October 26, 2018
Flee Fleshly Desires. Forget Futile Details. Faith-Filled Until Our Final Deliverance.
Romans 13:11–14:4
Jeff Parker
Central Truth
The only people that do any earthly good are the ones whose minds are fixed on the eternal. And the only way we can avoid either the self-gratification or the self-righteousness that so easily entangles us is to renew our minds daily and set our thoughts on the things that are above.
Romans 13:11–14:4
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another
1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master 1 14:4 Or lord that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Dive Deeper | Romans 13:11–14:4
I strongly dislike the phrase, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.” I understand the heart of the phrase. However, Scripture makes it clear that we are to “[s]et [our] minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2)
The only people who do any earthly good are the ones whose minds are fixed on the eternal.
Without Christ setting my mind and heart on the things of His kingdom, I’m desirous of only what gratifies my temporal flesh and its selfish pleasures (see Romans 13:13). Or in my spiritual arrogance, I swing to the other side of the pendulum and begin evaluating the faith and obedience of others while forsaking my own faith and obedience (see Romans 14:1-4). Sadly, I start judging others on their parenting, spending habits, time with the Lord, etc. And the only real problem is that their preferences in these areas differ from mine. Where liberty is permissible, who am I to judge another faithful servant of Christ? This statement sums it up well: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” Both ends of the spectrum—self-gratification and self-righteousness—are “works of darkness,” and I must cast them off. My only solution is to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:14)
I can only properly distinguish between selfish pleasures, personal preferences, and essential convictions when my mind is appropriately set on heaven. Besides, earthly-minded thinking distracts me from my real purpose here on earth, which is being a disciple of Christ and making disciples of Christ. “Salvation is nearer to us” (Romans 13:11) each and every day, which means the time is only getting more urgent. If I’m focused on my job of helping make disciples, then, interestingly enough, I don’t have time to nitpick my fellow saints. If I’m focused on becoming more like Christ, then, beautifully enough, His Spirit helps me take my fleshly desires captive to the obedience of Christ.
The day of Christ is drawing closer. May you and I be found faithful on that day.
This month's memory verse
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
– Romans 12:18
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think it means to be heavenly minded? What does that look like?
2. What’s your default earthly stance: self-gratification or self-righteousness?
3. What are triggers in your life that can serve as warning signs (to you and others) that you are taking your eyes off of Christ? Do you have people in your life who know this about you?
4. What’s one small step you can take today to lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light?