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.
Augustine, in his Confessions, wrote of his conversion in 386 AD. He had read these verses and been convicted that his life was empty and he needed to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. The more he knew Jesus, the more he loved him and he helped shape Christian doctrine in its first few centuries. In the verses just before this comes the motivation for this life change. Paul boiled down the entire law to one word. Love. If we love the Lord, we will love others. If we love others and the Lord, we will not commit adultery, lie, steal, or murder because we love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sometimes we get evangelism in the wrong order. While it worked with Augustine, it is hard to get someone to love Jesus if they do not know who he is. If we start with who Jesus is and they meet his holiness, they will see their need to express their love for him by surrendering to his will in obedience. Is there anything we need to surrender today? Let’s do that in prayer before our King.
Dear Lord, thank you for forgiving all of these sins. Help us to love you more so we can love others the way you love us, unconditionally. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church