#DailyDevotion Live As If Jesus Is Returning Today
Romans 13:11-14
11Do this especially since you know the time we’re living in. It’s time now for you you to wake up from sleep because we are now nearer being rescued than when we first believed. 12The night is almost over, and the day is dawning. Then let us put away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us live nobly as in the daytime, not carousing or getting drunk, not sinning sexually or living wildly, not quarreling or being jealous. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to have your fleshly desires aroused.
“Do this…” do what? Love one another. Why? Because you know the time we’re living in. St. Paul sounds like Jesus’ return is immanent. Well it is! You may be thinking, “It’s been 2000 years!” Yeah, well if you’re lucky you might get 75 or 80 years, maybe even a few more. After that, it’s lights out. Seriously though, you simply don’t know when Jesus is coming and you can’t live your life as if he is never coming. Even if he doesn’t come during your lifetime, you still need to remain faithful and you should live a life pleasing to God because you will give an account of your life when he does return.
So follow Paul’s advice here, “It’s time for you to wake up from sleep.” Sleep? Yes, don’t live as if you are still in darkness, the darkness of sin. You have been awakened to the truth which is in Christ Jesus—there is a day of judgment coming and your only hope is Jesus Christ has died for your sins. Believing this, turning away from your life of darkness and turning towards the life of the light of Christ is how we are to be living, if we have faith in Christ.
You ought to be somewhat different than those who are not joined to Christ through baptism and faith. Yes, you will still sin. You will not live perfectly. You still have these mortal coils which are slave to sin. But you also have the Holy Spirit who has given you newness of life. You don’t have to fear the judgment as Christ has been judged for you. You don’t have to fear death. Christ has overcome death for you. You don’t have to live like the world who does not believe these things. What does their life look like? They will be carousing, getting drunk, sinning sexually, living wildly, quarreling with people and living jealously. This is not the life Christ Jesus has called you to live.
We should daily put on the LORD Jesus Christ who is our armor of light. What is that like? First and foremost it is repenting of your sins, confessing them, and believing those sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus. It is believing Christ has clothed you with his righteousness. It is believing Jesus is the truth. It is trusting Jesus Christ is your salvation. It is believing God loves you for Christ’s sake. Clothed with these things we then let Christ live out his life in our own, loving those we come in contact with as Christ would have us love them. We do this not only because Christ could return any moment, which in itself isn’t bad, but also because love Jesus want to please him because of all he has done for us.
Heavenly Father, grant us true repentance so we may turn from sin and turn to the light of your son Jesus Christ in our daily lives until Christ returns or we finish our race. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.