Personal Righteousness Romans13:8-14

Christians demonstrate the genuineness of their love through a life of personal righteousness.

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Obedience, Results Of

A little boy was riding his tricycle furiously around the block, over and over again. Finally a policeman stopped and asked him why he was going around and around. The boy said that he was running away from home. Then the policeman asked why he kept going around the block. The boy responded, “Because my mom said that I’m not allowed to cross the street.”

The point is clear—obedience will keep you close to those you love.927

I. An Expression of Love vv. 8-10

When we pick up this passage, Paul is continuing with a theme: let love be genuine

Now, he focuses in on personal righteousness as an expression of that genuine love

He begins with a statement to, “owe no one anything”

This is not an indictment against financial debt, but an admonition to fulfill v. 7 by loving each other in the body of Christ

Our love for one another is a way of fulfilling the Law

Where there is love there is not:

Adultery

Murder

Theft

Covetousness

Instead, love is the positive answer to the negative commands, the “thou shalt” to the “thou shalt nots”

Personal righteousness is the partner of genuine love; you cannot have one without the other!

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 459: Obedience

In General Patton’s Principles for Life and Leadership, Gen. George-S. Patton Jr. says:

Picking the right leader is the most important task of any commander. I line up the candidates and say, “Men, I want a trench dug behind warehouse ten. Make this trench eight feet long, three feet wide and six inches deep.”

While the candidates are checking their tools out at the warehouse, I watch them from a distance. They puzzle over why I want such a shallow trench. They argue over whether six inches is deep enough for a gun emplacement. Some complain that such a trench should be dug with power equipment. Others gripe that it is too hot or too cold to dig. If the men are above the rank of lieutenant, there will be complaints that they should not be doing such lowly labor. Finally, one man will order, “What difference does it make what [he] wants to do with this trench! Let’s get it dug and get out of here.”

That man will get the promotion. Pick the man who can get the job done!

God too is looking for people to whom he can give authority and responsibility. Like Patton, he gives people jobs and watches to see how they respond. Most of all, God is looking for obedience and faithfulness.

II. An Awareness of the Time vv. 11-13

Next, Paul addresses something seemingly unrelated: “You know the time”

Personal righteousness is a matter of awareness, because living in light of the coming day, we must live like Jesus is returning!

It is time to wake up!

Continuing in unrighteousness is a demonstration that we do not understand how close we are to Christ’s return

Interestingly, though, Paul does not frame this return in terms of judgment, but of deliverance

Your “salvation” is nearer now, the completion of your hope; in light of that, we must live in righteousness

We greet the day by casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light. He gives a list of “works of darkness:

Orgies and drunkenness

Sexual immorality and sensuality

Quarreling and jealousy

A few items are worth noting

All of these are done in the dark, in a hidden way. When we reach the point that we do these things openly and unashamedly, we have circled around to the kind of depravity described in the beginning of Romans

Second, Paul lumps quarreling and jealousy in with immorality and drunkenness; when we are quarreling and jealous, we ought to be ashamed!

Back in the Fall, my family made a trip and we spent a night in Boston, walking around the Freedom Trail. One of the stops is the home of Paul Revere, the famous rider who warned of the coming of the British. What if Paul Revere had warned but no one paid attention. I’m afraid that’s where many of us are. Paul has warned us to wake up, but we cannot bother to be stirred!

III. An Act of Conformation v.14

Finally, we see that the answer to our sin is found in a threefold plan of action

First, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ

This looks like walking in His ways and seeking His power through prayer, study of His Word, and obedience to the Spirit

We are conforming to Him and, as a result, experiencing His power.

Second, we make no provision for the flesh

Provision for the flesh is the inverse of putting on Christ

It is the pursuit, the passion, or the plan for sinful living

Finally, we recognize that the desires of the flesh are real and want gratification

In response, we must seek higher desires

We set our minds on the things that are above and we pursue them; it is good to reject sin, but it is also good to pursue righteousness

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Righteousness, Believers’

If we look through a piece of red glass, everything is red. If we look through a piece of blue glass, everything is blue. If we look through a piece of yellow glass, everything is yellow, and so on.

When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, God looks at us through the Lord Jesus Christ. He sees us in all the white holiness of his Son. Our sins are imputed to the account of Christ and his righteousness to our account