devotional

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. 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 armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (ESV)

Introduction:  Paul uses the imagery of putting something off and putting something else on in this passage.  Can you think through some illustrations from everyday life that help us to picture this idea more fully?  Here are a few examples to get you started . . . Taking off dirty clothes and putting on clean ones.  Cleaning out a dirty dish and then filling it with fresh food.

Read Romans 13:11-14 – Get a feel for the overall idea of this passage.  You may need to look back and look ahead in order to remind yourself of the context.

Here are some questions to help you dig into this passage a bit more . . .

• What does it mean that our salvation is nearer than when we first believed? (v. 11)
• Are there any specific works of darkness that you need to work hard to put off?  (v. 12) 
• What does it look like to "put on" the Lord Jesus Christ? (v. 14)
• What specific precautions do you need to take in order to make no provision for the flesh? (v. 14)
• How can we help others to put off and put on what is necessary in their lives?

Submitted by church staff members Beau Eckert, Glen Zigrang and Michelle Spiegel