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. 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 armour of right living. 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 quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
Romans 13:11-14
Paul says You know the times in which we are living. It’s time for you to wake up.
Many commentators at this point launch off into talking about end times and knowing the Day of His Coming. But that is not what Paul is talking about.
Do you know the times in which you are living? Are you aware of your generation? Do you know what is happening in the world around you and where you are situated in terms of issues related to the Kingdom of God? Paul says it is time to wake up. There are those who don’t understand the circumstances in which they find themselves (Matt 16:3) and there are those who do understand the times and know what they should do. (1 Chron 12:32). This is similar to Moses awareness of the God things. Are you aware of the “God things”? He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel. Psa 103:7 – KJV. The children of God could see what God did but they didn’t understand His ways behind the scene. The principles on which He operates. Do you?
God wants us to know and understand the times in which we live and use our time wisely. Paul was saying to the Roman Christians this is a bad time in which you live. You must be aware in order to be saved from the evil time in which you live. As we have seen, Romans was written to a church living at a difficult time in history. The glory days of Julius Caesar were gone, now they were living in the dark times of Nero, Caligula and cronies. This word could be directly written for us today. Do we have an awareness of the times and benchmark set by the Word of God? This should show the stark contrast between the evil age around us and the light of the glory of the Lord. It should make us flee to Him to be saved. Having been saved it should make us all the more earnest to see that others are saved – if we really do love our neighbour as ourselves.
This is a call to stand up and be who you were meant to be. Be who you are meant to be for yourself and for the Lord. Like Paul says wake up and take stock of what is happening. If you have not been living as you should, then when will you? The day of salvation is close, put off your clothes of the night now. Be who you are meant to be for the Lord and for His Glory. Clothe yourself with Christ. Allow the Holy Spirit to live His life through you. Put on Christ; now is the time. Be who you are meant to be for those who don’t yet know. Wake up and put on Christ NOW. This is written to Christian believers in the midst of the darkness of Rome. Wake up and put on Christ in the midst of this present age too.
In order to follow God, you have to ‘make the break’ with your past.
Ian Vail
Your life may be the only Bible some people see in their lifetime.
Ian Vail