The Word of Truth is sponsored in part by Paul Rents. Visit paulrents.com for party and equipment rentals. Welcome to the Word of Truth, a ministry of Pastor Lars Larson and the First Baptist Church of Leominster, Massachusetts. It is our desire that our Lord use this broadcast to instruct, encourage, and strengthen both Christians and local churches in the New England region. Pastor Lars is always available to assist you. You may reach him at 978-660-8869. May today's message from our pastor be blessed by our Lord to instruct and encourage you through the Holy Scriptures, the Word of Truth. Greetings and thank you for listening to our study of God's Word. We're nearing the end of our study of this epistle to the Romans, several more weeks and we should complete our task. Now I have some other subjects that I would like to address after we complete our study, but I'm thankful to the Lord that we seem to be approaching a major milestone. Now let me say this also, I appreciate greatly our listeners and for the contact that many have made to us expressing the spiritual benefit that our Lord has brought to them through this program. Our church family sacrifices much in sponsoring this program, and they're very gracious in allowing me the time to invest in this. And so it's always a good thing when I can relay to them a good word from one of our listeners. And I appreciate you much when you're able to do that. Well, let us pray, and then we will continue our study with Romans 13, 11 through 14. Our Father, we praise you once again for this glorious record that you have left before us of your will and your ways by which you have worked through history as you are accomplishing your good purposes through Jesus Christ. We are humbled and overwhelmed when we reflect upon your mercy and your grace to us that are in Jesus Christ. We are as King David after he had learned of your purposes for him, his offspring, and his people, that is the people of faith. when he said to you, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your sight, O Lord God. And you have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O God? Now what more can David say to you? For you, Lord God, know your servant for your word's sake, and according to your own heart you've done all these great things, and to make your servant know them. And therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, nor is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people? Like Israel, the one nation on the earth, whom you went to redeem for yourself as a people, to make for yourself a name, and to do for yourself great and awesome deeds in your land. Before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, the nations and their gods. For you have made your people Israel, your very own people forever. You, Lord, have become their God. Now, Father, we bless your word to us today. May you give us understanding as to our heritage and to our future. Enable our application of your truth to our lives. For we pray in Jesus' name, amen. The Apostle Paul had just given to the church at Rome instruction regarding the standard by which they were to govern their lives. They were to love one another and thereby fulfill the law of God. The law of God was the standard, the rule, and as they obeyed that law, fulfilled that law, they were indeed loving one another. That's what love is, defined by the Bible. Relationships ordered according to the law of God. Now, in the next paragraph in Romans 13, we read of an exhortation of the apostle for the Christians at Rome to give all diligence to order their lives in righteousness because of the soon and certain prospect of the day of the Lord that was before them. Now, here is how the English Standard Version, the ESV, reads. Again, this is Romans 13, 11 through 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, and 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. Again, that's Romans 13, 11-14. Now, we might first say a word about the manner in which the ESV I just read translated the Greek text into English. The opening words of verse 11 read, besides this, and In English, this seems to suggest that Paul is giving a new and additional word of instruction to his readers in addition to what he had just given. In effect, it conveys the apostle saying, and besides what I've already taught you, also do this. But I would argue that this is not a good way to translate what Paul was saying. The opening words of this paragraph, Romans 13 verse 11, besides this, should be better translated, and this. referring to what he had just written, not in addition to what he had written, but referring to actually what he had written. In other words, we might paraphrase Paul in verse 11 saying this, or in this way, and do this, that is what I've just taught you, because your salvation is now nearer than when we first believed. And so perhaps the New King James Version is a better rendering than the ESV at this point of Romans 13 verse 11 and following. And do this knowing the time, that now it's high time to awake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. And so what do the words do this refer to? I think probably they refer to the immediate context of verses 8 through 10, and if so then it would read like this, Oh no one anything except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and any other commandment are summed up in this word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. do this, knowing the time, that now it's high time to awake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." And I think that conveys the sentiment, the idea that the Apostle is conveying. However, the words, and this, may refer to everything that the Apostle had written from back in Romans 12, verse 1, all the way through chapter 13, verse 10. In other words, a chapter and a half of text. And so this paragraph, verses 11 through 14 of Romans 13, thereby serves as a really a fitting conclusion to which the apostle was exhorting his readers to order their lives according to all of his instruction in the light of the soon coming day of salvation. And so as one commentator expressed it in this way, Thomas Schreiner, whom I refer to a great deal. He wrote such an excellent commentary on the epistle to the Romans. It is preferable, however, to see a more inclusive reference in the phrase, and he's talking about, and do this at the beginning of Romans 13, verse 11. the phrase so that it refers to all of Romans 12 verse 1 through chapter 13 verse 10. The first part of the verse can then be paraphrased, put into practice all of the exhortations in Romans 12 and through chapter 13 verse 10 in the light of the imminence of the end. Romans 13, 11 through 14 then, comprehends all of the preceding exhortations and summons the readers to urgency since the end is on the horizon. And I think that's absolutely right. The thing that should motivate us to live and order our lives according to the Word of God is the end of the age and our standing before our Lord. Since this is what Paul was saying, then the Christian may understand the entire message of Romans 12 and 13, which contain practical instruction on Christian living, as being motivated in two major ways. The first motivation is to live as a Christian because of what God has done for his people in the past. And then the second motivation for Christian living is due to what God has promised to do for his people in the future. And so this major section of practical instruction, Romans 12 verse 1 through Romans 13 verse 14, opened with an appeal to what God had done in the past. Paul wrote, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." There Paul was appealing to everything that God had done for them in the past, the mercies of God. And now here in Romans 13 verse 11, Paul gives the second basis of motivation, and this has to do with the future. And do this, knowing the time, that now it's high time to awake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. And therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, let us put on the armor of light, let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. And so we are to live as Christians because of what God has done for us in the past and for what God has promised to do for us in the future. The first gives us a reason to live as Christians, the second presses upon us a sense of urgency and responsibility to live as Christians. And so here is a good description of the larger picture of this passage of Romans 12 through Romans 13 verse 10. And these are the descriptions of Douglas Moo in his commentary on the book of Romans. Paul brings to a close his general exhortations to the Roman Christians by focusing on the same point with which he began, a call for a totally new way of living in the light of the eschatological situation. In other words, the fact that they were in the last days. In 12 verses one and two, Paul urges Christians to give themselves as living sacrifices, adopting a lifestyle in keeping with the new era to which they belong. In Romans 13, 11 through 14, he exhorts Christians to clothe themselves with Christ himself, verse 14, and with that behavior fitting for those who live already in the light of the great day of final salvation that is soon to dawn. The earlier text encourages Christians to look at the present in the light of the past by virtue of Christ's death and resurrection. The old age has been transcended by a new one. The Christian is to live out the values of that new age, appropriating the power available in the gospel to renew the mind and transform conduct. The text now before us shifts this perspective, encouraging Christians to look at the present in the light of the future. For while transferred by God's grace into the new realm of righteousness and life, Christians still await full and final salvation, the redemption of the body. The transformation that the gospel both demands and empowers flows from the work of Christ already accomplished, but it also looks ahead to the completion of the process on that day when we will be fully conformed to the image of God's Son. Christians are not only to become what we are, we're also to become what one day we will be. Now that's a very good statement where he draws together what Paul is arguing, what the Holy Spirit is teaching us through the hand of the Apostle Paul. Now as we look at this paragraph before us, Romans 13, 11 through 14, we may discern two major parts. First, there are statements of truth And these are known as indicatives. That's a mood of a verb indicating certain things, statements of truth. And then there are commandments in the light of these truths. These would be imperatives. First the indicative and then the imperative. First in verses 11 and 12, we read statements regarding the time. And do this knowing the time, that now it's a high time to awake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed." Here Paul refers to the time, and what he's referring to is the importance of knowing where we stand in relation to God's purposes and promises. It refers to the sense that we ought always to have regarding what God is doing in history, and the end to which all things are advancing. We are always to be aware of the time in which we are living. This will help us in prioritizing our lives and giving us a sense of direction and purpose. Knowing the time, therefore, is understanding who God is and what God is doing in history. We read of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, 1 Corinthians 12, 32. And so all Christians should understand the time to know what God would have us to do. He's called you. He's called me. And to represent Him at this time in history and in this place of the world, He has set us here. He has set the boundaries of our habitation. And we have a responsibility to know Him, know His will, and know what He would have us do. When Paul expressed the matter of knowing the time, he's using the Greek participles to do so. You need not know what a participle is, but it may be simply described as somewhat of a verbal noun. Without becoming too technical, we should realize that a participle like this could be translated in any one of a number of possible alternatives. And here Paul is implying that because we know the time, we should do what God has commanded us. That's what he's conveying. The apostle then gives three statements regarding the time. The first statement is this, that now it's high time to awake out of sleep. The second statement, now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. And the third statement, respecting the time, is the metaphor of the night. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let's consider each of these three statements. The first statement, respecting the time, suggests that the Christian should be characterized by being awake rather than asleep. In other words, a Christian should always be aware and informed of what God is doing in history. and how his view of himself and his life should be shaped by this knowledge. Being awake is said in contrast to one who is sleeping. The one who is sleeping is ignorant and inattentive to what God is doing in history and of who God is. Sleep, in this context, is a metaphor for moral drowsiness. In other words, people who are sleeping think little of their sins that they commit. Paul wrote elsewhere, so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. And so sleeping here is a metaphor of being careless with regard to your sins. You need to be awake. In other words, you need to be living in righteousness. Now, the second statement respecting the time that Paul describes here, declares that the certainty and the nearness of our salvation should influence how we now think and live. Now I want you to notice that our salvation here is set forth as a future prospect. In other words, it's something we've not yet received. Now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed, is what Paul declared. This speaks of our deliverance from condemnation on the Day of Judgment. It also speaks of the final salvation of being delivered fully from the presence of sin, as well as from these mortal bodies when our Lord resurrects us from the dead, and we're given resurrection bodies that are suitable for an eternal existence. That our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed should move us to live in accordance with what one day we will receive and enjoy. And then the third statement respecting the time, the night is far spent, the day is at hand, speaks of the importance and need to live in righteousness, not to be living as fallen people in the world who do not know God and live in ignorance of Him and His ways. It also intimates that the end of our world, the end of history of this fallen world is coming. The end is coming. And therefore we are to live accordingly. We are to be attentive to it. It should govern how we think and we live. We don't know when the Lord is coming, but we know He is coming. And therefore we ought to live not knowing when He's coming as though He were coming at any time. And the point is, is that we ought to be ready regardless of when He comes. Now here, the metaphor of the night in this context is a description of the entire history of the world in its fallen existence. As one commented or described it, this was John Murray, the Reformed theologian of the 20th century, also wrote an excellent commentary on Romans. For the night would have to be identified with this age, and therefore with the whole period of world's history prior to the advent of Christ. And we have good reason to infer that the Apostle is reflecting upon the relative brevity of what is yet to run its course of the history of this world, that history is hastening to its terminus. And that's absolutely right. The coming of the day of Christ sheds light upon us in the night in which we are now living. We're living in the night, but the dawn is approaching. We are children of the day, which informs us about the conditions of darkness of this world and this age. Again, here are John Murray's words. The day of Christ, though not yet come, is nevertheless throwing its light backward on the present. In that light, believers must now live. It's the dawning of the day of unprecedented splendor. It is high time to awake to the realization of this fact, to be aroused from spiritual torpor, to throw off garments of slumber, and to put on the weapons that befit the task of such a season in redemptive history. Each calendar day brings nearer to us the day of final salvation. And since it is life in the body that is decisive for eternal issues, the event of death points up for every person how short is the season prior to Christ's advent. as we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5.10. And Christ is ready to judge the living and the dead, 2 Timothy 4.1, 1 Peter 4.5. Indulgence of the works of the flesh is contradiction of the believer's faith and hope. And so the Apostle Paul is pressing upon the people of God there in the Church of Rome, and the Holy Spirit is pressing upon you and me as Christians to live in the light of the coming of the end of the age when Christ returns. This old world lies in darkness, but we are to be living as sons of the day. Our understanding of what God has promised us that will be realized in the future should govern how we think and how we live today. Now, a number of terms used by Paul in this passage seem to convey a sense of importance as well as a sense of urgency to live in obedience to God's will because of who we are, because of where we are in history, and what will most certainly come to pass in the future through the intervention of God at the end of the age when he sends his son, Jesus Christ, to return. Here is a description of what Paul is attempting to convey. As, however, the words are metaphorical, it may be useful to consider the meaning. Ignorance of God is what he calls night. For all who are thus ignorant go astray and sleep as people do in the night. The unbelieving do indeed labor under two evils. They are blind and they are insensible. But this insensibility he shortly after designated by sleep, which is, as one says, an image of death. By light, Paul means the revelation of divine truth, by which Christ, the Son of Righteousness, arises on us. He mentions awake, by which he intimates that we are to be equipped and prepared to undertake the services which the Lord requires of us. The works of darkness are shameful and wicked works, for night, as someone says, is shameless. Those are the words of John Calvin, and he's absolutely right. That's the sentiment, that's the idea being conveyed here. Our Lord taught his disciples in a similar way in Luke chapter 12. Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning, and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding, and when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Well, that brought up a question on the part of the disciples, and Peter voiced it. Peter said to him, Lord, you speak this parable only to us or to all people? Are you speaking to us, Lord? And the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over his household to give them their portion of food and deuces? And blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Then he gives the warning, if that servant says in his heart, my master's delaying his coming and begins to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he's not looking for him and at an hour when he's not aware and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Now notice here, our Lord is talking about those who profess to be his disciples, those who profess to be believers, but if they are living in a manner of hypocrisy, revealing they're not true believers, but rather hypocrites, they will have a portion along with the unbelievers, in other words, damnation may the Lord have mercy upon us and help us to stay awake oh may the Lord help us to be watchful always, awake always and living in the prospect of the coming of Christ our Lord has said for everyone to whom much is given from Him much will be required well until next time may the grace of God be abundantly granted to you We trust that God has blessed you from listening to Dr. Lars Larsen. Today's program as well as previously recorded messages are available through our website. We invite you to visit the wordoftruth.net. The First Baptist Church of Leominster and Concerned Friends have sponsored this broadcast of the Word of Truth. If we may assist you by directing you to a sound, reformed church near you, please contact us. If Pastor Larson can assist you further or answer a question that you may have about today's subject, he would be pleased to speak with you. You may reach him at 978-660-8869. Until our next time together, may our God bless you richly through our Lord Jesus Christ. Today's The Word of Truth program was sponsored in part by Paul Rents. Visit paulrents.com for party and equipment rentals.