And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11, KJV

The Lord desires us to be very aware of the days and times in which we live and the signs of His coming. When the Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign, He rebuked them: “O ye hypocrites, … can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:3b, KJV) The signs had been all around them, yet they weren’t reading them.

Paul told the Thessalonian church, For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2, KJV). It should not catch us by surprise, because we have the Word of God. Jesus said, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28, KJV). There is no excuse for any Christian to be caught by surprise.

Signs of His Coming

Jesus said, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:26). In the times of Noah, Genesis 6 tells us that there was a population explosion. There was genetic engineering that was producing a race of giants. The wickedness of man was great … that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5b, KJV). The earth was corrupt before God and filled with violence.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (2 Timothy 3:1-5, KJV). Doesn't this sound like our headlines today?

Time to Wake Up

For the most part, the church is sleeping today. There isn’t an urgency about the things of the Lord. If you talk to people about Jesus coming soon, they act like you have been on some kind of drug.

Jesus told a parable of 10 virgins, relating to His coming again. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. … and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. … Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 25:5-13, KJV).

Jesus warns: Wake up and watch for My return. We have slept long enough. The church has been sleeping while the world is going to hell around it. We slept through the removal of prayer from the public schools and laws protecting from the flood of pornographic filth. We slept through the opening of abortion clinics and the gradual paganizing of America.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Romans 13:12a

Every day we can say, “I am one day closer to the coming of Jesus Christ.” He is much nearer than we realize. He will deliver us from this present evil world. The night of the reign of darkness over the world is almost over. They say it is always darkest just before dawn; we are in one of the darkest eras in the history of the world. We are drowning in filth. In light of this, what should we do?

Repent & Put on Your Armor

Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:12b, KJV

First, cast off the works of darkness—partying, drinking, sexual immorality, debauchery, dissension, and jealousy (ref. Romans 13:13). If you have been caught in pornography, get rid of it. Put a block on your internet. Get all filth out of your house.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded (James 4:8b, KJV). Oh, how we need to wash our hands from the filth of the world and purify our minds.

Replace that darkness with the armor of light. In Ephesians, Paul wrote, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day (Ephesians 6:13a, KJV). What are our defenses? Truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer (ref. Ephesians 6:14-18).

Put on Christ

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:14, KJV

You see, your life is controlled either by your flesh or by the Spirit—it’s an ongoing war. And it’s your choice: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Galatians 6:8, KJV). Are you feeding on things of the flesh or of the Spirit?

Church, His coming is near. It’s time to wake up, put off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh. Devote yourselves to eternal things rather than what will only pass away. 

Father, help us wake up to what’s happening around us. If we’ve been caught up in the flesh and the world, help us see the harm it is doing so that we may resist the flood of wickedness. Help us to stand in the strength of Your Spirit and in the glorious light of the Gospel of Jesus. Amen.

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Condensed from a teaching by Pastor Chuck Smith on Romans 13:11-14

© 2023 Calvary Chapel Magazine (CCM). All rights reserved. Articles or photographs may not be reproduced without the written permission of CCM. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.® Used by permission.