Romans 13:11-14 NKJV

“11And do this, 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. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

The apostle Paul was giving instructions to the church, the body of Christ in Rome, i.e. to those of faith in Jesus Christ. And it would appear, from the instructions that he gave them throughout the entire writing, that not all of them were following the Lord Jesus in obedience to his commands as they ought. For he reminded them that they would be judged by God according to their works, and that those for whom sin was their practice, and not obedience to God, that they would not inherit eternal life with God.

See Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:1-11; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-17; Romans 11:17-24; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 13:11-14; etc.

So, evidently some of them needed to be stirred up spiritually to stronger and more serious walks of faith in obedience to the Lord. For, perhaps some of them had become spiritually complacent, lazy, and slothful, and so they needed to be reminded of the purpose for which Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead, which was to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our addiction (slavery) to sin so we can now serve him with our lives in walks of surrender to him in death to sin and obedience to his commands.

For, contrary to what so many people are teaching today as the gospel of Christ, of our salvation from sin, our salvation is not a one time decision to believe in Jesus which requires nothing else of us once we have “done the deed” and have professed faith in Jesus Christ. Our salvation ending in eternal life with God is progressive. We are saved (past). We are being saved (present active). And we will be saved (future) when Jesus returns provided that we have died to sin and continued in obedience to God’s commands.

Progressive salvation verses: [Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 9:23-26; John 6:44; John 8:31-32; John 15:1-12; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-17; Romans 11:17-24; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Galatians 5:16-24; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:10-13; Hebrews 3:6,14-15; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:5,9; 2 Peter 1:5-11; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:1-6,24-25; 1 John 3:4-10]

Now, this is not a claim to absolute sinless perfection. God’s grace does cover the sins of those who are of genuine faith in him as long as they are not those who are deliberately and habitually sinning against God and who are refusing to obey our Lord’s commands, as a matter of life practice. For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return for his faithful bride.

For not everyone who says to Jesus “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those doing (obeying) our Lord’s commands. Many who profess faith in Jesus Christ will stand before God on the day of judgment convinced that heaven is their eternal destiny but he will say to them, “Depart from me you workers of lawlessness. I never knew you!” (see Matthew 7:21-23). So we must forsake the deeds of darkness (sin) and put on Jesus Christ and his righteousness. And we must live moral lives, pleasing to Jesus Christ.

Walking in The Light

Based off 1 John 1-2
An Original Work / November 16, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

When I lift up my voice, and
Sing praise unto God,
I will fellowship with my
Lord and Savior, King.
In Him there is no darkness.
He is in the light of truth.
If we walk in His light,
From sin He purifies.

If we repent of our sins,
He’ll forgive us now,
When we humble ourselves, and
Before Jesus bow.
The man who says, “I know Him,”
But does not obey His truth,
There is no truth in him.
In darkness still he’s found.

Do not love the world of sin,
For it is hell bound.
If you follow the world, you’ll
Not in Christ be found.
The world and its desires
Will not last; they’ll expire.
The one who does God’s will,
Receives eternal life.

See that what you have heard from
Christ remains in you.
Then, you’ll remain in Christ, and
In His Father, too.
This is what He promised us –
His eternal life with God.
So, continue in Him, and
You’ll receive a crown.

Cast Off the Works of Darkness
An Original Work / June 8, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love