Romans 13

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (12). Because Jesus has won the battle and his day of salvation is already dawning, Paul said that we should “wake up” and behave decently. Rather than sowing discord and trouble, we should respect the law (1-5), pay taxes (6), and most importantly, love our neighbor as ourselves (9). As we imitate Christ (14), we bring him honor.

“...wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (11). Rather than wasting time, our short lives are best spent “awake”, pouring out our hearts and energy for Jesus’ kingdom.