1. DO will of God to be Jesus’s FAMILY with assurance of HEAVEN
How to know God’s will? Christians love talking about following the will of God in their life. But the things they refer to doing is making ordinary life decisions—accepting a job offer, moving to a new place, choosing a husband or wife, naming their child, and so on. They want to believe they are such special people God constantly communicates what to do regarding all aspects of their worldly life. And they want others to believe they are godly people who wait to follow God’s lead. A common testimony is they know they follow God’s will because of confirmation from their own emotion, prosperous results, or validation from fake generic prophecies that could have fit anyone. Is this what it means to do the will of God according to the Bible? In Mark 3:35 Jesus said, "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." In Matthew 7:21 Jesus said, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." It is critical to know God’s will, because being a part of Jesus’s family with assurance of entering Heaven requires doing the will of God the Father.
So, how to know what we must do to please the all-powerful Creator who has existed since the beginning of time? Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2, "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. 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." We will examine 3 key phrases from these verses to know how to serve God according to His will: "present your bodies a living sacrifice holy," "be not conformed to this world," and "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Living a successful, happy, prosperous life in this world does NOT prove you follow the will of God. The proof of doing God’s will is transformation of your inner person, such that you no longer conform to the sinful world but instead change to live a holy life.
2. Will of God is be TRANSFORMED in your MIND from Flesh to SPIRIT
First, what does it mean to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind"? Transformation of mind is not a mere alteration in label or appearance, it is a dramatic change of your core person evident with proof. A caterpillar transforms to become a butterfly—these are 2 entirely different creatures with different desires, capability, and behavior. A caterpillar is a creature with strong jaw mouthparts and feeds constantly on solid food by chewing leaves. A butterfly is a creature with a straw like tongue and drinks liquid food by sucking nectar from flowers. A caterpillar is a creature with stubby leg structure and no wings, so it walks minimal distances to get from place to place. A butterfly is a creature with wings to fly thousands of miles. When a caterpillar transforms to become a butterfly, the proof it is a new creature is that its old tastes and ways are gone. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." God’s will or purpose is we be transformed in mind to become new creatures, so our prior old sinful desires and deeds are passed away—that is, they are dead and gone. The state of our mind is our thoughts, desires, intentions, inclinations –it reveals the nature of person. The will of God is for our mind to be transformed from flesh nature to spirit nature.
Our soul is born into a flesh body, with desires and inclination of the flesh. If born again, we receive the holy spirit from God, which has desires and inclination of the spirit. Our soul at this point is tugged in opposite directions between flesh and spirit, and we have a choice. Galatians 5:16-21 says, "…Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: …Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like…" Examples of sinful work of flesh include sexual immorality, partying, envy of desiring other people’s belongings, heresy of calling that which is godly as ungodly, murder and so on. If you continue doing works of the flesh, it proves you are not a transformed new creature in Christ. It is not possible to walk in the flesh and in the spirit as they are contradictory paths.
Receiving the holy spirit opens our eyes to see the path that pleases God. But seeing the path is not the same as walking the path, so, spiritual understanding is not equivalent to spiritual growth. Only born-again believers who follow the holy spirit’s guiding light to obey Jesus’s teaching are transformed as new creatures in Christ. Ephesians 4:21-24 says, "If so be that ye have heard him [Jesus], and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Our conversation is our conduct or walk in life. Proof of transformation is obeying the commandments of Jesus and following his example of righteous, holy living. Just as the caterpillar puts off its prior body and puts on the butterfly body to become a new creature, the will of God is transforming from flesh man to spirit man. Apostle Paul instructs us to put off the prior inclination and behavior of the flesh body, and put on the ways of the spirit body, which is created in the same likeness of God in righteousness and true holiness. Transformation of body is not instantaneous; how long the process takes may correlate with how diligently we strive to obey the doctrine of Christ. And the transformation is not just an external change. The butterfly’s mind is no longer inclined to search for plain leaves, rather it now thirsts for the sweet, sugary nectar. So also, the spirit man’s transformed mind is not inclined to chase after temporary sinful pleasure of this world, rather it now seeks to taste the eternal joy of God’s heavenly kingdom.
3. Will of God is to be NOT CONFORMED to this World
Romans 12:2 says, "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." What does it mean to "be not conformed to this world"? To conform to something is to fit with it. Most enthusiastic churchgoers become religious but not spiritual, so they continue to conform with the world. They have their same prior mind as their intention is still pleasing people and gaining pleasure, respect, and glory in the world. This mindset conforms with loving the world and things of the world. 1 John 2:15-17 says, "…Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." Just as flesh and spirit oppose one another, loving the world and loving God are mutually exclusive, you cannot love both simultaneously. Most Christians continue to love the world but claim with their lips to love God. What occupies your thoughts and habits? Is it excess, out of bound craving for sex, money, admiration, pleasure in this world? Or is your mind and conduct increasingly focused on things that are truly good, honest, pure, godly, heavenly? The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life are sources of sin, so, you cannot follow them and follow Jesus. If you continue to love the things of the world, you will disobey God’s will and the consequence is eternal death. If you obey God’s will as Jesus taught and did, you will gain eternal life.
Churchgoers modify their outward appearance and conduct to gain praise in Christian society, but there is no inner spiritual transformation of mind. Religion is of the flesh and world, so changing to follow church tradition and ceremony will not lead to Heaven. Worldly churches do not care if you truly do God’s will, instead they want you to put on an outward show displaying you are a part of their group. Apostle Paul warned of this in Galatians 6:12-15, "As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." Religious people took glory in ceremony and tradition, so they constrained others to be circumcised, but they did bother to obey God’s law in heart and spirit to grow in holy, righteous living. Now also, if you keep fellowship with religious people, they will convince you to take part in their church’s traditions—they may want you to take part in scheduled monthly fasting, weekly potluck, daily morning prayer, putting on song performances with matching outfits, reading the Bible in a year, and so on. This is what it means to "make a fair show in the flesh," the intention is putting on a nice show for others to include you in their group. Whether you participate in these outward displays of religious tradition or not it is useless, what God desires is the spiritual transformation of becoming a new creature in Christ.
Spiritual believers are crucified to the world and the world is crucified to them. This is not literal physical death on a cross, rather it is obeying Jesus and his Apostle’s doctrine to put to death the sinful deeds of the flesh. It cannot be accomplished by your willpower, intelligence, or strength of flesh, rather your soul overcomes by spiritual warfare using God-given power. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "…. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Most pastors and churchgoers deny it is possible to live without committing sin; for them it is impossible because they are of the flesh and world. God’s Word says although you live in this flesh body, if you walk in the Spirit with God’s power, then even every thought in your mind can be brought to obeying Christ. If we follow the example of how Jesus lived, we also will be persecuted by worldly religious people because flesh opposes spirit. John 12:42-43 says, "…among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." In Jesus’s time, there were people who believed in him but were afraid to make it publicly known because they feared being excluded from religious gatherings. Now also churchgoers love the praise of men far more than the praise of God. This people pleasing mindset conforms to loving the world, and they do whatever it takes to be included in the organized church community. Although their pastors are deceiving hypocrites who oppose Jesus’s teachings to sin no more, they want to please people instead of God.
4. Will of God is present your body a LIVING Sacrifice HOLY
Preachers teach you to serve God by giving tithes & offering and participating in church activity, but that is the service crooked pastors want. What does Scripture say is the service God expects? Romans 12:1 says, "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." Present your body a living sacrifice holy is purifying your heart and mind such that you live holy—this is the service God wants. Deceiving preachers say that because Jesus died, churchgoers can go to heaven despite continuing in sin. But God’s Word says because Jesus died, we must crucify our old man of the flesh and live in newness of life free from sin. Romans 6:6-7 says, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin…For he that is dead is freed from sin." Just as the caterpillar’s body is destroyed to be transformed into a butterfly body, our old flesh man is destroyed to be transformed into a new spirit man. Christians say they are ‘born again,’ ‘walking in the spirit,’ and ‘in Christ,’ but transformation is not proven by what you say. Proof of a new creature in Christ is freedom from committing sin. Christ’s purpose is for the true spirit church to be washed clean of sin’s filth by obeying God’s Word. Ephesians 5:25-27 says, "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Lord Jesus Christ is now God, and in the end, He will receive to himself the spirit church that separated from sin. The organized religious church that continues to conform to the sinful world will be rejected to Hell.
True holiness is not according to whatever you or others feel is right and wrong, it is according to the commandments Jesus taught and demonstrated in his life as a man. 1 Thessalonians 4:2-7 says, "For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence…That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such…For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." These verses tell us obeying the commandments of Lord Jesus is the will of God and defines holiness. Two specific examples are given. The first example is avoiding sexual sins of fornication (which is engaging in sex outside of marriage) and concupiscence (which is intense, filthy craving for sex). The second example is not cheating your own people in any way. Churchgoers have no problem breaking these commandments. And those who disobey Jesus by cheating in money matters or engaging in sexual immorality they still call as their brothers and sisters in Christ. They reject God’s definition of holiness and make up their own.
Many church leaders preach that speaking or acting in anger is a sin, they pretend as if holiness is smiling, speaking in a soft voice, and being friends with everyone. But according to this twisted, deceptive standard, Jesus himself was unholy. In Matthew 21:12-13 it says, "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Jesus chased people out of the house of God with a whip and called them thieves. In other places in Scripture, Jesus called religious leaders as hypocrites, vipers, wolves, children of the Devil, fools, and many other insults. The truth is if Jesus came to churches today, most Christians would consider him to be an ungodly, unrighteous, unholy man—this is because most churches are religious organizations that are of the flesh, world, and devil. Do not be deceived by church leaders with sweet smiles and nice sounding words who are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus is the gold standard of holiness and righteousness, so, follow Jesus’s teaching and life example. Ephesians 4 gives counsel on how to grow to in spirit, and it addresses anger. Ephesians 4:24-27 says, "…put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness…Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." According to God, righteous anger without committing sin is godly. Being angry with evil, malicious intention is not the same as being angry with a righteous cause. Do not listen to deceivers who try to teach you to be more holy and more loving than Jesus himself. According to God, continuing to have fellowship and friendship with deceiving and disobedient churchgoers is ungodly.
5. God's Will is NOT conforming to worldly success, it IS transforming to Holy living
Most churchgoing Christians claim they seek to do God’s will, but they sow to the flesh to live a successful, happy, prosperous life in this present world. You may deceive yourself and your church community to believe you follow the will of God, but God is not deceived. Galatians 6:7-9 says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." You will reap what you sow. The glory of the flesh and this world will go to dust and there will be no remembrance of it. The glory of heaven is for eternity. Become a transformed new creature in Christ who no longer conforms to the world but now sows to the spirit by obeying the Jesus’s doctrine to live truly holy and righteous. It is your reasonable service to God the Creator. It is the will of God. And if you obey God’s will, you will reap joy and peace for eternity in Heaven.