Salvation is Nearer to Us

“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. 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.” (Romans 13:11-14 ESV)

Paul had just finished giving instruction on how we ought to agape love one another, and so his conclusion was, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10) So, besides the fact that we must agape love one another, which entails that we not deliberately nor habitually sin against anyone, we need to be made aware of the times in which we live, and we need to be cognizant of our own spiritual condition and of what needs to be put out of and into our lives.

For if we read the New Testament Scriptures from Matthew to Revelation in their full context, and if we do not make it our practice to interpret individual Scriptures out of their appropriate context, and if we are listening to the Spirit’s voice, and we are not being ruled by and blinded by denominational theologies, we should be able to discern of the Spirit that our salvation from sin is progressive and that we must walk in that salvation in obedience to our Lord, in holy living, and not in sin, for us to have salvation from sin.

For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s soon return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works,” “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 6:7-8; Philippians 2:12-13).

And Jesus said that if anyone would come after him that he must deny himself and take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. For if we choose to hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and we follow him in obedience to his commands, and in surrender to his will, in holy living, then we have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God (Luke 9:23-26; cf. Romans 6:1-23; Acts 26:18).

And all this sets the appropriate biblical stage for what Paul wrote here in Romans 13:11-14. For when he said that “salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed,” he is letting us know that our salvation is not yet complete, and it won’t be complete until Jesus returns for his faithful ones and he takes us to be with him for eternity. Then our salvation will be complete. But all of this is providing that we continue in these walks of faith and obedience to our Lord and in submission to his will until the very end.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]  

And this is why the church is being instructed in holy living all throughout the New Testament. And it is why the church is being warned continually against returning to living in sin and of the consequences of continued sin against the Lord. For if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what we have professed with our lips and have claimed that we believe in our hearts. For the proof is in the actions, not in the words only.

And this is one of those warnings, too. And this is why Paul said that the hour has come for us to wake from sleep. And this is why we must cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light (of God, of truth, and of righteousness). And this is why we must walk (in conduct, in practice) properly (in moral purity, honesty, and faithfulness) and not in orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality (a BIG ONE) and sensuality, etc. For if sin is what we practice, we will NOT inherit eternal life with God.

And this is why we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make NO provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. For one day we are all going to stand before our Lord in judgment, and we will all be judged according to our deeds (Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 6:7-8; Matthew 7:21-23; etc.), and if sin is what we practiced, and not righteousness and holiness, and not walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living, what we professed with our lips won’t matter. We will not inherit eternal life with God if we do not obey him.

So, please take this to heart. And if this teaching is new to you, then please take the time to look up these noted Scriptures and to read them prayerfully in context under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And just let the Spirit of God speak truth to your hearts. For many will die because they didn’t obey.

I Sing of His Mercy  

An Original Work / April 10, 2014

Based off Psalm 32 

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven

By the blood of Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does

Not count against them; freedom found.

When, in silence, I did not confess 

My sin to You; had no strength.

Then I owned up to my sin and

You forgave and cleansed me within.

Therefore let the godly pray to You;

Draw near to You; grace they’ll find.

They will not be o’ertaken by afflictions,

But in Christ peace abounds.

Lord, You are my hiding place.

I find my refuge in You secure.

You protect me from all evil.

You give songs of vict’ry in You.

Lord, You teach me to walk in Your ways;

Counsel me in love, I know.

Help me to not be stubborn and

Unwilling to follow in Your truth.

Thank You for Your love and mercy.

I put my trust in You always.

I rejoice in my Lord and 

I sing of Him throughout all my days.

https://vimeo.com/91747192