Paul
the apostle told the believers in Rome, “Love
works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is
the fulfilling of the law”,
and in chapter
thirteen and verse eleven of Romans,
Paul told the believers, “it
is high time to awake out of sleep”
where
we read:
for
now is
our salvation nearer than when we believed.
The
verse begins, “And
that, knowing the time, that now it
is
high time to awake out of sleep:” Paul
began with the words, “and
that”
which means “even so and indeed to the intent”, “knowing
the time”
or “perceiving, noticing, discerning and discovering a fixed or
definite season or period”, “that
now”
which refers to “since and because at this present moment” “it
is high time”
or “it is the definite moment, season, point or period” “to
awake”
which means “to arouse and cause to rise” “out
of sleep”
or “away from sub-silence and spiritual torpor”. Paul concluded
that it was “time”
for believers in Jesus to “wake up” from their “silence and
spiritual “passivity”
The
verse goes on to say, “for
now is
our salvation nearer than when we believed..”
Paul
continued the words, “for
now” which
means “even as, indeed, seeing then, verily and therefore at the
present moment”
“is
our salvation”
or “is the deliverance, preservation and safety of Paul, his
companions and his believing readers” “nearer”
which refers to “closer at hand” “than
when”
or “than the time or as soon as” “we
believe” “Paul,
his companions and his believing readers through to be true, were
persuaded of and placed confidence in”.
Paul declared that “deliverance and preservation” were closer at
hand than the “time”
they “were persuaded and convinced” it would be.
When
we consider these words of Paul, we see his effort to “arouse”
those who are believers in Jesus to be about His business because the
“day of salvation” is much “nearer” than they
previously thought. Since this is so, it is “time to wake up” and
begin sharing the “gospel of Jesus Christ” with everyone who will
listen. Jesus came to save people from their “sins”, and He died
on the cross so that we may live with Him forever. Those who believe
in Him are “nearer” to their “salvation” than
they know, and those who are opposed to the “gospel” are “nearer”
to their judgment than they know. Let all who read these words,
“awake from sleep”.
Next
time
Paul tells the believers in Rome, “the
night is far spent, the day is at hand”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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