away from using your mind. You need to empty your mind. Alter your mind. Turn it off. The pagan process is to get away from the mind and get away from humanness. Read tea leaves, have your fortune told, get your palm read. The Biblical way says that you go through the mind.

The pagan process is to get away from the mind and get away from humanness. Read tea leaves, have your fortune told, get your palm read.

Paganism says to get in touch with the divine will is to meditate until the divine lets you know for sure. Christians do this. Here is how we say it in Christian terms. The Christian word for this kind of meditation and this kind of pagan mysticism is finding peace about it. Inner peace. "Well, I know it is the will of God because I have a peace about it." That is paganism. As though God would never lead you to a place where you would not feel peace. The Bible says you are to confront a Christian brother about his sin. Do you think you are going to have a peace about that? Try having a peace when you go to witness to a hostile person.

The Bible says you are to confront a Christian brother about his sin. Do you think you are going to have a peace about that? Try having a peace when you go to witness to a hostile person.

Many times when someone says they know the will of God because they have a peace about it, what they are really saying is, "What I am about to do is not Biblical, but I don't want anyone to question me about it. I prayed, I fasted, I have peace, so my decision trumps whatever is in the Bible."

Exegete Romans 12:2

How Christians Discern the Will of God.

So how do Christians discern the will of God? Look at Romans 12:2

2- Think Biblical

3- Pray Biblical

4-Seek Wise Counsel

5-Repeat as necessary.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Do not be conformed

In Paul tells us that in light of God’s mercies, in light of what God has done for us, in light of the Gospel we should offer our very selves as a sacrifice. He then immediately goes into a negative, “Do not.... Don’t do this.”

The English word used here is conformed

Summarize

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 41.29 συσχηματίζομαι

to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards

to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. συσχηματίζω

to form according to a pattern or mold

Paul says, “Do not mold yourself, form yourself, according to the standards or pattern of......

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 506.

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 506.

Of what Paul? Of the world. But the word Paul uses here is not the expected word. Often in the Bible when the word world is used it is the Greek word cosmos. It means the the physical world or universe. But here Paul uses the Greek word aion.

Summarize

define world (age)

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 41.38 κόσμος, ου; αἰών, ῶνος

the system of practices and standards associated with secular society (that is, without reference to any demands or requirements of God)—‘world system, world’s standards, world.’

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. αἰών

a segment of time as a particular unit of history, age

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) 172 αἰών

era, a unit of time as a particular stage of history

Paul tells us not to be molded or formed into the standards or pattern of this age. By the way this is repentance.

Instead Paul tells us that we are to be transformed.

Summarize

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 13.53 μεταμορφόομαι

to change the essential form or nature of something

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. μεταμορφόω

to change inwardly in fundamental character or condition, be changed, be transformed

Paul tells us that we are not to be molded or formed into the standards or patterns of this age, but instead our essential form, our nature, is to be changed inwardly by the renewal of our minds, by how we think.

Within the verbs Paul uses, conformed and transformed, there is also a distinction in that conformed signals an outward change, while transformed is an inner change and movement.

“Do not outwardly conform yourself to the standards of this age, but let God transform you inwardly.”

Look at this Old Testament passage:

Psalm 1:1–2 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

It starts with the negative, don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, don’t stand in the place, don’t sit in the place and follows up with the positive. Instead, delight in the law of YHVH and meditate on his law. This is the Old Testament version of . Don’t be conformed, instead let God transform you.

This is about how you think. This is about the thoughts that go through your mind. How you evaluate decisions, how you place values on items or actions. Paul says that we are not to think the way this age thinks, we are not to think the way the spirit of this age thinks, instead we are to let God inwardly transform us.

This is about how you think. This is about the thoughts that go through your mind. How you evaluate decisions, how you place values on items or actions. Paul says that we are not to think the way this age thinks, we are not to think the way the spirit of this age thinks, instead we are to let God inwardly transform us.

Knowing the Spirit of the Age

So, how does God work this change in us? How are we transformed and our minds renewed?

1- Search the Scriptures

Read your Bible. “But I want to know what to do in this particular situation and the Bible doesn’t talk about it.” Read your Bible.

2- Think Biblically

Think biblically. “Should I go to the Marshall Islands.” Well, what does the Bible say? What does it say about ministering to others, what does it say about going places and preaching the Gospel, and what does it say about counting the cost. Think biblically.

3- Pray Biblically

4-Seek Wise Counsel

Seek wise counsel

5-Repeat as necessary.

This is about how you think. This is about the thoughts that go through your mind. How you evaluate decisions, how you place values on items or actions. Paul says that we are not to think the way this age thinks, we are not to think the way the spirit of this age thinks, instead we are to let God inwardly transform us.

Knowing the Spirit of the Age

The fact that we are not to be molded or formed into the way this age thinks brings up an issue. We need to know the difference between Biblical thinking and the spirit or thought patterns of this age. In order to refuse to be conformed to the spirit or thinking of this age we have to be able to discern the difference.

Look at something James Edwards wrote:

We need to know the difference between Biblical thinking and the spirit (thinking) of this age.

Modern society beams a collage of intense images at believers and non-believers alike through the media, advertising, polls, style, social and materialistic pressure and ideologies. These images are often most effective when they are least recognized. The Christian life is an ongoing discipline of learning to be transformed by the Lordship of Christ rather than being conformed to social, moral and even spiritual images.

We need to know the difference between Biblical thinking and the spirit (thinking) of this age.

Cultural influences of the Spirit of the Age.

We see the influence of the spirit of this age all around us. It has a greater impact on your life than you can possible imagine and that influence comes to your from several different directions.

Spirit of the Age.

1- Education

From Kindergarten to 12th grade a person spends well over 11,000 hours of instruction in the American school system. Make sure you heard that over 11,000 hours. And the American school system is anti-Christian by government mandate. It indoctrinates our children into the spirit of this age, and I bet most of us have spent our own 11,000 hours plus under that instruction.

After being indoctrinated in the spirit of this age do you really think you can just close your eyes and and feel your way to the will of God? You need to first escape your education first.

2- Media

The media is another great way the spirit of this age indoctrinates us. Over and over and over again the media conforms us to the spirit of the age. And listen, I am not just talking the news, but I am talking about the TV shows and the movies we watch. They revise history for us and they teach us morals. A filmmaker can spend 2 hours introducing us to a murderer, thief, or adulterer, and by the end will have you cheering when they get away with it. And we sit there not even realizing what has happened.

This isn’t just the news, but is the TV shows and the movies we watch.

3-Psychology/Psychotherapy

3-Psychology

Psychology and Psychotherapy is another way the spirit of this age influences us. Most Christians believe that if you have a small problem you can go to your pastor. But if you have a real problem, you need to go to a license professional who is trained in a discipline that is antithetical to Biblical Christianity. The Bible says your greatest need is inside you and the only solution that works is outside of you. But psychology teaches the exact opposite of this. It teaches that your greatest problems are outside of you and the solution is inside of you. That’s the spirit of the age.

Look how many Christians talk when the they evaluate their problems. They start talking about where they were raised, how their parents treated them, and what their economic status was. The spirit of the age.

4- Liberal Worldly Christianity

4- Liberal Worldly Christianity

Liberal, worldly Christianity is another example of the spirit of the age. Many churches are absolutely and grossly unbiblical. They teach a gospel that has been perverted. Other churches are pretty good, but they have one or two doctrines where humanism or paganism has taken hold and they don’t even know it because they cannot recognize the difference between biblical thinking and the spirit of this age. It is in inside a church, so its okay right?

Listen to this:

When the church accommodates itself uncritically to this age the Christian must resist that conformity as well. Not only out of obedience to Christ, but for the purpose of reforming the church to its rightful calling.”

So, here I am a believer living in this age. This age has taught me what to value, what to cherish, what is good, what is true, and what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong. So, I have been redeemed by Christ, but I am still thinking the way the spirit of this age taught me. I am bombarded by the thinking of this age and because I am being bombarded by thinking of this age I cannot have a right assessment of what is true, what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong.

So, here I am a believer living in this age. This age has taught me what to value, what to cherish, what is good, what is true, and what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong. So, I have been redeemed by Christ, but I am still thinking the way the spirit of this age taught me. I am bombarded by the thinking of this age and because I am being bombarded by thinking of this age I cannot have a right assessment of what is true, what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong.

The Christian Method for Discerning the Will of God.

The Christian Method for Discerning the Will of God.

So, here I am a believer living in this age. This age has taught me what to value, what to cherish, what is good, what is true, and what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong. So, I have been redeemed by Christ, but I am still thinking the way the spirit of this age taught me. I am bombarded by the thinking of this age and because I am being bombarded by thinking of this age I cannot have a right assessment of what is true, what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong.

Here I am a believer living in this age. This age has taught me what to value, what to cherish, what is good, what is true, and what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong. So, I have been redeemed by Christ, but I am still thinking the way the spirit of this age taught me. I am bombarded by the thinking of this age and because I am being bombarded by thinking of this age I cannot have a right assessment of what is true, what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong.

So, I empty myself and my mind and try to feel my through a decision using mainly the spirit of this age as my guide. And I come to a decision that feels right and I have an inner peace about it because of the spirit of this age.

Here I am as a believer living in this age. The spirit of this age has taught me what to value, what to cherish, what is good, what is true, what is beautiful, what is right and what is wrong. So, as a believer – I am a believer and I have been redeemed but I still have the thinking of the spirit of the age. I’m bombarded by the thinking of the spirit of the age. And, because I’m bombarded by the thinking of the spirit of the age, I don’t have a right assessment of what is true, what is beautiful, what is right, what is praise worthy. And, so I empty myself, which you cannot do, and I try to feel my way through a decision using mainly the spirit of the age as my guide. And, I can come to a decision that feels right. I can have real peace about a decision because of the influence of the spirit of the age.

The Christian Method for Discerning the Will of God.

The Christian Method for Discerning the Will of God.

says we are be “transformed by the renewal of your mind.” The United Negro College Fund used to have a great motto they always said when they had a commercial on TV, “A great mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Modern American Christianity has taken the motto and tweaked it a little. “A mind is a terrible thing.”

Psalm 1:1–2 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Spirit of the Age.

1- Education

This is what many Christians believe. You are either spiritual or intellectual, but you can’t be both. In fact, many believe that if you are intellectual, than you cannot possibly be spiritual.

2- Media

Look at:

3-Psychology

Ephesians 4:17–24 ESV

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

4- Liberal Worldly Christianity

Renewing your mind

Look what Paul says about the Gentiles....”the futility of their minds.” They think incorrectly, why? Because the muscle that pumps blood that is 18 inches below the head is bad? No, when the Bible uses the word heart here it isn’t talking about a muscle that doesn’t feel, that doesn’t love, that doesn’t yearn, but it is talking about the head, the mind.

James Edwards. He writes, “Modern society beams a collage of intense images at believers and non-believers alike through the media, advertising, polls, style, social and materialistic pressure and ideologies. These images are often most effective when they are least recognized. The Christian life is an ongoing discipline of learning to be transformed by the Lordship of Christ rather than being conformed to social, moral and even spiritual images.”

2- Think Biblical

Then look what Paul says, “But this is not how you fell in love with Christ.” Is that what the text says? No, Paul says this is not how you LEARNED Christ. This is not how you were TAUGHT in him.

3- Pray Biblical

And look what Paul says we are to do, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,” Same first step as . Do not be conformed. Flee and refuse to be embrace the old way of thinking.

Then Paul says we are renewed in the spirit of our minds, and we put on the new self, which is created in the likeness of God. How does this work?

1-Search the Scriptures

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

The number one way our minds are renewed and we are transformed is the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy

The Bible equips us for ALL GOOD works.

Paganism says shut your Bible, close your eyes, turn off your mind and find the good work that God wants you to walk in. That’s a lie. Guess where it came from.

How does a Christian find the will of God? With an open Bible.

Look at:

Look at:

2 Peter 1:3–4 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

God had granted us all things that lead to life, godliness, and the knowledge of him. How did he do this through, “his precious and very great promises.” Those are found in the Bible. This allows us to escape the corruption of the spirit of this age and put on and become partakers of the divine nature.

Through “his precious and very great promises,” we may become partakers of the divine nature escaping the corruption of this world.

4-Seek Wise Counsel

How do you renew your mind? Read your Bible and sit under Gospel orientated preaching. Where there is Gospel orientated preaching you will find the spirit of God.

I don’t agree with every doctrine this church holds to be true. I believe, in some places, it could be in error. But, I want my mind renewed from the spirit of this age and here I find Gospel orientated preaching.

2- Think Biblically

5-Repeat as necessary.

2- Think Biblically

A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans Romans 12:2

verbs that Paul uses, conform outwardly and transform … inwardly. Some commentators take the position that Paul did not use these two verbs in such a way as to make this distinction, but most commentators assume that Paul did maintain this difference in meaning. The TEV correctly takes the passive voice of the second of these p 235 two verbs as a reference to God’s action, let God transform you inwardly.

How God Changes Us Inwardly

We need to know the difference between Biblical thinking and the spirit (thinking) of this age.

Spirit of the Age.

So, how does God work this change in us? How are we transformed and our minds renewed?

1- Education

1- Search the Scriptures

2- Media

Read your Bible. “But I want to know what to do in this particular situation and the Bible doesn’t talk about it.” Read your Bible.

3-Psychology

2- Think Biblically

4- Liberal Worldly Christianity

Another way we are renewed and transformed is when we think biblically. “Should I go to the Marshall Islands.” Well, what does the Bible say? What does it say about ministering to others, what does it say about going places and preaching the Gospel, and what does it say about counting the cost. Think biblically.

Renewing your mind

Think biblically. “Should I go to the Marshall Islands.” Well, what does the Bible say? What does it say about ministering to others, what does it say about going places and preaching the Gospel, and what does it say about counting the cost. Think biblically.

You need to learn and be taught to think biblically, because you are so inundated with the spirit of the age.

How many of you know what a Catechism is?

Summarize

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Catechism

a summary of religious doctrine often in the form of questions and answers

3 a: a set of formal questions put as a test

Most of us have not been catechized. It isn’t popular. And because we have been indoctrinated into the spirit of the age we have huge holes in our worldview and huge holes in our theology.

We need to go back and fill in the areas where we have holes and learn where the spirit of the age has taught us wrong.

3- Pray Biblically

Pray biblically. Few Christians pray biblically. We close our eyes and our minds and ask God to give us what we want. If we are real spiritual we might ask God to help someone else or give them what they want. But that is not Biblical prayer.

1- Search the Scriptures

Look how Jesus teaches us to pray. It isn’t about getting what we want or helping someone else get what they want. It is about the will of God. The biblical idea of prayer is inseparable from the Scriptures. It is communing with the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible. We ought to pray scripturally. We ought to pray biblically.

The biblical idea of prayer is it is inseparable from the Scriptures. It is communing with the God Who has revealed Himself in the Bible. We ought to pray scripturally. We ought to pray biblically.

The biblical idea of prayer is inseparable from the Scriptures. It is communing with the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible. We ought to pray scripturally. We ought to pray biblically.

4-Seek Wise Counsel

2- Think Biblical

Seek wise counsel. The Bible says one of the greatest means to be wise is seeking wise counsel. Basically, that is what we are doing when we read the Bible. But this is more than just reading the Bible.

3- Pray Biblical

What you miss someone else might pick up. What you don’t understand someone might know. There is far more in the Bible then anyone person can absorb completely. So talk to those around you that read the Bible and pray biblically.

5-Repeat as necessary.

4-Seek Wise Counsel

Step 5 is to repeat as necessary. When in doubt read the Bible, think biblically, pray biblically, and seek the wise counsel of others that know the Bible.

This has to be done constantly because the spirit of this age does not stop. Your education is always with you. There is a new news story, or a new movie ready for you every week. And Psychology and psychotherapy is always going to raise its head. Just look at the authors of the Christian books in the marriage, parenting, and Christian living section of any bookstore and you will find that a majority of them are people trained in the anti-Christian worldview of psychology.

e has a new

Being renewed is not just a momentary thing, but a constant process.

psychology and psy

The Will of God

5-Repeat as necessary.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Testing and Discerning.

Paul tells us that we should not be molded and formed by the spirit of this age, but instead we are to be changed by the renewing of our minds. What is the by product of this? “That by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The walking in the will of God is the byproduct.

Paul tells us that we should not be molded and formed by the spirit of this age, but instead we are to be changed by the renewing of our minds. What is the byproduct of this? “That by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The walking in the will of God is the byproduct.

tells us that we repent, then we are transformed inwardly by God and our mind is renewed and the outcome of this is that we walk in the will of God.

The phrase, “by testing you may discern.” It is actually one Greek word dokimazo (dok-im-ad-zo).

The walking in the will of God is the byproduct.

Look at how it is used in other places in the New Testament.

In

Luke 12:36 ESV

and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

Luke 12:566

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

Luke 12:56 ESV

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Here it is the phrase “to interpret,” twice. They understood how to dokimazo the appearance of the earth and sky, but they couldn’t dokimazo the present time.

Romans 1:28 ESV

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Here it is the words “see,” the word fit is supplied by our translators. They did not dokimazo God, so God gave them up to a debased mind.

1 Corinthians 11:28 ESV

Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

1 Corinthians

A person is to dokimazo himself.

Interpret, see fit, examine, test, and approve so that by testing you may know the will of God.

Another way to put it is we turn away from the spirit of this age, we turn and are renewed in our mind and as a result of that through a process of testing, we are able to approve God’s will.

What does this process look like?

I ask myself, does this look like the spirit of the age or does this look like he spirit of Christ? I’m testing. I’m weighing. I’m approving. I’m discerning as I walk through my life, as I make decisions, I’m weighing. I am not sitting back passively, but I move forward. And as I move forward I test, I discern, I examine. So that by testing I may approve what the will of God is.

Will of God

The phrase, “will of God,” used in is interesting. It is used a number of times in the New Testament and we often use it, but it usually does not means what we think it means.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Everyone is searching for will of God and Paul says, “Here it is.” You want the will of God? Read . You don’t like that one?

How about

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

How about

1 Peter 2:15 ESV

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1 Peter

Three meanings of Will of God.

The Bible uses the term, “the will of God,” often and there are three basic concepts, three meanings to the phrase.

1- Perceptive Will.

God’s perceptive will is that will that revealed in God’s commandments and law. We have the power to break this will, but not the right. What is the will of God? Well, it is the 10 Commandments. Honor your father and mother, don’t murder, don’t steal. This is his will for us to live.

2- Sovereign decretive will.

This describes God’s attitude or disposition toward something. It reveals what is pleasing to him. This is good. This is pleasing to God.

3- Sovereign decretive will.

There is God’s sovereign decretive will. This is the will by which God brings to pass whatever he decrees. This is hidden until it happens to us.

Usually when people say I want to find the will of God, what we’re referring to is the decretive will of God, the secret will of God, and we want to get in on it. And it is none of our business.

But we don’t know it and we don’t want to make a mistake. We don’t want to make the wrong choice. We don’t want to suffer. So we try to tap into the divine will so that we can know God’s secret plan so we can take the next step and not suffer when suffering might be exactly what his will is for us.

And so usually when people say I want to find the will of God, what we’re referring to is that decretive will of God, the secret will of God and we want to get in on it

3- Will of disposition.

3- Will of disposition.

Finally, there is God’s will of disposition. This describes God’s attitude or disposition toward something. It reveals what is pleasing to him. This is good. This is pleasing to God.

The will of God in Romans 12:2

So, which will of God is this talking about in ? Is it talking about the God’s sovereign decretive will? Let me give you 3 quotes.

John Piper,

“The answer surely is that Paul is referring to God’s will of command, or His perceptive will. God does not intend for us to know most of His sovereign will ahead of time. If you want to know the future details of God’s will of decree, you don’t want a renewed mind, you want a crystal ball. This is not called transformation and obedience. It is called divination or soothsaying.”

“The answer surely is that Paul is referring to God’s will of command, or His perceptive will. God does not intend for us to know most of His sovereign will ahead of time. If you want to know the future details of God’s will of decree, you don’t want a renewed mind, you want a crystal ball. This is not called transformation and obedience. It is called divination or soothsaying.”

The first one is from John Piper preaching on this very passage and the question is which will is Paul referring to in . And, I’m arguing – he’s arguing that it’s the second one. That it’s the perceptive will or the will of command, not the decretive will. “The answer surely is that Paul is referring to God’s will of command, or His perceptive will. God does not intend for us to know most of His sovereign will ahead of time. If you want to know the future details of God’s will of decree, you don’t want a renewed mind, you want a crystal ball. This is not called transformation and obedience. It is called divination or soothsaying.”

R.C. Sproul,

R.C. Sproul, “Many Christians become preoccupied or even obsessed with finding the will of God for their lives. If the will we are seeking is His secret, hidden or decretive will, then our quest is a fool’s errand. The secret counsel of God is His secret. He has not been pleased to make it known to us. Far from being a mark of spirituality, the quest for God’s secret will is an unwarranted invasion of God’s privacy. God’s secret counsel is none of our business. This is partly why the Bible takes such a negative view of fortune telling, necromancy and other forms of prohibitive practices.” See a pattern there? The seeking of God’s will that is common to us falls into the category of fortune telling, soothsaying, necromancy. It’s paganism.

“Many Christians become preoccupied or even obsessed with finding the will of God for their lives. If the will we are seeking is His secret, hidden or decretive will, then our quest is a fool’s errand. The secret counsel of God is His secret. He has not been pleased to make it known to us. Far from being a mark of spirituality, the quest for God’s secret will is an unwarranted invasion of God’s privacy. God’s secret counsel is none of our business. This is partly why the Bible takes such a negative view of fortune telling, necromancy and other forms of prohibitive practices.”

Finally, Bruce Waltke,

“When we seek to find God’s will, we are attempting to discover hidden knowledge by supernatural activity. If we are going to find His will on one specific choice, we will have to penetrate the divine mind to get His decision. Finding in this sense is really a form of divination.”

Conclusion

So, what does look like in our lives? Lets take the question of marriage as an example. A young woman wants to know should I marry this person or not.

Everyone one of us has decisions to make and wants to be in the will of God.

The pagan method is that she will try to peer into God’s secret decretive will, because she don’t want to make a mistake. She doesn’t want to overturn God’s decrees. Truthfully her big problem is she doesn’t believe in a sovereign God. So, she tries to find his secret will and the exact right person. She closes her mind and shuts everything off and she waits for some inner peace or for circumstances to line up. She hears a news story that has the name of the person she is looking at or a seemingly spiritual person tells her how nice of a couple they look like. She looks for God to drop spiritual breadcrumbs that she can follow.

She gets an inner peace so she gets married. One year later things are hard. There is a new baby. There is financial difficulty in a wrecked economy. There are personality clashes. There is in-law drama. And she who thought she had found God’s secret will and the right one starts to wonder,

“Did I make the right choice? Doesn’t seem like it. Seems like if I would have actually found God’s secret will and found the right one I wouldn’t be in this situation.”

What if instead she used the method.

First, she is going to recognize that she has been influenced by the spirit of the age. All the folklore people pass on about how to know when you have met the right one or are in love she is going to reject. Instead she is going to go to the Word of God. The Bible is going to tell her what she is looking for in a mate.

She is going to think biblically about marriage and the issues of marriage. She is going to count the cost.

She is going to pray biblically.

She is going to seek those people around her that read the Bible, think biblically, and pray biblically, and she is going to seek their counsel and get their advice.

Finally, she recognizes that, according to God’s perceptive will, she can move forward and not be in sin. So she gets married.

But a year later she has the same difficulties and circumstances as the person that used the pagan method.

What’s the difference.

She doesn’t have to wonder if she married the wrong one or missed the secret decretive will of God. She believes in a sovereign God and knows that he doesn’t hold her accountable for His secret decretive will. She knows she married the right one and entered into a covenant relationship with him, because he is the one she married. She weighed the scriptures, she thought biblically, she prayed biblically, and she sought wise counsel. She can move forward not because she believes she divined things properly, but, because she trust God.

and we trusted Him then so we’ll trust Him now. This job or that job? No. Open your Bible. What are the gifts, talents, abilities and desires that God has given you? How well do they fit here? How well do they fit there? Think biblically about it. Pray biblically about it. Surround yourself with some people who read the Scriptures, think biblically and pray biblically. Get wise counsel on it. And entrust the sovereign God of the universe. Make a choice. Go with it. Enjoy.

This job or that job? This house or that house? This person or that person? No. Open your Bible. What are the gifts, talents, abilities and desires that God has given you? How well do they fit? Think biblically about it. Pray biblically about it. Surround yourself with some people who read the Scriptures, think biblically and pray biblically. Get wise counsel on it. And entrust the sovereign God of the universe. Make a choice.

She can move forward not because she believes she divined things properly. But, because she trust God and we trusted Him then so we’ll trust Him now. This job or that job? No. Open your Bible. What are the gifts, talents, abilities and desires that God has given you? How well do they fit here? How well do they fit there? Think biblically about it. Pray biblically about it. Surround yourself with some people who read the Scriptures, think biblically and pray biblically. Get wise counsel on it. And entrust the sovereign God of the universe. Make a choice. Go with it. Enjoy.

. Not because we believed that if we divined things properly, everything would go well. But, because we trust God and we trusted Him then so we’ll trust Him now. This job or that job? No. Open your Bible. What are the gifts, talents, abilities and desires that God has given you? How well do they fit here? How well do they fit there? Think biblically about it. Pray biblically about it. Surround yourself with some people who read the Scriptures, think biblically and pray biblically. Get wise counsel on it. And entrust the sovereign God of the universe. Make a choice. Go with it. Enjoy.

You can’t handle the secret will of God. But, God can. So, you don’t have to worry about the secret will of God. You just refuse to be conformed to this world. Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your mind and then by testing you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good, that which is acceptable, and that which is perfect.

You can’t handle the secret will of God. But, God can. So, you don’t have to worry about the secret will of God. You just refuse to be conformed to this world. Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your mind and then by testing you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good, that which is acceptable, and that which is perfect.

After all, He Who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

He Who began a good work in you is able to see it through to its completion.

That’s what you trust in. That’s what you hold to. We walk by faith and not by sight.