Discernment in the Day of Deception (Part 3)
“That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2
What does “that you may prove” mean?
The word “prove” here does not mean to convince God or to argue a case.
The original meaning carries the idea of:
To test
To examine
To discern by experience
To approve after examination
In simple terms to prove is to personally recognize, discern, and confirm true.
Put simply
“That you may prove” means:
So that you can clearly recognize, discern, and experience for yourself what God’s will is.
-Not theory.
-Not hearsay.
-Not copying someone else’s walk.
That is to have personal clarity. Not what you were told but what you know to be true.
How does this happen?
The verse gives us the order:
Do not be conformed to the world
(Stop letting the world shape how you think.)Be transformed by the renewing of your mind
(Let God re-train how you think.)Then you can prove God’s will
(You now have the capacity to recognize it.)
Many people want step 3 without steps 1 and 2.
Why proving comes after mind renewal
God’s will is:
Good
Acceptable
Perfect
But an unrenewed mind will:
Call good “impractical”
Call acceptable “too hard”
Call perfect “unrealistic”
So God doesn’t hide His will He renews your mind so you can recognize it.
In everyday language
Romans 12:2 is saying:
“When your thinking is no longer shaped by the world but renewed by God, you’ll be able to clearly recognize without confusion what God wants for your life, and you’ll know it’s right because you’re walking in it.”
One-line takeaway
You don’t prove God’s will by guessing or hearsay, you prove it by thinking differently and living it out.
