The theme of Romans is found in 1:15-17: The Gospel is God’s power to save. When Paul gets to Romans 12, he shifts his attention from the theology of the Gospel to the daily implications of the Gospel. “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
When we read at the end of chapter 13, we see where there are “weights” that Christians need to carry, as we live the Gospel in our lives.
#1 – LOVE ONE ANOTHER – 13:8-10:
Paul says the same thing Jesus said back in Matthew 22:38-39. The Ten Commandments, at least those that deal with interpersonal relationships, are all summed up in the commandment, where Paul quotes from Leviticus 19:18 which is not one of the “Ten Commandments:”
Are you and I carrying our weight when it comes to loving our neighbor as ourselves?
#2 – BE VIGILANT – 13:11-12a:
The second “weight” the Gospel of Christ lays on us to carry is that of vigilance. One fact that the New Testament is very clear on from Matthew – Revelation is that we do not know when Jesus will come again. When I keep that thought in mind, it helps keep me from sinning. When I sin, it’s because I have put that thought out of my mind or to the back of my mind.
Paul says that the night of earthly passions, trials, temptations, and tribulation is almost gone. The day of eternity is near.
What weight are we to bear? The weight of vigilance – the “weight of wait.”
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The middle of verse 12 begins another thought as it starts with the word “therefore.” Because the night is almost gone and the day is near, Paul says, “therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
The “deeds of darkness” are all those sins Paul mentioned way back in 1:28-32. They are the “works of the flesh” that Paul lists in Galatians 5:19-21. Lay aside the deeds of darkness. Stop sinning.
And, put on the armor of light. Paul lists the armor in detail in Ephesians 6:18ff: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, sandals of preparation for preaching the Gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. All of that is just another way of listing the “fruit of the Spirit” from Galatians 5:22-23 or the so-called “Christian graces” from 2 Peter 1:5-7.
#4 – PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST – 13:14:
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The only other place where Paul discusses “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” (the verb means “to clothe”) is in Galatians 3:26-28 (vs 27 uses the same verb) where he writes that we are children of God by faith when we put Christ on through immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins.
We have some responsibilities to carry in order to be prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
–Paul Holland
