Title: Romans 13:8-14 Know This Time
Contents
Romans 13:8-14 / Know this time
8) Do not owe anyone except the debt of love to one another. He who loves others has fulfilled the law. 9) Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, and if there are other commandments, I have heard them all in the words, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10) Love does no evil to its neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11) And, knowing this time, the hour has already come to awake from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12) The night is deep and the day is near, so let us put off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13) As in the daytime, walk modestly, not in licentiousness and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
1) Knowing this time
With the stable and high economic growth that our country has achieved over the past 30 years, most people have tried to face the 2000 year without any fear. Then, at the end of the 1990s, I was devastated by the IMF, and over the past few years, apocalyptic anxiety, such as “Can we really welcome the new millennium without any problems?” has sprouted. However, as the economic crisis also showed an unexpectedly rapid recovery, anxiety gradually disappeared again, and optimism reigned in the minds of many. Then, seeing the simultaneous and horrific terrorist disaster, including the US World Trade Center building, we are again unable to hide our collective anxiety with the people of the world.
Among the prophecies of the end times, the representative prophecies of Nostradamus and the Virgin of Fatima are the prophecies of the great tribulation that occurred mainly in the 20th century. The book of Revelation in the Bible also foretells many tribulations. In the Gospels, while Jesus is teaching the signs of the end in the form of answering the questions of his disciples, he mentions earthquakes and famines everywhere, wars between nations and nations, and between nations. But Jesus pointed out that the beginning of the tribulation of all these things is the loss of love.
On the contrary, there is an aspect of this American disaster that is sublimated into a good image that draws the people's unity, love and service. However, it shows limited and exclusive characteristics for its own citizens. Arab immigrants in the United States are now terrified. They say they are worried that they will be subjected to counter-terrorism. And they fully support a war that can sacrifice an unspecified number of people out of anger against terrorists.
In the hearts, cultures and religions of those who have lost this love, the end is being prepared, severe, and leading to inevitability. Paul said, "The time has come to awake from sleep," and earlier, "Do not owe anyone except to love one another, for he who loves others has fulfilled the law" (verse 8). No, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (verse 10).
An event in the cave of Adullam can be found in the account of David's life in Old Testament times. People came to hear that David was fleeing Saul and taking refuge in that cave. Most of them were marginalized under Saul.
"David left there and fled to the cave of Adullam, and when his brother and all his father's household heard of it, they went down there and came to him. And there were about four hundred men with him” (1 Samuel 22:1-2).
Perhaps these were people who hated the world and were full of resentment. The reason they came to David must have been that they wanted to become their leader and turn the world upside down. David looked at them and wrote a poem, realizing that the hatred and hatred in them could not make the world new.
"Awake, my glory, harp, harp, I will awaken the dawn. Lord, I give thanks to you among all peoples, and I will praise you among the nations. . . O God, may you be exalted above the heavens, and your glory be exalted above the whole world.
2) When you wake up
When you wake up from sleep, it means that the Lord is coming soon. It also means the time when the dead will come back to life. The Gospel of John contains specific words of Jesus about this time.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice, and those who have done good will come out to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:25-29)
The morning is coming, but there are people who hate it. There are those who want the dark night to go on. These are people whose filthiness will be revealed when the light comes out. The morning is the time of judgment. Those who have done evil are the hour of judgment.
But we believers are waiting for that morning. These are the people who shout "Maranatha" (Come, Lord Jesus). Because it is time for us to gain the resurrection of life. It's not because we didn't do evil. Even though they are sinners, they believe in the grace of Jesus Christ on the cross and bow their knees to the Lord.
"The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly I Truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:22-24).
3) Attire of those who wait for the morning
"The night is deep and the day is near, so let us put off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. As in the daytime, walk modestly, not in licentiousness and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and sensuality, not in strife and envy, but clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not seek the works of the flesh for the lusts of the flesh” (verses 12-14).
Those who wait for the morning prepare it. It's still dark, but I wake up and prepare breakfast early. First, wash your face, then take off your pajamas and change into new ones. Even though he was not tidy last night, he now washes all his shame, and even though he was drunk and lewd last night, he who did not know that the morning was coming, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he took off his clothes of darkness and changed into the armor of light. Last night, even if you were drunk and quarreled with your neighbor and fought with jealousy, now you are ready to prepare a table of peace with a clear mind and a heart to reconcile with the person you quarreled with.
The Bible says The morning has come to awaken from sleep, and I command you to put on your clothes only in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is said that St. Augustine entered his room while listening to the local children's songs, tole lego, tole lego, and opened the scroll of the Bible, and it was these words that came into his eyes. He finally realized the time and left the famous anecdote of repenting and turning to Christ when he realized that his life had been a dark night.
It is our earnest hope that such a turning point will occur among us. The Apostle Peter exhorted those who welcome the morning of the Lord:
"The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be sober and sober, and pray. Above all, love one another fervently, for love covers a multitude of sins. Treat one another without grumbling, and as each one receives a gift, God's grace Serve one another as good stewards who have been entrusted with the task of serving one another, and if anyone speaks, let him speak the word of God, and if anyone serves, let him serve as if he were using the power that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him is glory and power forever and ever.