The call to love our neighbor as ourselves ups the ante of living as a Christian. That’s not so difficult if our neighbor—who may be anyone we encounter—is easy to get along with and loving in return. It’s another story when a person is difficult! On such occasions we may have fleeting desires to alter the command to love: be nice to your neighbor; do some charitable things for your neighbor; think nice thoughts about your neighbor. But love? That comes with such power and demand. It calls for modeling our relationship to others in the way that Christ has related to us. So we forgive those who wrong us and ignore us and mistreat us. We accept those who are unlovely and unwanted even as Christ did us. We serve those are helpless even as Christ served us in our helplessness.
Maybe this week you have thought about what we considered in our last study. You’ve thought about certain people that you struggle to love. It’s good to get that to the forefront of our thoughts instead of ignoring it. That way we can address it more clearly. Yet it also weighs us down. We desire to please the Lord but realize that something stands in the way relationally. Someone, whom we should love but struggle to do so, appears to stand in the way of pressing on spiritually. In such cases, how do we get past the obstacle and truly love as Christ loved us?
As we delight in Jesus Christ our walk is transformed, and so is our love for others. Paul does not take up a new subject in verses 11-14. He has been explaining what it means to be a living sacrifice and be transformed by the ongoing renewal of the mind. One of the key areas that need intense work is that of loving others unconditionally, even as Christ has loved us. But loving others is not done in a vacuum. We cannot compartmentalize our lives so that we have a “love box” on one hand, and our “spiritual discipline” box on the other, and our “service box” on yet another. That’s the point made in these chapters. As living sacrifices are being transformed by the application of the gospel each day, they serve others in the body of Christ; they love without hypocrisy; they are devoted to one another in brotherly love; they bless those who persecute them; they overcome evil with good; they love their neighbors as themselves.
But in practical terms, how do we apply these things in daily life? How do we go from being in spiritual darkness to walking in the light with such clarity, that Christ is evident in our lives and we impact those around us? That’s what I want us to consider in these verses, as we think together about putting on the armor of light.
We are motivated to love our neighbor as ourselves when we realize that “love is the fulfillment of the law.” In that regard, we are not trying to compensate for some lack on Christ’s part in meeting the law’s demands. Rather, now that we are new creatures in Christ and members of the new covenant family, we have a new desire to please God. God has written His law on our hearts! He has revealed His pleasure in the law for the moral issues that touch all of life. We find the law in the Ten Commandments, in the Old Testament, and we find it in numerous places in the New Testament, such as the Sermon on the Mount and Ephesians 4-6. We do not run from the law as believers but rather we find new motivation to fulfill it by loving others.
But we may need additional motivation. With the little phrase, “Do this,” Paul lays out another motivation that helps us get a right perspective on the commands of God, the challenges to love one another, and demands of the gospel. Perspective implies the way you view things. Someone who has run a marathon has a different view of exercise than the person that walks a couple miles a day. Experience has informed him and changed the way he perceives things. One who has read and studied history has a different view of current issues than the person who has scarcely thought about the past. Knowledge informs him and changes his perspective. The Christian has a unique perspective that informs him and changes the way he responds to life’s demands. What is that perspective?
“Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” The phrase “do this,” or simply “and this,” in the Greek, points us back to loving our neighbor as ourselves. He is explaining how we can do it, even when it appears virtually impossible. Paul begins by telling us that we are in the position of “knowing the time.” The word for “time” has nothing to do with chronological time or calendars. It’s the Greek term kairos that points to an event or an epoch or an opportunity or a significant happening. What does the Apostle have in mind?
Think of how most people live, and unfortunately, even Christians fall into this pattern. Life is about having a good time, surviving misfortunes, making it to the top, getting what one wants, making a name for oneself, meeting the approval of the crowd, etc. What’s missing in this partial list of the way people view life? The Lord is nowhere to be found. It’s all about me, myself, and I, as the expression goes. Drew commented, in last Sunday night’s sermon, that he read a book shortly before his conversion that opened with the glaring statement: “It’s not about you.” He said that shocked him because he had thought and lived with just that sentiment, that life was about him. Drew was not alone! That’s the mindset of all of us apart from the law bringing us to the stark realization of our sin and the gospel humbling us to see what God in Christ has done to save sinners. Most people live without thought of God in their lives. They plan their education, marriage, family, career, social lives, sporting endeavors, hobbies, entertainment lives, investments, retirement, and everything else in life without the Lord in view. It’s all about self.
But Christians must see it differently. “Knowing the time,” or understanding the epoch or recognizing what is happening on God’s timetable or grasping what living in the now means, radically changes our perspective. We realize that it’s not about us. God did not create the world to make us the center of attention. Rather, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever” (11:36). Life is about the living God who made heaven and earth, and who sent His Son as the only Savior and Lord of sinners. I, therefore, am living at His pleasure. I exist for His glory. My times are in His hands. My moment of existence in the aeons of time is so that I might enjoy and please the Lord God.
I use the word hypnotic intentionally. The Greek for “sleep” is the root for hypnotize, which is a state that resembles sleep. “It is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep [hupvou].” He’s not talking about literal sleep but rather the sluggish, dulled, hypnotic, and almost trance-like state that the world lulls us into. Paul moves from speaking of kairos—the momentous event, the significant happening, to hora or time in a momentary sense. The schedule has arrived. The beep-beep-beep has signaled that your appointment is here. It’s time to awaken or literally, arise from the sluggish, hypnotic state induced by the world. It’s time to wake up!
Have you ever fallen into such a deep sleep that you dream of waking up but you cannot? You feel frozen. You know that you need to get up but you just can’t; it’s as though you are strapped to the bed. You feel like you are in a trance as the world moves around you, but you cannot arise and get into action.
That’s the picture that Paul gives. He tells us that it is now time to get up—to throw off the hypnotic state that the world has put you into. Realize that the world—that system of thought and suggestion and action that does not include God—is not your friend; it is out to ruin you. So it is time to wake up to the world! See it for what it is in your life!
What is our motivation to throw off the hypnotic effects of the world? “For now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” What does he mean? “Salvation” means deliverance. It is used as a past—referring to our justification; as a present—referring to our sanctification; and as a future—referring to our glorification. We have been delivered from the penalty of sin; we are being delivered from the power of sin; and we shall be delivered from the presence of sin. Three dimensions converge in the one word—salvation. So what does it mean that, “salvation is nearer to us than when we believed”? Here Paul refers to salvation in its fullness or completeness. It’s what Paul called, “the redemption of our body” for which the creation groans and waits (8:22-23). It’s the culmination of all the redemptive work of Jesus Christ resulting in the redemption of the body, the end of all sin, the judgment of all unbelievers, and the final end of Satan and his demons. Paul tells us, that day is inching toward us; so we must live toward that Day.
We live in the realm of the now and the not yet. They overlap. We’re seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph 1:3); yet we live in a world that we’re not to be of (John 17:15-16). We’re hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3), yet we must take action to consider the members of our earthly bodies dead to sin (Col 3:5-11). We read of “the last days” prophesied by Joel, typically thinking of it as the days immediately preceding the return of Christ. Yet Peter identified it as the era from the cross until the return of Christ (Acts 2:16-21). So when Paul exhorts us to change our perspective, to get a new view about life, he calls on us to live toward the final Day when Christ brings to culmination the work of redemption—reordering the cosmos and claiming His Bride. Live toward that day of “salvation,” or future deliverance. Live as one that will be claimed by Christ on that day. Live as one who will gladly welcome Him. Live as one whose life is not bound by the latest fads, music, movies, and entertainment. Live as one whose life is not consumed with pursuing the world or living for retirement or living for a paycheck or living for the next party. Live as one that will see Jesus Christ.
This is not a passage that offers a few suggestions to take or leave. Paul sets a framework for action. Probably, most of us know where we need to be spiritually with regard to maturity in Christ. We have some picture in mind of what it would look like if we really walked with Jesus the way we should. Yet we stumble in getting there. Sometime it is motivation that hinders us. So Paul identifies two motivations: when you love your neighbor as yourself, you fulfill the law—you will delight yourself in the law of God; and when you know the time, that your salvation is nearer than when you believed—you will awaken from the hypnotic slumber of the world.
But we not only need motivation—fulfilling the law and the Day of Christ—but also a course of action. We can get sidetracked by well-meaning teaching that puts us into legalistic bondage or that moves us away from the centrality of the gospel. Paul has a gospel-focus in what he sets forth in three facets.
Paul exhorted the Philippians, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [do it!], and the God of peace will be with you” (4:9). Just do it! In other words, I’ve given you an example, I’ve taught you, others have taught you, you’ve learned the truth of what it is to live as a follower of Christ, now do it! Be decisive!
He has similar emphasis in our text but does so with more imagery, so that we visualize what he means. “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” The images of “night” and “day,” take us to the overlapping realms of the now and the not yet, the present sanctification where sin still plagues us and future glorification where sin cannot be found; the kingdom of God among you as you grow and mature in holiness, and the kingdom of God come in all its fullness, as you stand whole and complete before Christ. In the now, sin still exists though battled by the believer, indwelled by the Spirit and strengthened by the promises of God. In the not yet, all sin and evil is done away, the creation is restored, and “the Lamb is all the glory in Immanuel’s Land!”
“Therefore,” draws attention to that point, and now calls for decisive action. “Let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” One negative action, one positive action is called for. Paul includes himself, “Let us lay aside…let us put on.” Here is the pattern of spiritual development, growing in holiness. It is precisely what Paul told the Ephesians and Colossians. “In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph 4:22-24). Then Paul addresses specifically different issues: “laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor. . . . He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (4:25-29; cf. Col 3:1-17).
Do you see the process? Identify particular deeds of darkness, areas of sin that have gotten a foothold in your life. Then be decisive with them. Lay them aside; put them off. Quit playing with them and tolerating them! You are living in light of the Day of Christ’s return. “The day is near,” so slink no longer! Put off these sins by the grace of God. He has given you the indwelling Spirit to help you and the sure promises to build you up.
Sin loves a vacuum, so you cannot just put off sin but you must “put on the armor of light.” “Armor,” is translated as “weapon” in other places, so it gives a military picture. The point is that he’s not talking about defensive armor that does nothing to advance the gospel, but is ready for enemy attacks. He’s referring to something that has you equipped for spiritual battle. Three passages shed light in helping us to understand what he means.
2 Corinthians 6:7—“by the weapons of righteousness for the right and the left.” Weapons are in both hands—so this is not a partial battle position but one that means we are fully engaged in battling evil with the righteousness of Christ.
Ephesians 6:11—“Put on the full armor [panoply] of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Then Paul identifies various parts of the armor, picturing the soldier engaged for battle, not one comfortably hiding back home. He speaks of loins girded with truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (6:14-17).
1 Thessalonians 5:8—“But since we are of the day [not the similar language to Romans 13], let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” Faith, hope, and love are put into the believer’s arsenal against the foes of darkness.
So, when we’re told to “put on the armor of light,” the “light” stands in contrast to the darkness. In everything the darkness is against us, the light stands opposite. Darkness influences us to evil; light calls us to live out righteousness. Darkness promotes lying, deceit, and false teaching; light arms us with truth in speaking and as foundation for living. Darkness breeds fear that we cannot live as a Christian; light puts our confident trust in Christ and His promises. Darkness presses us to hold bitterness and grudges against others; light calls us to love as Christ has loved, forgive as Christ has forgiven, and accept as Christ has accepted us. Darkness puts a gloom over us; light causes us to live in the sure hope of the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.
You put on the armor of light by putting on the details of what Christ has done for you. Just as a soldier would have to put his armor and weaponry on piece by piece, so you are to do the same. Think on righteousness, truth, gospel peace, salvation, the Spirit’s sword, faith, hope, and love. Apply them all—for they all are yours in union with Christ Jesus! Be decisive!
Verse 13 gives an appropriate example, quite pertinent in the Roman Empire and our own day. Many lived to party in Rome. The kind of thing that Paul identified “did not raise eyebrows in the cities of the Greco-Roman world” [Eckhard Schnabel, Paul the Missionary, 228]. “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.” He considers drinking, sex, and social relationships. Some of the ancients actually worshiped gods of wine, considering drunkenness as religious behavior. They would have been well at home with the image of drinking that so portrays the Western world. Some of the trade guilds—ancient versions of modern unions—called for getting plastered when they met. Christians faced the challenge of not compromising by returning to their old ways. Immorality of every sort was often gloried in, much the same way that we find movies and television glorying in sexual liaisons, pornography, homosexuality, and infidelity. Paul uses terms that imply the broad, shameless, animal lust practiced by a self-indulgent society. “Strife and jealousy” remind us of the self-centeredness in both ancient and modern world when it comes to relationships. As we considered earlier, “It’s all about me!” And when it is all about “me,” then count on bitterness, strife, envy, and jealousy making the rounds in relationships.
So, what does the Apostle tell the Romans to do about sins related to drinking, sex, and social strife? He’s already told them—and us, “Let us lay aside the deeds of darkness.” He’s simply giving examples of what he means. Some had likely continued in the patterns of the past, so Paul calls on them to lay aside such sins, to “behave properly as in the day,” or live like one whom others have their eyes on. Some habits are difficult to break, especially when it comes to the kind of self-indulgence he identifies here. Do some of these sins still have a grip on your life? Then, like the Romans, lay them aside. Live as one who walks openly in the day, not having to hide or cover up your secret life, that is given to sin. It can only happen by resting in Jesus Christ, applying the gospel each day, and exercising the kind of discipline that will turn from such sin.
How do you “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”? He’s the living Lord. So how do we put Him on? “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” is a summary statement. Paul wraps up what he’s expounded in vv. 11-13. But notice why we must put on the Lord Jesus: “And make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” The idea of “provision” means ‘forethought, thought in advance.’ In other words, to keep the pattern of lusts that he’s already described in verse 13—the drunkenness, sexual sins, and social sins—from continuing to rule your life, then you must cut them off ahead of time. Each of these sins begins with a thought. A person does not just get drunk; he first has the thought of indulgence that leads to drunkenness. A person does not just commit infidelity or does not just look at pornography. He thinks about it first, he makes some kind of plan, even if it is spur of the moment. But what happens if he does not think about these things? What if he does not allow desires for sin to build in his life? In such case, he will likely not have the opportunity to commit these sins.
Now, where does this take us? To “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” is to delight in Him above all things. That’s really what is happening when we put on the “whole armor of God.” We’re putting on the Lord Jesus Christ by delighting in Him, by thinking of His truth, His righteousness, His gospel of peace, His salvation, His Word, and faith in Him. John Piper expressed it like this: “Faith comes from hearing, so put on Christ by listening to the word of God about Christ. Hope comes from promises, so put on Christ by remembering the promises of Christ. Love comes by the loveliness of Christ, so put on Christ by calling to mind his beauty” [www.desiringGod.org, ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ,’ Part 2].
Get a right perspective: live toward the Day of the Lord. Take the right action: be decisive in putting off darkness and putting on light; exercise self-control, and delight in Jesus Christ above all other things. We’re in a battle so put on the armor of light.
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