IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD? IN A WORD, YES!

The View From Above: Thoughts To Help With Everyday Life

October 17, 2026

Pastor Paul Stephens

IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD? IN A WORD, YES! — Part 11a

If that is the case, that is what we should all be striving for.

Life offers so much room for compromise. To settle for something less than God’s very best for our lives.

Self-will gets in the way, our own selfishness, pride, greed, and we are all so prone to diversions and distractions.

So let’s consider what God’s perfect will looks like, and let’s put ourselves to the test to see if we are there.

Romans 12:1–2

“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.

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.”

This verse is the great turning point in the Book of Romans.

The Apostle Paul spends the first 11 chapters on explaining Christian doctrine.

This verse represents a shift…from doctrine (which is critically important to understand) to practical Christian living.

How do we take that doctrine that we now know and live it in our everyday lives?

The verse starts with “therefore.”

It’s a bridge word…connecting the first 11 chapters with what Paul is about to say.

Those chapters explain God’s immense mercy, human sinfulness, justification by faith through Jesus Christ, and life in the Spirit.

Obedience is not a way to earn God’s love, but a proper response to it.

Now let’s talk about how we live it, put it into practice, and make it visible to all those around us.

This is how the Amplified Translation renders verse 1:

Romans 12:1 (AMP)

“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.”

This has to be one of the most challenging statements in all the Bible.

“Therefore I URGE, I BESEECH you…”

This means to beg, entreat, call upon…it is said with the most strenuous urging.

In light of all the truth and revelation presented already in the Book of Romans, now it gets down to how it challenges us.

The only way it challenges us, and the only reasonable response to who God is and all He has done for us by virtue of His love.

How do we respond…how should we then live?

How does this compel and urge us to a righteous response?

Well, that comes next:

“PRESENT your bodies, DEDICATING all of yourself and SET APART as a LIVING SACRIFICE.”

Certain circumstances require certain responses, and that must be without compromise.

Allied soldiers on D-Day, June 6, 1944…had to storm the beaches of Normandy under enemy fire…no room for a second-rate effort there.

Freedom was at stake, there was a cause worth fighting for and paying the ultimate price for.

These young men, some of them 18 and 19 years old, stepped up and won the day.

That is what was required, that is what was expected of them, and they came through.

Is not our challenge somewhat similar?

“Present yourself,” “dedicate yourself,” “set yourself apart” as a “living sacrifice.”

In light of all that Jesus has done for us, can we do any less than all the above?

How could we?

How could we live a half-hearted, lukewarm, second-rate effort in light of Jesus giving His all for us?

The above verse describes what it actually means to follow Jesus.

That is what living sacrifices do…no less.

Part “b” comes tomorrow, and I’ll parse this a little further, but let the test already begin…measure yourself against this verse and honestly ask yourself:

Have I done such? Have I presented, dedicated, and set myself apart as the “living sacrifice” that God is calling me to be?

That is something worth meditating on all day, and that’s what I’ll be doing.