Time to Wake Up
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Romans 13:11-14
When we awake each morning, we all begin the day in similar ways. We get dressed. We plan our day to a certain degree, but if we are cognizant of the fact that things may go completely differently than what we planned, we can also have a plan B, plan C, etc. and try not to get too bent out of shape if we have to change our plans. We pack our lunch, gather stuff together that we will need for the day, and leave for the places to which we need to go. All these things signify how we will spend our day physically. However, we also need to focus on how we will spend our day spiritually, and not just today, but for the rest of the time we have on this earth.
It doesn’t take a genius to look around and see how fast we are approaching the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is time to wake up, be alert, for even if He tarries His coming by 100 more years, we don’t have anywhere near 100 more years to be about our Father’s business. Matthew Henry wrote, “The more the days are shortened, and the more grace is increased, the nearer is our salvation, and the more quick and vigorous we should be in our spiritual motions.” I thought that it was interesting that he pointed out that the closer we get to the second coming of Christ, the more grace we will need. I hadn’t really thought about it like that, but it is true because the end times will be and seem to already be filled with more and more ungodly events which can either cause believers to throw up their hands and give up or to become more determined than ever to live for Christ and take a stand for righteousness. And that will take grace and a whole lot of it.
The far spent night to which Paul refers represents the time after Jesus was crucified up unto this present moment of time. It is getting very close to dawn. If you like sports analogies, I believe we are in the fourth quarter, but not quite to the two-minute warning, or are we? It’s time to remove the sinful works that we have been clinging to and put on our armor so that we can be prepared for the onslaught of the enemy. Again, Matthew Henry wrote that this armor of light “secures the soul from Satan’s temptations and the assaults of this present evil world.” I like reading Mr. Henry’s commentary. He wrote his commentary over 300 years ago, and it is also a good way to increase one’s vocabulary!
Paul urges us to walk honestly. Talk the talk and you walk the walk. Be mindful that if people know you are a Christian, they will be watching you to see if you are really who you say you are. If people do not know you are a Christian, it shouldn’t take them very long to figure out that you have something great and wonderful that they do not. Paul then lists some ugly traits or behaviors that should never be found in a true Christian. These are rioting, getting drunk, chambering, which is adultery and fornication, wantonness, which is lewdness, strife or fighting, and envying of others. If we are serious about becoming Christlike, then we will earnestly strive against these fleshly desires and behaviors.
I know that I am a rather naive person. When I was younger, I thought everyone else grew up like I did which was in a Christian family who went to church, who tried to live righteously, and cared about other people. Boy, was I wrong! As I got older, I found out that the majority of people, particularly now, did not have those same experiences as I did. I am probably the only person on my street that goes to church on a regular basis. I am shocked when I hear about a fellow churchgoer having an affair outside of his or her marriage. I am a sinner like all other people, whether believers or unbelievers, but I am just simple-minded enough to believe that Jesus was serious when He said we were to leave our sins behind if we desire to follow Him. I am sad for our nation. We have traded lies for the truth and are suffering the consequences. Matthew Henry also wrote, “Without Christ, we are naked, deformed; all other things are filthy rags, fig-leaves, a sorry shelter.” But with Him, we have everything we could ever need.