Romans 13:12
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.
In 386 AD, Augustine was living in darkness as a wild child. Then he read this chapter in Romans. He was suddenly filled with light and was baptized the following Easter. Paul wrote these words to the church in Rome to show them how to shine in darkness. Be subject to the government and pay taxes. Love your neighbor because love fulfills the law. Avoid drunkenness, sexual immorality, jealousy and quarrels. Peter said we must obey God rather than men, but where the law does not conflict with God’s word, we are to obey the government. This will shine. Love in the Christian sets it apart from other humans like spots on a leopard sets it apart from other cats. Leopards don’t live like jackals and Christians don’t live like the world.
My life was very similar to Augustine’s. I had read a different chapter of the Bible but the same light flooded me. My life was never the same. Despite the many public examples of prominent Christian leaders falling into the practices of darkness in Romans 13, it is the extraordinary light of ordinary Christians that will shine in this darkness. This is a dark time but Paul pointed the Romans to the day of the return of Christ. It is closer every day. If you are dejected at your failure to please God and shine, remember these words of Paul.
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
This armor will look good on you.