1 00:00:00,694 --> 00:00:03,745 I want you to look back up at v. 1. 2 00:00:03,745 --> 00:00:06,417 Or no, look at v. 2, I'm sorry. (Romans 12:2) 3 00:00:06,417 --> 00:00:08,845 And he talks about the will of God. 4 00:00:08,845 --> 00:00:11,466 He says, "...renewing of your mind 5 00:00:11,466 --> 00:00:17,484 so that you may prove what the will of God is." 6 00:00:17,484 --> 00:00:20,836 Isn't it true especially when you're younger: 7 00:00:20,836 --> 00:00:23,095 What's the will of God? What's the will of God? 8 00:00:23,095 --> 00:00:24,065 And you're not sure 9 00:00:24,065 --> 00:00:26,174 and you end up doing something like this 10 00:00:26,174 --> 00:00:28,875 with your Bible and putting your finger there. 11 00:00:28,875 --> 00:00:33,435 You've done it. That's why you're laughing. 12 00:00:33,435 --> 00:00:37,443 So basically people aren't really each day 13 00:00:37,443 --> 00:00:39,455 so much thinking about the will of God, 14 00:00:39,455 --> 00:00:41,364 but when they get to a certain situation 15 00:00:41,364 --> 00:00:43,235 where they really need an answer, 16 00:00:43,235 --> 00:00:45,223 that's when they start treating this book 17 00:00:45,223 --> 00:00:47,363 almost as though it was magical. 18 00:00:47,363 --> 00:00:49,035 Put your finger there. 19 00:00:49,035 --> 00:00:51,064 Or looking for counsel. 20 00:00:51,064 --> 00:00:52,622 There's nothing wrong with that 21 00:00:52,622 --> 00:00:54,765 as long as it's wise counsel. 22 00:00:54,765 --> 00:00:57,063 But here's what I want you to see. 23 00:00:57,063 --> 00:01:00,836 In our text, if you are constantly 24 00:01:00,836 --> 00:01:04,446 renewing your mind in the Word of God; 25 00:01:04,446 --> 00:01:06,544 if you're reading the Word of God 26 00:01:06,544 --> 00:01:07,695 from cover to cover, 27 00:01:07,695 --> 00:01:10,355 from Genesis to Revelation, 28 00:01:10,355 --> 00:01:12,004 what's happening? 29 00:01:12,004 --> 00:01:13,564 This renewal of the mind 30 00:01:13,564 --> 00:01:18,755 is like you're cultivating the mind of Christ. 31 00:01:18,755 --> 00:01:21,665 You are cultivating the mind of God. 32 00:01:21,665 --> 00:01:24,202 You are beginning to understand 33 00:01:24,202 --> 00:01:26,493 more and more, generally and generally, 34 00:01:26,493 --> 00:01:28,195 and then more and more specific 35 00:01:28,195 --> 00:01:31,015 who God is, 36 00:01:31,015 --> 00:01:33,085 what God desires, 37 00:01:33,085 --> 00:01:34,414 so that if you're a person 38 00:01:34,414 --> 00:01:36,325 who is constantly renewing their mind 39 00:01:36,325 --> 00:01:37,373 in the Word of God, 40 00:01:37,373 --> 00:01:42,372 you are going to know God's will 41 00:01:42,372 --> 00:01:45,843 in so many areas that at this moment 42 00:01:45,843 --> 00:01:48,284 it's kind of blurry for you. 43 00:01:48,284 --> 00:01:49,396 I'll give an example. 44 00:01:49,396 --> 00:01:51,444 I remember one of the first times I taught 45 00:01:51,444 --> 00:01:53,405 at a Bible school, 46 00:01:53,405 --> 00:01:55,275 a young man walked up to me and says, 47 00:01:55,275 --> 00:01:57,644 "I have a question, Brother Paul. 48 00:01:57,644 --> 00:01:59,083 I'm just confused. 49 00:01:59,083 --> 00:02:00,884 I don't know what God's will is." 50 00:02:00,884 --> 00:02:02,334 I said, "Okay, what is it?" 51 00:02:02,334 --> 00:02:05,465 He goes, "Well, a church has called me to be a pastor." 52 00:02:05,465 --> 00:02:08,584 "Really? Well, that could be wonderful." 53 00:02:08,584 --> 00:02:13,505 I said, "How long have you been a Christian?" 54 00:02:13,505 --> 00:02:16,698 "Oh, about fourteen months." 55 00:02:16,698 --> 00:02:22,785 "And what did the professors you talked to here tell you?" 56 00:02:22,785 --> 00:02:26,255 "Well, they told me they think I ought to take the church." 57 00:02:26,255 --> 00:02:28,596 I said, "Go back to every one of those professors 58 00:02:28,596 --> 00:02:31,463 and tell them that I said - use my name, 59 00:02:31,463 --> 00:02:33,625 give them my phone number - 60 00:02:33,625 --> 00:02:35,776 that they need to leave this school 61 00:02:35,776 --> 00:02:37,683 and not give anybody counsel 62 00:02:37,683 --> 00:02:41,354 until they actually read the Bible." 63 00:02:41,354 --> 00:02:43,284 He said, "How can you say that? 64 00:02:43,284 --> 00:02:44,495 How can you say 65 00:02:44,495 --> 00:02:46,364 that you know it's not God's will 66 00:02:46,364 --> 00:02:48,405 for me to be the pastor of this church?" 67 00:02:48,405 --> 00:02:50,718 I said, "Because in 1 Timothy 3 68 00:02:50,718 --> 00:02:54,376 it says 'not a new convert.' 69 00:02:54,376 --> 00:02:58,346 You are a new convert. 70 00:02:58,346 --> 00:03:01,085 Let's go down through the rest of these qualifications. 71 00:03:01,085 --> 00:03:03,576 Do you have the rest of these qualifications? 72 00:03:03,576 --> 00:03:06,354 You only have one: you aspire to be an overseer. 73 00:03:06,354 --> 00:03:09,605 That's good. You lack all the other qualifications. 74 00:03:09,605 --> 00:03:11,426 So I can tell you 75 00:03:11,426 --> 00:03:13,234 with the authority of God's Word, 76 00:03:13,234 --> 00:03:15,735 no, you should not be a pastor at this moment, 77 00:03:15,735 --> 00:03:17,615 and I can also tell those professors 78 00:03:17,615 --> 00:03:21,965 they are terribly wrong." 79 00:03:21,965 --> 00:03:23,476 Do you see? 80 00:03:23,476 --> 00:03:27,935 I didn't need something coming down from heaven 81 00:03:27,935 --> 00:03:29,833 because I already have a sure word 82 00:03:29,833 --> 00:03:32,126 that has come down from heaven. 83 00:03:32,126 --> 00:03:33,855 What should I do in the ministry? 84 00:03:33,855 --> 00:03:36,426 Well, actually He gives you a whole bunch of commands. 85 00:03:36,426 --> 00:03:38,623 If you just follow those, you won't have time 86 00:03:38,623 --> 00:03:41,745 to be thinking about the other stuff. 87 00:03:41,745 --> 00:03:43,816 Do you see? 88 00:03:43,816 --> 00:03:47,195 The more we renew our mind in the Word of God, 89 00:03:47,195 --> 00:03:49,665 the more we will simply understand, 90 00:03:49,665 --> 00:03:51,775 find ourselves doing 91 00:03:51,775 --> 00:03:55,045 the will of God. 92 00:03:55,045 --> 00:03:56,953 Now, I want you to look at something 93 00:03:56,953 --> 00:04:03,693 about the will of God that is very important here. 94 00:04:03,693 --> 00:04:05,325 He says, "...renewing of your mind 95 00:04:05,325 --> 00:04:08,306 so that you may prove 96 00:04:08,306 --> 00:04:11,324 what the will of God is." 97 00:04:11,324 --> 00:04:13,604 Then he goes on to describe the will of God. 98 00:04:13,604 --> 00:04:18,163 "That which is good and acceptable and perfect." 99 00:04:18,163 --> 00:04:21,345 Okay, now "good" here. 100 00:04:21,345 --> 00:04:24,895 The word of course can be translated good. 101 00:04:24,895 --> 00:04:26,995 It also carries with it the idea 102 00:04:26,995 --> 00:04:32,283 of something that is healthy. 103 00:04:32,283 --> 00:04:35,304 Something that could be fruitful. 104 00:04:35,304 --> 00:04:37,600 Something that benefits, 105 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,064 that has integrity, 106 00:04:39,064 --> 00:04:41,455 that instills health and strength 107 00:04:41,455 --> 00:04:45,045 and vitality. Okay? 108 00:04:45,045 --> 00:04:47,345 So, if we're wondering, is this thing 109 00:04:47,345 --> 00:04:48,905 the will of God? Should I do it? 110 00:04:48,905 --> 00:04:50,434 Ask yourself the first question: 111 00:04:50,434 --> 00:04:51,714 Is it good? 112 00:04:51,714 --> 00:04:56,494 Will it contribute to my spiritual health? 113 00:04:56,494 --> 00:04:59,723 Will it contribute to spiritual vitality? 114 00:04:59,723 --> 00:05:02,305 Will it make me more like Christ? 115 00:05:02,305 --> 00:05:04,615 Will it give me strength? 116 00:05:04,615 --> 00:05:08,214 If not, you probably don't need to do it. 117 00:05:08,214 --> 00:05:09,454 Next thing. 118 00:05:09,454 --> 00:05:11,882 Is it acceptable? 119 00:05:11,882 --> 00:05:13,774 And you surely learned this week, 120 00:05:13,774 --> 00:05:15,615 we shouldn't ask ourselves 121 00:05:15,615 --> 00:05:17,595 is it acceptable to our culture? 122 00:05:17,595 --> 00:05:19,775 Because it's acceptable to our culture 123 00:05:19,775 --> 00:05:22,486 to kill babies. 124 00:05:22,486 --> 00:05:29,237 I mean, just... if there's one thing we know 125 00:05:29,237 --> 00:05:31,094 don't worry about what's acceptable 126 00:05:31,094 --> 00:05:34,530 to this twisted, dark culture. 127 00:05:34,530 --> 00:05:37,622 Your question is: is it acceptable to God? 128 00:05:37,622 --> 00:05:39,645 Because if it's not acceptable to God, 129 00:05:39,645 --> 00:05:42,692 we don't need to be doing it. 130 00:05:42,692 --> 00:05:45,611 And then, is it perfect? 131 00:05:45,611 --> 00:05:48,094 You say, well, there's not a lot of perfect 132 00:05:48,094 --> 00:05:49,553 in this world, Brother Paul. 133 00:05:49,553 --> 00:05:53,102 The idea here is "complete." 134 00:05:53,102 --> 00:05:55,614 Let me give you an example. 135 00:05:55,614 --> 00:05:58,285 One time, I actually saw almost a revival 136 00:05:58,285 --> 00:05:59,813 break out in Eastern Europe 137 00:05:59,813 --> 00:06:01,464 with about 70 pastors. 138 00:06:01,464 --> 00:06:03,284 They were just on their face, 139 00:06:03,284 --> 00:06:05,624 crying out to God, 140 00:06:05,624 --> 00:06:07,114 broken over their sin 141 00:06:07,114 --> 00:06:09,733 because I had shown them in the Scriptures 142 00:06:09,733 --> 00:06:11,596 that it is not biblical to offer up 143 00:06:11,596 --> 00:06:12,974 your wife and your children 144 00:06:12,974 --> 00:06:15,484 as a sacrifice to your ministry. 145 00:06:15,484 --> 00:06:17,285 That they had always been told that, 146 00:06:17,285 --> 00:06:19,373 you know, that's the mark of a man of God. 147 00:06:19,373 --> 00:06:20,383 He neglects his wife. 148 00:06:20,383 --> 00:06:21,675 He neglects his children. 149 00:06:21,675 --> 00:06:22,984 He's always out there doing 150 00:06:22,984 --> 00:06:24,194 the work of an evangelist 151 00:06:24,194 --> 00:06:25,586 and pastoring and everything. 152 00:06:25,586 --> 00:06:28,404 And I showed them painstakingly in Scripture. 153 00:06:28,404 --> 00:06:30,535 And God really moved and broke their hearts. 154 00:06:30,535 --> 00:06:33,484 But here's one of the things that really got them. 155 00:06:33,484 --> 00:06:35,814 I said the will of God is perfect. 156 00:06:35,814 --> 00:06:39,344 And I said I have already shown you now 157 00:06:39,344 --> 00:06:43,725 that the will of God is for you to minister. 158 00:06:43,725 --> 00:06:46,732 We saw it in 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus. 159 00:06:46,732 --> 00:06:48,773 It is the will of God for you to minister. 160 00:06:48,773 --> 00:06:51,793 Over here, in the book of Ephesians 161 00:06:51,793 --> 00:06:54,282 and Colossians and Deuteronomy 6, 162 00:06:54,282 --> 00:06:57,514 I have shown you it is the will of God 163 00:06:57,514 --> 00:06:59,833 for you to care for your wife and your children, 164 00:06:59,833 --> 00:07:01,225 instruct them in Scripture 165 00:07:01,225 --> 00:07:04,004 and be there for them. 166 00:07:04,004 --> 00:07:07,795 Now, in Romans 12:2, 167 00:07:07,795 --> 00:07:09,733 tells us the will of God is perfect. 168 00:07:09,733 --> 00:07:15,094 That means if in order to do this, 169 00:07:15,094 --> 00:07:18,235 I have to disobey this, 170 00:07:18,235 --> 00:07:20,595 it's not the will of God. 171 00:07:20,595 --> 00:07:21,924 And so if you're telling me 172 00:07:21,924 --> 00:07:23,994 I don't have time to take care of my wife. 173 00:07:23,994 --> 00:07:25,642 I don't have time for my children. 174 00:07:25,642 --> 00:07:27,674 Why? Because I've got to do the ministry. 175 00:07:27,674 --> 00:07:29,792 You are actually accusing God 176 00:07:29,792 --> 00:07:33,107 of having a will that is imperfect. 177 00:07:33,107 --> 00:07:34,624 Contradictory. 178 00:07:34,624 --> 00:07:35,804 Do you see that? 179 00:07:35,804 --> 00:07:36,804 It's the same way. 180 00:07:36,804 --> 00:07:40,346 A young man sees a beautiful girl 181 00:07:40,346 --> 00:07:42,195 who is not a Christian, 182 00:07:42,195 --> 00:07:44,180 or a beautiful girl sees a young man 183 00:07:44,180 --> 00:07:45,234 who is not a Christian 184 00:07:45,234 --> 00:07:47,545 and becomes very interested in that young man. 185 00:07:47,545 --> 00:07:48,835 And what does she say? 186 00:07:48,835 --> 00:07:52,105 It is God's will for me to evangelize him. 187 00:07:52,105 --> 00:07:54,775 Yes, it is God's will for him to be evangelized. 188 00:07:54,775 --> 00:07:56,595 And therefore, I'm going to date him. 189 00:07:56,595 --> 00:07:59,716 No, it is not God's will for you to date him. 190 00:07:59,716 --> 00:08:01,934 So you're trying to carry out God's will 191 00:08:01,934 --> 00:08:04,374 by violating God's will. 192 00:08:04,374 --> 00:08:06,066 If it is truly God's will, 193 00:08:06,066 --> 00:08:08,295 it will be non-contradictory. 194 00:08:08,295 --> 00:08:10,595 That's what systematic theology actually is: 195 00:08:10,595 --> 00:08:11,752 teaching a young man 196 00:08:11,752 --> 00:08:16,135 how to think in a non- contradictory manner 197 00:08:16,135 --> 00:08:19,175 according to the Scriptures. 198 00:08:19,175 --> 00:08:21,126 So that's the will of God. 199 00:08:21,126 --> 00:08:23,795 Does it prosper you spiritually? 200 00:08:23,795 --> 00:08:26,345 Is it acceptable to God 201 00:08:26,345 --> 00:08:29,485 as He has revealed it in His Scriptures? 202 00:08:29,485 --> 00:08:34,785 And is it in harmony with all the other commands?