Grow With Pastor Joe

Children love to play. They love to make messes. They love dumping out their toys more than they do playing with them. One thing they don’t like is cleaning up. I hated it when my mom would say that it was time to clean up. One, it meant that play time was over. Two, it meant that chore time had begun. Three, it meant my poor mother would begin to sing the “Clean Up Song” that still reverberates in my mind. Go ahead, sing it if you know it, everybody everywhere. It is not a bad thing for children to learn responsibility. It is actually biblical. It is a part of the maturing process that we must all go through. I grew up where clean up time was necessary but not necessarily enjoyed. My mom would make it as enjoyable as possible by setting a time for particular chores than a time when we would play together. Looking back, I’m not sure if this was good parenting or bribery, nevertheless, it worked. Most of the time I was not so motivated to clean up and do my share. Many days my mom was fine with the house looking “lived in.” After all, we lived there. However, when company was coming, we cleaned until the moment the doorbell would ring to somehow appear as if we had it together. When company was expected to arrive, we knew when. We had a deadline to meet and could prepare for their arrival. It is interesting to think of how much we care about how our house looks when we know someone is coming over and how much more we care when unexpected visitors show up. My mom didn’t panic when company was expected. When someone just popped in though, panic, chaos, and sheer pandemonium ensued to try to tidy up or put on clothes that didn’t look like we lived in a cardboard box on the street. Side note, that’s how you’ll find me looking if you show up to my house or if you catch me at the wrong time at Food Lion. Mind your business. I now wonder as I have grown and have my own “lived in” house, what would it be like if I lived as if anyone might show up at any moment? Would it change our cleaning habits? Would I keep “going out” clothes on my couch?

            Jesus is coming. His return is expected and imminent. The timing is whenever He pleases. Any year. Any season. Any month. Any week. Any day. Any hour. Any minute. Maybe even this very second. Sadly, most Christians, myself included, often live as if we don’t expect company. We dress as spiritual slobs, and our spiritual home is a wreck. Adrian Rogers said, “We ought to be living as if Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning, and is coming back this afternoon.” When we become gospel fueled grace filled and glory focused then we will live with the proper perspective and purpose. Our attitudes and actions would be transformed as we have seen in Romans 12-13. The book of Romans has showed us a masterful exposition of the gospel and the expectations that come with belonging to Jesus. Because we believe the gospel, we belong to Christ and His Church which then dictates our behavior in the world around us. Every relationship demands and directs each party’s responsibility. The believer is called to a life of holiness. Christian holiness (or Biblical holiness) is not spectacular looking. True holiness is Christlikeness. It is steady and steadfast, not spectacular or showy. What does holiness look like? How do we get there? John Owen writes, “The foundation of true holiness and true Christian worship is the doctrine of the gospel, what we are to believe.” The gospel demands holiness. The gospel deepens our holiness. It is by the gospel, grace, and glory of Christ that we are transformed, being transformed and will be transformed.

            Today’s passage (and next week’s) is Romans 13:11-14, but we will focus on Rom. 13:12-14 over the next two weeks. It says, “¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. ¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” The Apostle Paul gives us indicatives and imperatives in these verses. The indicative statements can be summed up in that the return of Christ is at hand and the darkness of this age that we live in is about to be overthrown by the marvelous light of Christ. The imperative statements can be summed up in that we must now wake up, look up, clean up, and dress up. Company is coming and it is the greatest company to come. Christ is calling us to Himself to join Him in His eternal reign and rest.

Today, our focus is going to be on the imperative to clean up our life in preparation for His soon return. You are going to see Jesus soon whether you realize it or not. This passage is adamant in telling us this truth so that we would be serious about the gospel, grace, and glory of Christ in these last days. Cleaning up is not about simple behavior modification. Your flesh can do that, but it never lasts because it is just the arm of flesh working to build one’s own self-righteousness. You can’t save yourself, so why do you think you can sanctify yourself? Romans has given us the reality not just of our salvation being dependent upon the work of God, but also our sanctification. If you are in Christ, then you have what you need for sanctification. You have your eternal union with Christ that is sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and the gifts of grace within the local church (Rom. 6-12; Eph. 1-4). We are to clean up by trusting in His continual cleansing work of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the holy scriptures that renew our minds as we yield ourselves to Him (Rom. 6-8; 12:1-2). Look with me at some indicative statements in this passage before we go further. The “night is far spent, the day is at hand.” The word “night” is the Greek word that has a double meaning. It has a physical meaning of the time between sunset and sunrise when there is no “light.” However, the second meaning is what is being alluded to here which is that of moral or spiritual darkness. Light in the scripture, seen in the word “day” is seen throughout the Bible as revelation, enlightenment, or righteousness. The darkness of the present age is temporal. It is coming to a close. Hallelujah. The day that is at hand is the future age of light from the eternal glory of Christ when He returns. It is the promise of our eternal rest in the world to come. The imperatives that are about to follow are commanding us to be uprooted from this world and look to Christ while living by grace through faith yielded moment-by-moment to Him (See Rom. 12:1-2). These imperatives are going to be negative and positive. There are some “put offs” and “put ons” for us to obey by faith. Throughout Pauline practical theology that is given for the believer’s daily walk, we see that putting off and putting on are key. Eph. 4 and Col. 3 especially stick out (we’ll cover some of this in our study). The practical life of the believer is not about modifying behavior by our flesh, but by faith being moved and motivated by what we believe and to whom we belong. Our behavior (inward attitude and outward actions) is the manifestation of what we believe (truth we affirm) and who we belong to (attachment and affections). As we dealt with the three tenses of our salvation last week, we will further study these verses to see that the time to clean up is now, because it has already happened and will be realized fully in Christ’s return. The time to clean up deals with our heavenly position, earthly practice, and eternal promise. Because of our position and promises in Christ (we are saved and will be saved – justification and glorification) we then practically live (being saved – sanctification) in accordance being moved and motivated by the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ. It is our position and promises in Christ that empower our daily practical walk. With that established, it is time to clean up.

We are commanded to “cast off the works of darkness.” This is the negative command, but if obeyed it has positive consequences for our good and His glory. To “cast off” is the word “apotithemi” which means to take off or lay aside. It is in the aorist tense which describes a once and for all action and being in the middle voice speaks of the subject initiating the action to lay aside and participating in the action. The middle voice conveys the “reflexive” sense, and so the idea is “you yourself lay aside.” Within the context of being commanded to wake up, look up, clean up, and dress up we see that it is time that we get up and decisively take off our dirty clothes of the world and put on the clean clothes of Christ that fit the Christian. Dirty clothes don’t fit you anymore and they are good for nothing. You can’t wear your sin and your savior at the same time. C. H. Spurgeon asks, “When awake, what is the next duty? Is it not to cast off your night clothes?”The night is gone, and the day is at hand. It is time for the believer to wake up, look up, and clean up. This must be done before we can then dress up for His soon return. Notice, we are to cast off, take off, clean up, lay aside the “works of darkness” that once characterized us. 1 Cor. 6:11 says after giving a description of wicked vices and sins against God, “¹¹ And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” We are to renounce the old rags of the world that we once wore and embrace the robes of righteousness that Christ has given to us. Simply, stop putting on and wearing what no longer fits who you are in Christ. Behave like who you belong to. Become who you became. Forsake the flesh and embrace the eternal. Live in communion based on the union you have with Christ and the coming reunion you’ll have with Christ.

First, let’s see our position and union with Christ to understand that we have already put off the world and put on Christ. Rom. 6:1-14 perfectly encapsulates the position of the believer being in Christ while now being freed from having to practice sin. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16) but remember the fulness of salvation. It is our justification, sanctification, and glorification. We have already put off self and put on Christ the moment we repented and believed. We are now “in Christ” no longer “in Adam,” it is just that we still wear Adam’s flesh. Positionally we are clean. When God looks at me, He sees the righteous robes of Christ, not my rags of self-righteousness covered in the muck of the world. Col. 3:1-4 says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Notice that the commands of our present practical life are dependent upon our eternal position and promises. Christ is our motivation for all of life, because Christ now is our very life. That is our position. You are clean and those old clothes no longer fit you. You’ve grown out of them and soiled garments of sin have no place in our closet or on our bodies.

Second, we need to see our practice and communion with Christ to understand these commands to clean up. We have been declared clean, but now, Christ is cleansing us by the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God (See Eph. 3-5). Col. 3:5-9 says, ^“5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: ⁶ For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: ⁷ In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. ⁸ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. ⁹ Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;” To mortify is to put to death. Remember your position. You have already been crucified with Christ but now you live in the flesh by faith, His faith (Gal. 2:20). How can we do this? Simply by focusing on the gospel grace and glory of Christ. You won’t put your sin to death if all you do is rehearse your guilt or try to convince yourself of your own goodness in comparison to others. The gospel is the practical theology of the believer that leads us into a life of faithful obedience as we long for His return. Paul tells us six specific things to put off and practically make sure that we don’t put these clothes of wickedness on. There are three couplets that we must put off practically speaking. One, “rioting and drunkenness” is unbecoming to the Christian. The idea of both involves wild drinking parties that are depraved in nature. We are to not be intoxicated or uncontrollable. We are to be filled by the Holy Spirit as to be controlled by Him. We are not to be under the influence of the world, but to be under the influence of the Word. Two, “chambering and wantoness” deals specifically with sexual immorality and perversion. The word for “chambering” literally means “bed.” The idea is that we should put off any sexual sins in our life because they are contrary to our new nature and contrary to God’s design for us. Three, “strife and envying,” though they seem tamer are coming from a prideful idolatrous heart. These two sins involve bitter contention and jealousy. These sins and the other more “in your face” ones need to be taken to the cross immediately. If you don’t deal with your present sin, then it will deal with you. Sin is a terrible master and fashion designer. Works of darkness do not fit you. Because you are positionally clean, then you need to be practically clean. Jesus illustrates this wonderfully in the upper room as He washes the feet of His disciples in John 13. This present practical cleansing is not done by our strength, but by our surrender to the Spirit and scriptural authority over us. By faith, we are called to “walk honestly” which is that of holy and appropriate behavior for the believer. Not by flesh, but by faith. Christ is coming and we are called to be a holy Body and Bride. The key for our present life of holiness is found in the command to “make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” The word “provision” is the word “pronoia” meaning to observe in advance or to premeditate. We make provision of the flesh when we obey the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit which shows us up in the six sins from above. The idea is that we should not be planning on how we can fulfil or gratify our flesh. Christians may stumble into sin, but they mustn’t schedule it. Those who fall asleep will fall astray. This is why we must wake up and look up to then clean up for His return.

Third, we must see our promise in Christ and coming reunion with Christ to obey these commands to clean up our life in light of Christ’s soon return. This third tense of cleaning up is simple. While you may get dirt on your feet now, you’ve been made clean, and the moment when Christ calls you unto Himself you will be fully made new. No more sin. No more rebellion. No more failing Him. No more disobedience. No more stumbling. No more blowing our testimony. No more being awful ambassadors of the cross. No more misrepresenting Him. Sin will be ultimately slain because it has already been slain at the cross therefore, we are to slay it now. Hang on dear Christian for your King is coming. He is your savior and judge. 1 Cor. 15:50-58 says, “⁵⁰ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

The night is nearly over, and the day of His return is at hand. He is on the threshold and is about to burst forth. It is time that we wake up so that we would look up. As we look up in faith to gaze up on the gospel, grace, and glory of Christ we will be moved and motivated to clean up in this present life so that we are able to “love His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8) as the Apostle Paul could. It is time that we stop wearing clothes that don’t fit us and that are soiled by sin. It is time that we stop focusing on our own guilt or goodness and fix our eyes upon the gospel that saves and sanctifies. It is time that our practical walk of faith is built on our position in Christ and the promises of Christ, not our personal performance. Stop trying in your flesh to just modify your behavior. You need to modify your belief and be rooted and grounded in the gospel of Christ. Christ is coming! What are you wearing? Is your heart and home in order? You may be a mess right now, but there is mercy for you. Come to Him in all your weakness and find strength to slay your sin. Don’t leave the shadow of the cross. Abide there in your eternal position and promises in Christ so that your practical life would match it. It is time to clean up.