Put on Christ, The Law of Liberty

Intro:

Open your bibles this morning to Romans 13:11-14.

Paul up to this point in the Book of Romans has conveyed that wrath will be revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. He has shown that God is righteous in His judgement because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and He has thoroughly conveyed that justification from sin comes through faith in Christ alone.

With the understanding that Christ has died in our place to bring us life, we now must choose to walk by faith, choosing to live dead to sin and alive to God. We know that there will be suffering along the way but God’s grace will be sufficient through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to us.

The Holy Spirit will lead us through the process of sanctification whereby we are changed to become like Jesus. This process is not about striving or trying harder through works of the flesh. It is about learning to abide in Jesus continually.

Paul gave us the example of what happens when we choose to go our own way through the example of the children of Israel. Their rebellion and disobedience caused a rejection by God, and we are to consider their error and learn from it, while refraining from personal judgement of them.

As we are nearing the end of the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul is making it a point to convey several key principles concerning the life and conduct of believers.

Several we have looked at already, becoming living sacrifices to God by not conforming (assimilating) to the patterns of this world and renewing our minds with the word. Serving God with spiritual gifts (whatever we have from Him we should use), behaving like a Christian, submission to government, and loving our neighbor.

This morning we are going to look at two instructions of Paul.

Put on Christ Romans 13:11-14.

The Law of Liberty Romans 14:1-13.

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Submit:

Let’s begin together in Romans 13:11–14“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

Paul began the letter to the church in Rome by laying the foundation of faith in Christ, but now is conveying with urgency that it is time to awake out of sleep, because our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

The phrase awaking out of sleep is not referencing physical sleep. Paul is making an ethical point that believers should leave behind the sinful behaviors that characterized their former lives and engage in Christlike behaviors.

He is calling believers to be alert and watchful, living with an expectancy concerning the return of the Lord. This expectancy of His return should heighten our need to cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light.

We have studied previously of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5. Here Paul highlights a few that would seem to lend themselves to the idea of being asleep vs. awake (unaware and slothful vs. watchful).

He says to cast off revelry and drunkenness. Revelry is a wild party characterized by immorality. While drunkenness is self explanatory.

He also says to cast off, lewdness and lust. Lewdness is sexual immorality with an emphasis on unrestrained sex outside of marriage. While lust is indulgence in sensual pleasure unrestrained by morality.

He also says to put off strife and envy. Strife is characterized by bitter conflict; heated often violent dissension (disagreements). Envy is a greedy or prideful longing for something that belongs to another; even something tangible, such as a skill.

We are to cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. We put on the armor of light by learning to live righteously. Those who clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus are believers who do not focus on gratifying the desires of the sinful nature.

Putting on Christ here speaks of having clothed oneself with the new nature; believers are taught “to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).

To put on Christ means to follow Him in discipleship, letting our lives be conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). Rather than adapting ourselves to the pattern of this world, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds which in turn helps us to change our behavior to become more like Christ. (Romans 12:2).

This change requires putting off the old self and putting on the new throughout the Christian life (Ephesians 4:22–24; Colossians 3:12).

To achieve this transformation, we rely wholly on our righteous standing before God made possible in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Putting on Christ means abiding in Jesus and living to please Him.

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Apply:

The second instruction of Paul we will cover is what He refers to as the Law of Liberty found in Romans 14:1–13.

Let’s read it together.

Romans 14:1-13, “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.”

Romans 14:8–13 “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

Paul in this passage of scripture is giving more specific advice to Christians on how to live together in peace. I love that He chose to point out that believers will at times have differing personal convictions.

For some it may be in regards to diet, or in the observation of certain days or feasts before the Lord. To Paul He regarded these things as non-issues, but they were still important because they can divide the church.

The general essence of the law of liberty is that though we have personal convictions we should live by acting for the good of others, and generally respecting their consciences.

The issue Paul is addressing is that there was conflict between those who perceived as weak in faith (those that were still caught between the letter of the law and the freedom in Christ), and those considered strong (having believed the fullness brought in Christ). The strong as Paul refers to them look at the weak as immature, and the weak condemn the strong as sinners.

The point Paul makes is that it is not our job to judge or show contempt for our fellow brothers in Christ because ultimately they are not your servant to judge, they are God’s. None of us have the authority to stand in judgement over someone else.

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Closing:

Like the decision to put on Christ is personal, so are the other decisions that Paul discusses in Romans 14. The defining factor for our lives is the word, and each of us will stand before God to give an account for our lives. We are ultimately to refrain from judging one another, and instead to live in harmony and mutual respect with each-other.

When we encounter differing views as believers, we should give the benefit of the doubt to others. Especially when it comes to conclusions on nonessential matters. Our ultimate accountability is to God, and in the end it is His judgement that will matter.

Now, while nonessential matters seem to be open to a measure of personal interpretation understand that the same is not true for clearly expressed doctrine in the word. For some things there is no room for interpretation.

For example: Justification through faith is found in Christ alone. There is no alternate personal interpretation for that. Faith and justification come through the atonement of Christ sacrifice alone and nothing else. If someone believes personally that there are many ways to God, they are in error.

Our aim as believers is to put off the former ways of darkness and put on Christ by abiding in Him, while refraining from judgment of one another. Honor and humility will lead us to live in harmony and mutual respect, which ultimately will cause God to be glorified.

Let’s Pray!

1. Holy Spirit Help us to put on Christ and to walk free from darkness.

2. Salvation