Romans 13: 8-14

Here is another example of how practical Second coming teaching is as we find it in the pages of the New Testament.

There is a story told how, in a certain village, the church clock went haywire. One particular day it struck 12, but didn’t stop: 13, 14, 15…on it went! A little boy went racing home, burst into the kitchen and exclaimed, ‘Mummy, mummy it’s later today than it’s ever been!’

Well, it is just that (11b, 12a), and Paul, therefore has some important (and earthy) applications to make. If we truly believe that Jesus is coming back:

It will affect our finances (8a): Many professing Christians remain undifferentiated from the rest of the world in terms of their money management. They live beyond their means and stack up debt. But God calls us to a different standard. (Anyone reading this who has got caught in a downward whirlpool of debt may want to check out the organisation ‘Christians against poverty.’ They offer practical help and hope to get people out of such circumstances.)

It will affect our interpersonal relationships (8b – 10, 13b): Outside a church in Guildford, Surrey, I saw a sign which read: ‘Love won another.’ There is something winsome about love. If we love, we will automatically fulfill the man ward aspects of the law. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The Message. We won’t commit adultery; steal etc. because we love this person. We won’t want to wrong them in any way. (We won’t have anything to do with dissension or give ourselves up to jealousy either. See 13b). Here are some of the deeds of darkness we need to put aside. These things need to become our ‘old cast-offs.’

It will affect our morals (13): A boy, writing home from boarding school said to his parents, ‘The previous vicar used to tell lots of moral stories; but this new vicar: he’s got no morals!’ The world of Paul’s day was as corrupt as ours, if not more so. It was a moral sewer and its stench reached the sky. The Christians then were not to be conformed to it; nor are we. You will see that we have to put effort into growing in holiness. There are things we must do and they will not (cannot) be done for us by anyone else. (You will note, for example, the place of the mind in holy living: 14b. In order to be a winner and not a loser you have to submit your mind to Christ. This is particularly so in sexual temptation. If you lose the battle in your head you will have problems, for as we think in our hearts so are we. There are places you can’t afford to let your mind go. You have to be like a parent lovingly but firmly holding the eager child back from potential dangers.) But we do these things in total dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ (14). It’s about trusting Him to let His life shine through ours; relying on Him to become like Him.

So, if we believe Jesus is coming back, there are filthy garments to take off (our ‘night clothes’ you might say). According to Paul’s words here, they are financial mismanagement, lack of love and sexual immorality. But not only do you have a negative exhortation; there is the all-important positive one to be Christ-like; to be clothed with Jesus Himself (14a). We are called to live as befits the daylight, for that is where Christians are going to be forever. Hallelujah!

Get out of bed and get dressed…Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about! The Message.