Put on the Lord Jesus Christ Romans 13:14

Paul the apostle told the believers in Rome, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light”, and he added, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” In chapter thirteen and verse fourteen of Romans, Paul told the believers, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” where we read:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

The verse begins, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, ...” Paul began with the word, “but” which means “nevertheless, notwithstanding, moreover and” “put you on” or “sink into and clothe yourselves with” “the Lord” which refers to “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” or “Christ” which refers to “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. Rather than “clothing themselves” with the worldly ways of sin, the believers in Rome were to “clothe themselves” with “the Lord Jesus Christ” and His ways.

The verse continues, “... and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” Paul added the words, “and make not provision” which means “and do not prepare, produce, render and provide” “for the flesh” or “toward the mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God”, “to fulfill the lusts” which means “to complete and finish the desires, cravings and longings for what is forbidden” “thereof” or “within the flesh”. Paul warned his believing readers not to “produce or provide” at all for the “flesh nature” which is “prone to sin and opposed to God”.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see how believers in Jesus are to be “clothed upon” with His actions, attitude, speech and ways. They are not to yield to “fleshly sinful desires” and should not “give provision” for them in any way. God desires to have people live in a manner that is according to His Son, pure, holy and righteous, and since “the day of the Lord” is approaching, believers in His Son Jesus Christ are to “put on” His ways and “put off” the ways of the world.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Paul tell the believers in Rome, “to receive those who are weak in the faith”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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