The hour has come to wake from sleep

Romans 13:11-14

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

We are taught to train up a child in the way they should go, and there is a good reason for doing that.  A young man of sixteen killed four people while driving drunk, and the defense stated he was a victim of "affluenza" -- the product of wealthy, privileged parents who never set limits for the boy.  They did not bring him up with a goal to become a responsible adult, they set no limits and now he is a killer and a drunk, with no guilt when taking the lives of others.  Going back to verse 10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”  It seems apparent that neither this young man nor his parents have any understanding of not doing wrong to a neighbor, much less putting anyone before their own desires.

And I bet that brings a sense of disgust to you for the lack of parental guidance given to this young man, but before passing judgment, maybe as church goers who go by the name Christian, we should take inventory of what and who is training our children.  “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep.” As one who goes by the title of Christian, it’s time to understand that going to church on Sunday and going home and doing as you desire may leave your children without the training of seeing Christ at work in your life.  That is unless your desire is to love God, and put His word into your mind and heart so that the Holy Spirit can guide you into all truth.

As you live out the truth of loving your neighbor you would never bring any harm to them, it guides your children to do likewise.

 For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far-gone; the day is at hand.”  How long have you been in Christ, how has your life changed, and how is your ministry going at home, with the wife and kids?  What about in the market place, is your ministry changing others you work with?  As we age in Christ something should be happening in those we encounter, for it should be clear we have been delivered by Christ from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of the Father’s beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. (Refer to Colossians 1:13)

“The night is far-gone; the day is at hand. 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. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  My first thought was this cannot be talking to Christians, but it is and anytime you or I get our needs met outside of Christ we are doing what this young boy of sixteen did, not killing 4 people, but living our lives as if no one but us counts.  You would never enter into an orgy, nor set out to get drunk, and you have distain for anyone who cheats on their spouse, but you are full of quarreling and jealousy, and God put them all in the same boat.

So ponder on this: how is your ministry at home?  The question is not are you a good provider, go to dance rehearsals, ball games and take the family on vacation, but are you allowing Christ to guide you and work through you on Monday – Sunday?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice