Romans 13:11-14 KJV

Romans 13:11-14 KJV
[11] 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.

Knowing the time - What time? The age we live in, the last days which I believe started when Christ ascended to Heaven after His resurrection, we are to shine as lights in this dark age. A time of grace, a time of preperation and a time when evil will eventually be dealt with forever.


High time - Since we know the time we are living in, these last days, now is the hour for believers to awaken from sleep.

Awake - to arouse, cause to rise
to arouse from sleep, to awake
to cause to rise from a seat or bed etc.
to raise up, produce, cause to appear
to cause to appear, bring before the public
to raise up, stir up, against one
to raise up i.e. cause to be born

Sleep - metaphorically, of a slumbering state of soul, i.e., of spiritual conformity to the world, out of which believers are warned to awake. 1

Believers can be saved yet can be asleep at the wheel, lulled to sleep by fleshly selfish ambitions, pleasure and treasures of this world, the love and practice of sin, the practice of self-righteous self serving religion, false teaching, pride, greed, lust or any part of the old nature that remains un-crucified.



[12] The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Night - Outline of Biblical Usage
night
metaph. the time when work ceases
the time of death
the time for deeds of sin and shame
the time of moral stupidity and darkness
the time when the weary and also the drunken give themselves up to slumber 1

Far Spent- to beat forward
to lengthen out by hammering (as a smith forges metals)
metaph. to promote, forward, further
to go forward, advance, proceed
of time: the night is far spent
metaph. to increase, make progress 1

The dark night of the soul has went far enough, perhaps Paul was saying that some believers had walked for long enough in the deeds of darkness and it was time to get over it and get on with living for Christ.

the day- in the daytime
metaph., "the day" is regarded as the time for abstaining from indulgence, vice, crime, because acts of the sort are perpetrated at night and in darkness
of the last day of this present age, the day Christ will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold the final judgment, and perfect his kingdom. 1

Paul may have been referencing the day of Christ(His return)was at hand or maybe that believers have saved from the dark night of sin and that they have brought out into the daylight of God's salvation.

1 John 1:5-7 KJV
[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. …

Belivers are to clothe themselves with the armour of light whch protects the soul. Armour of light being the things that pertain to God and living for Him, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, helmet of salvation, shield of faith, feet shod with the preperation of the gospel of peace.



[13] Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

honestly- in a seemly manner, decently 1

rioting - a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honour of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry 1

chambering - it speaks of the lying down, particularly the marriage bed pertaining to sex but in the context is speaking of illicit sex. As I have stated earlier and will continue to state sex outside of marriage is forbidden in the scriptures, marriage defined as a union between a man and woman.
licentiousness
wantoness - unbridled lust, excess,lasciviousness, wantonness, licentiousness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence 1

Wantoness perhaps is a step above chambering as it seems to denote someone giving in fully to their lusts and living shamelessly in gross opposition to God's moral standards. This is different from the sin of chambering in that people who have a degree of morality, with some self-contol and some moral-restraint will often give into sexual sin. It is an accepted and respected and even an expected behaviour by some in our society and even accepted in some churchs. What in times past was heavily frowned upon is now no big deal.

strife and envying - Contentionious, fussing and fighting, arguemenitive, envious, acting out of jealousy. This behaviour stems from believers with a self-centered fleshly mindset. Believers need to remember that it is all about Christ which leads into the next verse.

[14] But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. …

Rather than to be asleep spiritually and to live a life that emanates from the fleshly nature they are to clothe themselves with Christ, believers are clothed with His imputed righteousness already but by the grace of God and His abiding Spirit are to clothe themselves with practical righteousness( living outwardly what we are inwardly). Believers are not to figure in any any concesions for fulfilling the sinful desires of the flesh. We should burn bridges when applicable and not build any new bridges or highways that would carry us into sin.

ref 1. http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2205&t=KJV


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