Introduction

‘And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.’ Romans 13:11-14

Further to our previous discourse, Paul again encouraged the Christians in Rome to walk properly (NKJV) in view of the nearness of our salvation now than when we first believed. The advice to walk properly suggests the possibility of walking improperly! He went on to describe what walking improperly connotes. (Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy).

From the text, it is obvious that walking improperly would imply walking in darkness – these are not different from the works of the flesh! As Paul admonished the Romans, the same is applicable to us today.

We need to cast off the works of darkness and replace these with the armour of light. The NIV puts it this way: ‘Let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy’. Romans 13:13.

Walking improperly simply implies behaving indecently! God’s people ought to be decent. We will be able to do this by ensuring that we put on the Lord Jesus, making no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. Let us resolve to behave decently (or walk properly) today, tomorrow and all the time.

‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.’ Colossians 3:1-11

Prayer

Eternal God and Father of light, thank You for Jesus who gave His life as a ransom for us. May we walk decently in Him, keeping in step with the Spirit now and always, and in His name, we pray.