Romans 13

Intro

At the end of this incredible letter of doctrine and practical Christian living Paul has one last appeal to make to all Christians:

Christianity is a faith based on events in the past.

Yes, its history streaches far back into the ancestry of man, but it does not end there.

God has made many promises, each and every one of whom he has kept.

He made Abraham into a great nation.

He delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt.

He prepared a nation for himself in Israerl.

He incarnated Himself as the Living Word.

He lived a perfect life.

He died a sinners death.

He rose victoriously from the Grave.

He ascended into Heaven.

He poured out His Holy Spirit.

Salvation came to the Gentiles.

This is but a tiny sampeling of what God promised in the past and brought to pass.

But there yet remains one more promise to be fulfilled.

John 14:3 AV

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Jesus Christ promised us that he would return: First to take up His bride into glory and second to tread the fury and wrath of God almighty.

This is Paul’s final appeal: That we Prepare to meet the Lord when He returns.

Romans 13:11–14 AV

11 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. 12 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. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Pauls plea can be summed up as follows:

Wake Up!

Clean Up!

Grow Up!

Wake Up!

1 Thessalonians 5:2–9 AV

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Like a thief in the night.

Jesus loved this term. He used in His own teaching on his coming and again in Revelation Jesus said:

Revelation 3:3 AV

3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Jesus is not threatening us with this statment. I dont even think He is trying to sacre us. He is pointing out the manner in which He will return:

Unannounced, unexpected and possibly even unwelcomed!

Why do i say that? Because he is warning us, that he would very likly come in an hour in which we would prefer he diddnt because we are ingaged in unchristian practice.

Parcle Illastration.

The Christian must live and conduct thenselves each moment of every day in expectation.

Clean Up!

1 John 3:2–10 AV

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Here is a sad truth: Many christians simply do not take sin seriously enough.

It goes back to the same situation Paul warned us about earlier in Romans:

That we are saved by grace, which for many Christians makes them think sin is not that serious, to which Paul said:

Romans 6:1 AV

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

How do we take sin seriously? How to we get victory over it? How can we clean up our lives?

Well scripture tells us:

Psalm 119:9 AV

9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

So what does the Word of God say?

Well we already looked at it last week, but we went over it quite quicly and i diddnt focus on it. Here is what the Word says:

Romans 8:13 AV

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

John Owne was a puratin Preacher who focused on sin and had deep insights into it and his most famouys quote is:

“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” - John Owen.

To mortify something means to put it to death.

Grow Up!

Hebrews 5:12 AV

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

What is Spiritual Maturety?

Many people think its some mystical experience but its simply not.

Let me tell you plainly what spiritual maturity is and how we become more mature.

Spiritual growth and the striving for spiritual maturity is actually very simple in concpet, but more challanging in practice.

Here is what it is:

Spiritual Maturity is the radfical rearranging of prioroties from self pleasing to God pleasing.

Simpler in concept - very challanging in practice.

There are simply dozens upon dozens of things that matter to us.

Self matters - Food, drink, clothes, comfort, security, health, esteem, succsess, position, time...

Family matters - provision, support, achevment, love, communication, relationship, sex, intimacy....

Work matters - money, overheads, salaries, promotions, positions..

God matters - Prayer, salvation, bible, fasting, waiting, sunday worship, bible study, meditation....

If i was to ask any Christian if God comes first they would say YES! Yet then if thats true why does God get so little time?

Conclusion:

Wake up

Clean up

Grow up