Romans 13:11-14

Wake up and fight! Put on Christ!

Intro

Theoden after being released from darkness

Remembering who he was when he takes up his sword

Dealing with sanctification

Undergirding this entire passage is the doctrine of sanctification

Spend less time on doctrine with this in mind

Sanctification is a continuous work of the Spirit in the life of the believer

OUTLINE THIS This sanctification is throughout in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome: and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

You need to go to war against sin and your past life

Richard Baxter, “Use sin as it will use you; spare it not, for it will not spare you; it is your murderer, and the murderer of the world: use it, therefore, as a murderer should be used. Kill is before it kills you; and though it bring you to the grave, as it did your Head [Christ], it shall not be able to keep you there.”

Shadow boxing

We need to wrestle against sin like Jacob wrestled with God

Proposition: Go to war against sin! Soldier up!

[1] a Christian’s comfort in Christ’s consummation (vv. 11-12a)

[2] a Christian’s cleansing from corruption (vv. 12b-13)

[3] a Christian’s conquest in Christ alone (v. 14)

[1] a Christian’s comfort in Christ’s consummation (vv. 11-12a)

Romans 13:11“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand.

Καὶ τοῦτο εἰδότες τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι ὥρα ἤδη ὑμᾶς3 ἐξ ὕπνου ἐγερθῆναι, νῦν γὰρ ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν.

[TEXT]

A Present Reality

“know the time/hour”

Major transition in redemptive history

All of it was pointing to Christ

Current status in the “last days”

time / hour demonstrated as last days

Time/season (καιρόν)

Present time, last days, the “now.”

Set forth in Scripture.

In relation to justification by faith alone (Rom. 3:26)

Christ’s atonement (Rom 5:6)

Present time of enduring suffering (Rom 8.18)

Present time of God’s sovereign election of a remnant (11:5)

Hour (ὥρα)

Building upon the eschatological flavor

John 4:23“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”

1 John 2:18“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”

Current status in the “last days”

Not a future epoch, not something with great signs and tribulations, it is now

Pronouncement of Peter in Acts 2:17““ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;”

The last days are marked with the fullness of revelation. Hebrews 1:2“but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

The last days were in mind in God’s predestination. 1 Peter 1:20“He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you”

The last days are marked with false teaching. 2 Peter 3:3“knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.”

The last days are marked with difficulty. 2 Timothy 3:1“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.”

Present reality based upon the implication: “wake from sleep”

ὕπνου (hypnosis)

We are prone to lull ourselves to sleep by the mundane life when fixed on the present

This life is not where our hope is found

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

Example.

Matthew 24:42–44“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Parable of ten virgins (Mat 25.1-13)

Don’t be like Peter in the Garden

Matthew 26:40–41 “And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.””

Content here points to the how it was accomplished. Secondly,

A Condition Met

Answering the question: How is this time made manifest?

By salvation - already /not yet paradox

Examples

Glorification.

Already. Romans 8:30“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Do we feel glorified?

Not based on subjective but objective

Not yet. Romans 7:22–24“For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Adoption

Already. Romans 8:16–17“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Not yet. Romans 8:23“And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

Salvation, as here.

Already and Not Yet in one verse.

Romans 5:9–10 “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

Already. Romans 10:9“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Not yet 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

A process coming closer to completion

Nearer.

Recognition of our position in reference to time.

Each day is one day closer to Christ’s full reign

Matthew 24:32““From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.” (and parallel in Mk 13.28; Lk 21.30)

An Illustration

“The night is far gone; the day is at hand”

“The Christian lives between the time when sin and darkness reign and the time when the light of Christ rules completely. If we are sleepy and complacent, it is time to wake up, lest we relapse into the life of darkness (Rom. 1:21).” (Doriani)

Night = sinful life.

A past condition

Ephesians 2:1–3“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

A present reality

Romans 1:21“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

A passing evil age

Galatians 1:4 “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,”

Day = life in Christ

Literally, the day is drawing near, approaching

John 8:12“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

1 John 2:8“At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.”

Examples.

Northern countries like Norway and Sweden see months of complete darkness

That is the present evil age

Surely they are counting down the days for sunlight just as we are

Each day of darkness is one day closer to sunlight

Application

Use 1. If you are in Christ, then drive out sinful tendencies.

What is being highlighted with these uses of sleep and night are related to “moral drowsiness.”

Ephesians 5:14“for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.””

1 Thessalonians 5:6–7“So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.”

Are you being alert? Watchful? Careful to drive these sinful tendencies out?

Depraved deeds desire the darkness.

Watcfulness, William Gurnall, “Set a strong guard about thy outward senses: there are Satan’s landing places, especially the eye and the ear.”

Use 2. If you are in Christ, then desire full communion with God.

Combat sin with communion

We become what we cherish

If we cherish sin, we become like sin

Children and being around kids who are bad influences

If we cherish Christ, we become like Christ

Being around good influences

People who motivate us

Team life in SF

What’s the antidote?

Romans 12:1–2“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Use 3. If you are in Christ, then draw upon the well of Christ.

John 4 analogy.

Christian cold plunge

Popular fad

Instantly wake up your body

How do we wake up from sleep? We plunge into the depths of the living waters of Christ Jesus.

[2] a Christian’s cleansing from corruption (vv. 12b-13)

“So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.”

[TEXT]

Casting off darkness

Paul’s use of normal terms we are familiar with: sleep, night, darkness

John Murray “what the apostle is pressing home is the incompatibility of moral and religious slumbers with the position which believers now occupy in the great drama of redemption”

No longer a need or desire

Take off, like a garment.

Colossians 3:8“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”

Representative of your old self

Ephesians 4:22“to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,”

Consider it like filthy play clothes/hunting clothes/jersey

Putting on the light and walking in it

Roman soldier imagery

Civilian clothes while out in town

Partaking of sinful behaviours

Needs to be ready for battle in the morning

We have to be enabled to put on light before casting off darkness

John 3:3“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

“Put on” ἐνδύω

Endow yourself with light, it should cover every aspect of your body

Illustration of what darkness encompasses

Expansion of the lists of sins included elsewhere

Three pairs of vices included in the text

Orgies/drunkeness

Reference to excess

Orgies/ Rioting (KJV) - Greek practice of nocturnal, riotous procession in honor of Greek god Bacchus or another deity, late night partying

Drunkenness - Excess in a permitted behavior.

Conduct which primarily occurs at night

Sexual immorality/sensuality

More liable to commit sexual sin in drunken state

More liable to commit sins with “herd mentality”

Physical sins

Quarreling/jealousy

That which fractures unity

Quarreling - strife, contention, discord

Jealousy (Envy KJV) - negative use of “zealous”

Sins of the heart

[APPLICATION]

Use 1. Cleansing yourself from corruption implies you walk with the Lord.

Are you walking with the Lord?

Can you say you believe in your heart that Christ is Lord?

Only by communion with Him are we able to cleanse from corruption

Use 2. Cleansing yourself from corruption implies you live in the light.

Not hiding our sins in the darkness

Drunkenness - at night

Pornography/sexual immorality - at night

Wicked deeds - at night

Exposing our lives to the light

Use 3. Cleansing yourself from corruption implies you have new desires.

Are you born again?

If you are still living in these sinful patterns, test yourself

2 Corinthians 13:5–6“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.”

[3] a Christian’s conquest in Christ alone (v. 14)

Romans 13:14“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

[TEXT]

William Gurnall, “Till Christ be put on, the creature is unarmed.”

Do soldiers go into battle unarmed? Why would you?

What it looks like to put on Christ

It means remembering your death to sinfulness.

Romans 6.1-10.

Not about the mode of baptism

Baptism by water/submersion = judgment

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

It means remembering you are new.

Ephesians 4:24“and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Colossians 3:10“and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

It means remembering to equip the armor of God

Ephesians 6:10–12“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

What is looks like to make no provision.

Flesh

Sinful desires and actions

Romans 7:5“For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.”

Gal 5.19-21 as a list of those sins

Ephesians 2:3“among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Adamic man

Romans 5:12“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

No provision

Related to the word used for providence or foresight

Do not put forethought into sinning

Hold fast to the newness of life in Christ

Romans 8:12–13“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Galatians 5:16“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

1 Peter 2:11“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”

Some of you are stuck in sin because you’re allowing it to take hold of you

Do you really want to lose the battle?

The great illustrative contrast

Sexual sins of 1.26-27 are broader in 13.13

Darkness in 1.21 and 13.13

Call to decency in 13.13 with shamefulness of unbelievers in 1.24, 27; 6.21

Intention of the flesh in 13.14 in contrast to mind of the Spirit

Romans 8:5–7“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”

The great illustrative comparison

13.12, 14 tied deeply with Romans 12:2“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Daniel Doriani illustration

Three men go running five days a week

First - run because father died of heart attack

Second - so I can eat whatever and sleep well

Third - I enjoy it, I feel alive

Summary

First - does so out of fear

Second - does so for the benefits

Third - does so because he loves it, and will likely keep doing it

[APPLICATION]

Use 1. Do not put on Christ for fire insurance

As with the first runner, only putting on Christ for fear of the results is not love for Him, its fear

Yes, there is truth about the state of man apart from Christ

It should drive us to Him as the only Savior

Mere fear does nor produce life-long obedience

Use 2. Do not put on Christ for license to sin or moralism

Second runner, only seeking to be unhealthy

We do not put on Christ to sin more

Romans 6:1“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” BY NO MEANS!

We do not put on Christ to live better lives

Romans 8:17“and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Putting on Christ means you suffer with Him

Use 3. Put on Christ because you love him

Third runner, out of love and joy

The fruits follow

Where does this extend back to? All of what was stated in Romans 12.

v. 1 - present your bodies as worship to God

v. 2 - do not be conformed to the world

Be! transformed

How?

Renewal of mind

Discern will of God

What is good, acceptable, perfect

v. 3 - be a humble people

vv.4-8 - serve the body of Christ

vv. 9-13

Love is genuine, hate evil, do good, love another, show honor, be active in Christian life, fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, in hope rejoice, in tribulation be patient, in prayer be constant, show generosity and hospitality

vv. 14-21

bless your enemies, rejoice with the joyful, weep with the weeping, do not repay evil with evil, leave it to God’s wrath, evangelize

vv. 13.1-7

Obey the government

vv. 13.8-10

Let love be the dominant aspect of your lives

And here, wake up from your slumberous Christian life and be active

Fight against the spiritual darkness at war with you

Do not stand and receive the blows, fight back

Armor yourself with light and the armor of God

Put on Christ!

Beeke, ST, when we are “clothed with Christ as our armor in justification and sanctification, we are able to overcome all the forces of hell.”

Final LOTR TT illustration, Gandalf on the hill, final stand with the rest of the army, the dawn comes, and the enemy is defeated

The battle is won, victory is at hand, the new dawn rises, put on Christ