Romans 13:11-14
…You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep.
For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Artwork by Shawna Bowman
In this passage Paul expresses from his heart and experience that the center of Christian theology and life requires understanding of the time (kairos), God’s eschatological time— already breaking into history and yet to be fulfilled.
This time begins when we wake from sleep. We should wake from the self-centered, crooked vision of who God is, who we are in the world, and who we are in relation to others. We should move away from excessive individualism and factionalism in our communities, as were the grave issues for the Roman Christians. We should also wake from self-seeking glory and power that sacrifices others—the voiceless, the poor, and the marginalized.
The way of the Roman Empire and society is focused on success, prosperity, competition, and survival, as is today. If we are involved in perennial striving for more power or honor as such, we are doing “the works of darkness.”
But the way of Christian life—not made or achieved once and for all—seeks costly love and sacrifice for others—in a far larger community than we may think. It requires us to submit to the cross in everyday life, in our own every moment. It is done through baptizing into Christ’s death. It is done by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is done by putting our fleshly desires to death. That is what we do as we wait for the day and the time.
Prayer
Loving and gracious God, help us see the purpose of Christ’s sacrifice and love for the world. As we go through adverse life conditions everyday, strengthen and renew our mind and body so that we continue on our journey with faith, hope and love.