Romans 12:2 (LSB)

Passage

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Nearby Context

Romans 12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to each one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound thinking, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Romans 12:4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "will of God", "world", "conformed", "transformed", "renewing", "mind", "approve", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "will of God" and "world", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "Therefore I exhort you brothers by the..." into verse 3's "For through the grace given to me...", so "will of God" and "world" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "will of God" and "world" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.