May we study for a few moments Paul’s exhortation in Romans 13:11-14. The text reads, “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 armor 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.” First notice that Paul says that we need to awake out of sleep. Far too many are spiritually sound asleep! When a person is sleeping, they are unaware, unconcerned, and feel nothing what is happening to them. (For example when surgery is done on a person.) So it is when people are spiritually asleep, they are unconcerned about their condition, about sin, about what is right. The need is to wake up, and realize that we are ever closer to the day of judgment. Each day that passes by, means that we are just that much closer to eternity. Yes, we need to cast aside the works of darkness. Put away all wickedness, for evil only leads to heartache, sorrow, misery, and in the end: doom and destruction! Put away things like rioting and drunkenness, which refers to the use of booze to intoxicate and the foolishness it leads to. He also speaks of chambering and wantonness, the immorality and the licentious lusts that leads to fornication. And he also tells us to get rid of strife and envying, the spirit of contention (which carries a feeling of enmity) and jealousy. Finally, he tells us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. To be transformed into His image, by seeking to think like Him, have His attitude, His mind set, and to act like Jesus. We initially put on Christ when we obey the gospel, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Gal.3:26-27.
— Dan McKibben
