Sleeping Through Sin
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Romans 13
Before we pray, view from the word of God "the works of darkness." In ths passage,
there are three categories: 1. revelry and drunkenness 2. lewdness and lust 3. stife and envy.
When God says: "cast off" it is from the Greek word to "absolutely throw alway". There are no if's, ands, or buts aabout it. God says to absolutely throw away these works of darkness.
The power of the command of God extends to all three categories. God is not upset with one, and not the other, as if there are low class, middle class, and high class sins.
Here is a spirit check: Do I get as upset with "strife and envy" as works of darkness as I do with revelry and drunkenness? Do I take the absolute command of God to cast of all these sins or do I operate out of my own classification of sins? (In other words, do I define righteousness in a way that includes me as the virtuous one, the not-so-bad one, and makes others "worse" than me. "( I thank God I am not like other men!)
When the holy spirit speaks in these passages, he does not grade some sins as serious and some as not so serious.
The Spirit that leads us to deal with sin does not lead us to revelry and drunkeness (a low class sin) only to have us leave off lewdness and lust (middle class values paraded on t.v. everyday) or envy, bitterness and strife (high class weapons of war for the hurt, angry, jealous, proud.) God's word challenges every class of man and every category of sin.
"Cast off the works of darkness is a serious statement not to be trivialized by specialized application. In fact, in God's word there are no low class, middle class or high class sin. There is sin, period.
The further instruction is to do more than "cast off". It is to replace these dark activities with "the armor of light." Remember the properties of light:
1. Revealing (personal sin) 2. Healing (a wound) 3. Nurturing (all of earthly life)
The final instruction warns against making any provision for the works of the flesh. The powerful construction in the Greek text let's us know that the "flesh" actually "desires" or "thirsts for" or "pursues" revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, strife and envy.
So, what does "make no provision for" mean to us as Christians? What am I to do in light of this text, in it's personal application to me, and in its corporate application to the church body?
In both personal and corporate terms, "make no provision for" surely means to guard the mind, heart, and body against circumstances, activities, and arrangements of all kinds: physical and mental.
The Pharisees were the great offenders of this text, guarding their own "physical" nature against "revelry and drunkenness" but leaving open their hearts to lewdness and lust and strife and envy.
We can understand the Pharisees predicament. It is so much easier to "see" the carnal sins of others versus the spiritual sins of ourselves. This is why Jesus called the Pharisees "blind". And it further explains why he said they washed the outside of the cup (which you can see) but inside were full of dead men's bones.
He told them that if a man "lusted" in his heart he was guilty of adultery. And he told them that a man who had "anger" in his heart against his brother, was guilty of murder. In other words, he was a commandment breaker. He was breaking the principles of the law. He was not following the precepts of scripture.
No group of people caused more strife in the ministry of Jesus than the Pharisees.
Their "classification" of sins led them to be a very part of the "works of darkness", for they mumbled and grumbled and created strife, bitterness and jealousy.
They said Jesus was a lawbreaker. He healed on the Sabbath. They said he was soft on sin. He ate with sinners and caroused with tax collectors. They said he and his group were too non-chalant about the law. They ate without washing their hands. Other than the crucifixion, which the Pharisees helped along, there is no single group in the bible more responsible for "works of darkness" and "provision for the flesh" to participate in these works, than the Pharisees.
We can pray this scripture in this way:
Lord, reveal to me any work of darkness in me.
Reveal to me by your Holy Spirit, right now, any reverly and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, strife and envy.
Help me put on an armor of light.
Reveal to me how the enemy would trick me into "making provision" for these. Or show me how I might willingly make provision for revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, stife and envy.
Are any of these "provisions" in my life? Provision for revelry and drunkenness:
the wrong kinds of friends and companions;
places and activities that cater to these; fantasies and conversations that lead to these: thoughts, speculations, and carnal eyes that constantly engender these and keep these before me?
Provision for lewdness and lust:
soap operas, books, magazines and stories about sex. Constant inundation with the world's media. Pornography, immodest dress, thought life, pop culture and personal fascination (often disguised as disgust)
with movie stars, rock stars, pop media personalities, t.v. sitcoms, etc.
Provision for quarreling and envy or jealousy and strife:
disagreeable spirit that cannot accept others views; constant dissension from others, where "others" are wrong and I am right; setting up struggles that are not existent; creating rivalry rather than community; arguing my point of view over against others. Claiming my Godliness over others "unGodliness"; turning the public spot light on others sins while ignoring my own. Desiring what others have; spending wildly to have larger houses, cars, vacations,boats, etc. because others have them.
