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. 12. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. 13. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. 14. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires – Romans 13:11-14.

Our opening text is set right after Romans 12, where Paul exhorted the Romans on how to live in view of God’s grace and mercy. In verses 1 & 2 of Romans 12 he wrote,

“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.”

He then opens chapter 13 by helping them understand what a healthy relationship between a Christian and the state should belike. From verses 1-10, he lays out what their attitude should be toward the government, knowing that all authority is instituted by the Sovereign God. Thus,  a Christian who refuses to abide by the laws of the state insofar as they do not contradict the clear teachings of Scripture is rebellious toward the state and God. Paul concludes the section by urging them to love one another, which is the distinguishing mark of the Christian as indicated by Jesus in John 13:34-35.

Against this backdrop, we find our focus text, which contains another charge for the Christians in Rome and, by extension, to all Christians. Paul admonishes them to be conscious of the times in which they live. What time is he referring to? Obviously, this refers to the time between the first and second advents of Christ Jesus. For nearly 2000 years, Christians from all ages have looked forward to the day when we shall be like Christ Jesus and be with Him forever (1 John 3:2).

We have seen terrible things happen in our world, and Scripture tells us there are yet more terrible and harsher things to come as we near the second coming of Christ. In Mathew 24, Jesus himself speaks extensively about all the events that will take place before he comes. While Scripture makes it clear that no one knows exactly when Jesus will come again, we are all pretty much conscious that the last days are upon us. It could be today, in the next 50 years, or even more. That decision solely rests with God.

Paul exhorts Christians to wake up from sleep, knowing that the last days are upon us. In other words, we are to stay alert and vigilant so that the day of the Lord does not take us by surprise. Being alert and vigilant in our walk of faith means practising the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, fasting, etc. These disciplines are vital to keep us alert and avoid falling into the world’s trappings.

And we should not get tired of waiting no matter how long ittarries. In verse 12, Paul likens the coming of their ‘eventual salvation’ to the night’s passing and assures them that the night is far spent and that that glorious day will soon come. On that day, our mortal bodies shall give way to immortality, and we shall all be like Him when He appears. Hallelujah! What a day to yearn for – when we shall be delivered from this body of sin and forever be with Jesus, where the wicked cease their troubling and the weary find rest in their Redeemer. I love how the apostle Peter puts it: “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (1 Peter 3:13). Until then, the believer is supposed to stay alert and persevere in our walk of faith.

In Paul’s clarion call, he admonishes us not to lose sight of the pursuit of holiness. In verse 12, he writes, “…let us cast off the works of darkness…” He encourages Christians to live right by casting off the works of darkness. In other words, one can’t callthemselves Christian and walk in the works of the flesh. Apostle John tells us, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:6). There should be a sharp distinction between the Christian and the world.

Paul’s charge is highly relevant today, where many claim to be Christians but continue to walk in darkness. For instance, in our country Ghana, according to the 2021 census, about 71% of the people (the 2021 census pegs the population of Ghana at 32.83 million) identify as Christian. Still, unfortunately, the country looks gloomy from a moral perspective, such that one wonders why nearly 23 million lights could produce such a dim outlook?In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus indicates that his followers are the salt and light of the world. This begs the question; how do we explain our present state as a country?

Even among God’s people, the works of the flesh, as enumerated in Galatians 5:19-21 are indulged. It seems we have forgotten the apostolic warning “that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” It is time for the church in Ghana to rise from our sleep and cast off the works of darkness. We are called to be the beacon of hope and the conscience of the world by the way we live and bear witness to the gospel of the light of Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 3:15). Let us walk properly, Paul warns,“as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy”. This implies leaving no room for the flesh but bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit and shining like lights in our dark world.

Lastly, Paul admonishes us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ – what a charge! How do we put on Christ Jesus? It simply means living our lives in view of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us. In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” In other words, bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit and giving no room for the things of the flesh.

Wherever and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, it should be abundantly clear to the world that we are Christians. My Christian friend, you are the light of the world; you are like a city set on a hill. We are the ambassadors of Christ Jesus through whom God is making His appeal to the world.

As we progress steadily into the new year, resolve to put on Christ Jesus by living for His glory alone.