Rom. 13:11-14 NLT
11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
After teaching the Roman Christians, and us, about living in the power of unconditional love, Paul moves into an urgency gear. He makes it plain to us that time has elapsed. Whatever anyone might think as to when the Lord will return for us, this fact in verse 12 is certain-- we are closer today to His return than the day we first became believers. No one can deny this truth without denying the entirety of God Himself.
Since we are closer, Paul wants that truth to motivate our decisions-- our decisions about our deeds; decisions about right living; decisions about darkness such as in 'wild parties and drunkenness; decisions about sexual promiscuity and immorality; even decisions about quarreling or jealousy. Instead of sin-stained decisions we are to put on, as clothing, the nature of Christ Himself. Jesus promised this and Paul reminds us of it. With the shining armor of the unconditional love of Christ we will have the power to say a resounding 'NO!' to the evil desires that came with our fallen human nature. We can have the NEW nature Jesus has created for us. Would you like that to wear today?
Your servant in Christ's Love
Dan Elliott
drdanelliott@gmail.com
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