Today’s Reading:
Romans 13: 11-14
“And 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.” (v. 11)
Salvation means in general to be preserved; delivered or protected from harm, loss, ruin, danger, difficulty, and destruction. Biblically, Salvation means deliverance from sin and its consequences; redemption. Specifically, it means to be saved by God from sin and its consequences, through Jesus Christ. It means to be saved or delivered from the activities of sin which result in eternal death. It is common knowledge that the biblical salvation given to men involves forgiveness of sins; justification, redemption and sanctification. The person who desires to be saved must be ready to see his sin as a sin, as unrighteousness, enmity with God and disobedience to him, etc. He must then be ready to confess them before God and willing to denounce them. Before God, the person is justified by faith, as he/she accepts the complete work of salvation done by Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:12).
As the person confesses with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believes in the heart that God has raised him from the dead, he/she is “Saved” (Rom. 10:9-10), he is “Redeemed” with the blood of Jesus and washed clean of all sins. He is converted. Now saved, there is a need to align the person’s will with God’s will and be ready to be set apart for God’s special use and purpose. This is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, the third in the Trinity. This work is called “Sanctification”. It starts right from the point of conversion and progresses and continues throughout the believer's Christian life (Jn 17:17; 1 Thess. 5:13; 1 Cor. 6:11). Today’s reading in v11 talks about our “Salvation” being nearer than when we first believed. This is beyond the description above. It is the aspect of “Salvation” referred to in Rom. 8:18-19, that is, the revealing of the saved souls (believers) in glory with Jesus,% as sons of God. This is our “glorification”, which will come at the second coming of Jesus (the Rapture). Our comfort in v11 is that we are nearer the time of our Glorification, than when we were initially saved. Given this, it is instructive to note the warnings in Vs 11-14 which can result in disqualification or qualification of our Glorification.
First, though only God knows the exact time, the writer is sounding out that the time is near, given the fulfilment of many prophecies about the Rapture and the end-time (Matt 24; Mk 13). It is high time to wake out of sleep (unseriousness) and cooperate with the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, who will help us to cast off the works of darkness (v12), walking not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy (v 13) and much other unrighteousness, which we are commanded to put off, put away and put to death in our bodies (Col. 3:5-9; Rom 8:13). Rather, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we should put on the armour of light (v12); walk properly as in the day (v13); put on or be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ (v14); make no provision for the flesh to fulfil its lust; and above all to love our neighbours as ourselves (v8).
As to the nearness of our Glorification with Christ, it is doubtlessly very near. Apart from the signs and prophecies of the end time mentioned, it is evident from 1 Cor. 10:11. If the time of the writing of this verse by Paul was considered as “the end of the age”, what about now? - more than two thousand years later. Indeed, our salvation(glorification) is nearer than when we first believed! If you are yet to be saved, begin the process now!
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and report to the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
Father almighty, thank you for the gift of our salvation through Christ.
Lord Jesus, we appreciate your sacrifice that brought us salvation.
Lord, please help us to live in the consciousness of the nearness of your second coming and, therefore, our glorification.
Father, help the Church to win souls and be ready for glorification.
Father, help our nation and the people to seek salvation and ultimately glorification which is near indeed.
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