Reflecting the Image

Scripture:

Romans 13:12b-14

Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (NRSVUE)

Observation:

As Paul is winding down his letter to the church in Rome, he gets into the nitty-gritty of what our behavior is supposed to look like. He makes a distinction between light and darkness.

Living in the light means that you’re not afraid for people to see what you are doing. There’s nothing to hide. You can walk decently and with confidence. Paul says to put on the armor of light, which sounds protective. Maybe it’s similar to praying, “Lead us not into temptation.” Staying in the light can protect us from what happens in the darkness.

Paul uses the imagery of nighttime to describe behavior that belongs to the darkness — drunkenness, illicit relationships, and licentious behavior. But the works of darkness also include quarreling and jealousy. Those may not happen under the cover of night, but they can certainly grow in the darkness of our minds and hearts. Darkness is not simply a time of day. It is where we try to hide what we do not want brought into the light.

Then comes the big word instead — instead of the things of darkness, put on the Lord Jesus Christ! That’s an interesting thought. To put on — almost to wear Jesus. To be clothed in Christ. Maybe it means to be so filled with the Spirit of Jesus that every part of our lives is increasingly brought under His transforming presence. This is holy transformation.

Application:

Living in the dark doesn’t have to be like what we see on cop shows or in movies. I think these days there are new ways to live in the darkness and shadows of our computers or our telephones. There are dark spaces where we can imagine that we are hiding our thoughts and activities. Secret relationships can be formed anonymously through games. Messages can be sent by text, and then there are the pictures people are sending. These are things we would not want brought out into the light! These are the places where the desires of the flesh can draw us when we are not prepared — when we have not put on the armor of light.

Early on in our spiritual journey we need to put on the armor of light. We have stepped into the light as we walk with the Lord. This means that His light shines on what we say and do every day. This is not a bad thing, but it may be convicting. Little by little we may stop saying certain things, watching inappropriate material, reading books and articles that may not be edifying, or listening to podcasts that are not helpful to our souls. This is what happens when we are growing in grace and being drawn into Christlikeness.

But then I think Paul is calling us to something more. Not only are we to put on the armor of light, but we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus promised the disciples that He would send the Comforter, the Advocate, and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. They waited, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were transformed. Through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the life and mission of Christ continued in His people. They were empowered to be His witnesses, reaching far beyond the places where Jesus had gone during His earthly ministry.

I mean, here’s Paul writing to Christians in Rome! From Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, I doubt they would have imagined that the ministry of Rabbi Jesus would reach Rome, but it did — and eventually the gospel would reach far beyond Rome. Jesus had said that those who believed in Him would do “greater works.” Now His mission was being carried forward by an ever-growing Body of Spirit-filled believers, clothed in Christ and participating in His continuing mission in the world.

We have to come to the place in our spiritual journey where we want to put on Christ, where we are ready to give up the desires of our flesh and turn everything over to the Lord. And I mean everything! Everything out into the light — nothing left hidden in the dark corners.

And the promise is this: the gift of the Holy Spirit is there for us. Let the fountain of the love of Christ fill us to overflowing with Him. Then we may live as His beautiful children, clothed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Lord, I join in the prayer that You taught us and ask that You lead me not into temptation. Please, don’t allow me to wander into dark places, but deliver me from evil and help me to live, walk, and breathe, clothed in Jesus Christ every day. Amen.