Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: Romans 13:8-14

Key verses:

¹¹…Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.

Today’s passage emphasizes that salvation does not only mean that we have been saved from the guilt and shame of our past sins, but also that we are in the process of being saved from the present destructive hold sin has over us. Moreover, it implies that ultimately our salvation means that one day we will be completely saved from even the presence of sin. The passage’s main point is to exhort us to focus deliberately on living in the light of that future reality now.

We know that we already have salvation. But the work of our salvation is not truly completed until we have been made completely like Jesus. Our goal in this life is therefore to set aside any character traits or behaviours that are un-Christlike (“carousing … drunkenness … sexual immorality … debauchery … dissension and jealousy”) and to clothe ourselves as far as possible with Christlike character and behaviour. The summary of that Christlikeness is LOVE, because “love is the fulfilment of the Law” (v.10).

The passage leaves us in no doubt of the urgency of intentionally pursuing this Christlikeness. It’s not the time to be coasting along! Rather, “the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber.” So today, let’s wake up to the importance of living lives of Christlike love, as an expression of the salvation we already have, and which we will one day have in all its fullness.

Lord Jesus, I dedicate myself to living a saved life today – a life like Yours – a life of holiness and love. Amen.