Awakening to Christ's Imminent Return: Living Righteously

 

Summary

In Romans 13:11-14, Paul urges Christians to awaken from spiritual slumber, recognizing that their salvation is nearer than when they first believed. The night is nearly over, and the day is at hand, symbolizing the imminent return of Christ. This passage calls believers to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, living honestly and righteously. This exhortation is directed solely at Christians, emphasizing the distinction between the people of God and the world. The ethical instructions of the New Testament are not meant for the world but for those who understand the times and the nature of life in a fallen world.

A significant point of discussion is the Apostle Paul's view on the nearness of Christ's return. Some argue that Paul initially believed in the imminent return of Christ but later changed his mind. However, this interpretation undermines the infallibility of Scripture. The sermon refutes this by highlighting that Paul's teachings consistently indicate that certain events must occur before Christ's return. The Apostle's writings, including his letters to the Thessalonians and Romans, show that he did not expect an immediate return of Christ but rather taught that believers should live in readiness, understanding that God's timing is different from human timing.

The sermon also addresses the concept of prophetic time, which often merges significant events, such as the first and second comings of Christ, into a single narrative. This foreshortening is evident in Old Testament prophecies and the teachings of Jesus. Christians are called to view their lives in light of eternity, recognizing that their current afflictions are momentary compared to the eternal glory that awaits them. This perspective transforms how believers perceive time and life, encouraging them to live with an eternal mindset, always ready for Christ's return.

Key Takeaways:

- Christians are called to awaken from spiritual slumber, recognizing the urgency of living righteously in light of Christ's imminent return. This call is exclusive to believers who understand the times and the nature of life in a fallen world. [01:36]

- The Apostle Paul's teachings on the return of Christ emphasize readiness and understanding of God's timing, which differs from human expectations. This perspective maintains the infallibility of Scripture and encourages believers to live in anticipation of Christ's return. [09:28]

- Prophetic time in Scripture often merges significant events, such as the first and second comings of Christ, into a single narrative. This foreshortening challenges believers to view their lives in light of eternity, focusing on the eternal glory that awaits them. [33:18]

- Christians are encouraged to view their current afflictions as momentary compared to the eternal glory that awaits them. This eternal perspective transforms how believers perceive time and life, encouraging them to live with an eternal mindset. [40:25]

- The sermon emphasizes the importance of living in readiness for Christ's return, understanding that God's timing is different from human timing. This readiness involves living righteously and being prepared for the eternal glory that awaits believers. [42:17]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Romans 13:11-14
- [01:04] - Exhortation to Live Righteously
- [02:17] - Distinction Between Christians and the World
- [03:53] - Doctrinal and Practical Application
- [04:30] - The Nearness of Christ's Return
- [05:18] - Misinterpretations of Paul's Teachings
- [06:59] - Refuting the Imminence Argument
- [09:28] - The Infallibility of Scripture
- [15:16] - Prophetic Time and Foreshortening
- [18:34] - Paul's Consistent Teachings
- [23:19] - Evidence from Romans and Thessalonians
- [26:48] - The Christian View of Time
- [33:18] - Prophetic Foreshortening in Scripture
- [38:50] - Living with an Eternal Perspective
- [42:17] - Readiness for Christ's Return

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 13:11-14

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul mean when he says, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand"? How does this relate to the urgency of the message? [00:28]

2. According to the sermon, why are the ethical instructions in Romans 13:11-14 directed solely at Christians and not the world? [02:33]

3. How does the sermon explain the concept of "prophetic time" and its significance in understanding the return of Christ? [33:18]

4. What evidence does the sermon provide to refute the idea that Paul believed in the immediate return of Christ? [23:19]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon interpret Paul's exhortation to "cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light"? What practical implications does this have for Christians today? [00:28]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that understanding "prophetic time" can change a believer's perspective on life and eternity? [33:18]

3. How does the sermon address the potential misunderstanding of Paul's teachings on the nearness of Christ's return? What does this reveal about the nature of biblical interpretation? [09:28]

4. What role does the concept of living with an "eternal mindset" play in the sermon, and how does it affect a Christian's daily life and decisions? [40:25]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life. Are there areas where you feel spiritually asleep? What steps can you take to awaken and live more righteously in light of Christ's return? [00:28]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of readiness for Christ's return. What practical changes can you make in your daily routine to live in a state of readiness? [42:17]

3. How can you apply the concept of "casting off the works of darkness" in your personal life? Are there specific habits or behaviors you need to address? [00:28]

4. Consider the idea of "prophetic time" and its impact on your view of eternity. How can this perspective help you handle current challenges or afflictions? [33:18]

5. The sermon suggests that understanding God's timing can transform how we perceive time and life. How can you cultivate patience and trust in God's timing in your current circumstances? [09:28]

6. How does the idea of living with an eternal mindset influence your priorities and goals? Are there specific areas where you need to realign your focus? [40:25]

7. Identify one way you can encourage others in your community to live with an eternal perspective. What actions can you take to support them in this journey? [40:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Awaken to Spiritual Urgency
Christians are called to awaken from spiritual slumber, recognizing the urgency of living righteously in light of Christ's imminent return. This call is exclusive to believers who understand the times and the nature of life in a fallen world. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 13:11-14, emphasizes the need for believers to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. This metaphorical language highlights the transformation expected of Christians as they live in anticipation of Christ's return. The urgency is not just about avoiding sin but actively pursuing a life that reflects the light of Christ in a world overshadowed by darkness. [01:36]

"And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 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." (Romans 13:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What specific "works of darkness" do you need to cast off today to live more fully in the light of Christ?


Day 2: Understanding God's Timing
The Apostle Paul's teachings on the return of Christ emphasize readiness and understanding of God's timing, which differs from human expectations. This perspective maintains the infallibility of Scripture and encourages believers to live in anticipation of Christ's return. Paul consistently taught that certain events must occur before Christ's return, urging believers to remain vigilant and prepared. This readiness is not about predicting dates but living a life that reflects the values of the Kingdom of God, trusting in His perfect timing. [09:28]

"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a lifestyle of readiness for Christ's return, trusting in God's perfect timing rather than your own expectations?


Day 3: Viewing Life Through Prophetic Time
Prophetic time in Scripture often merges significant events, such as the first and second comings of Christ, into a single narrative. This foreshortening challenges believers to view their lives in light of eternity, focusing on the eternal glory that awaits them. The blending of these events in prophecy encourages Christians to live with an eternal perspective, understanding that their current struggles are temporary compared to the eternal joy that is promised. This perspective transforms how believers perceive time and life, encouraging them to prioritize eternal values over temporary concerns. [33:18]

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: What temporary concerns are currently overshadowing your focus on eternal values, and how can you shift your perspective today?


Day 4: Embracing Eternal Perspective
Christians are encouraged to view their current afflictions as momentary compared to the eternal glory that awaits them. This eternal perspective transforms how believers perceive time and life, encouraging them to live with an eternal mindset. By focusing on the promises of God and the future glory that awaits, believers can find strength and hope in the midst of trials. This mindset not only provides comfort but also motivates a life of faithfulness and obedience, knowing that their labor in the Lord is not in vain. [40:25]

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18, ESV)

Reflection: How can you remind yourself of the eternal glory that awaits you when facing daily challenges and afflictions?


Day 5: Living in Readiness for Christ's Return
The sermon emphasizes the importance of living in readiness for Christ's return, understanding that God's timing is different from human timing. This readiness involves living righteously and being prepared for the eternal glory that awaits believers. Christians are called to live each day as if it were their last, not out of fear, but out of a desire to honor God and be found faithful when Christ returns. This involves a daily commitment to spiritual disciplines, community, and service, reflecting the love and grace of Christ to the world. [42:17]

"Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into." (Matthew 24:42-43, ESV)

Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to live in readiness for Christ's return, ensuring that your life reflects His righteousness and love?

Quotes



The Apostle adduces what is in many ways the final and the ultimate argument which we as Christians Christians should apply to ourselves in order to persuade ourselves to live the Christian Life as it should be lived in other words to pay heed to the exaltation that he has been addressing to us from the beginning of chapter 12. [00:01:22]

Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness let us put on the armor of light let us walk honestly this is not addressed to anybody except Christians and that is where they do deny the gospel and its teaching who address these ethical instructions of the New Testament to the world that is the basic fallacy. [00:02:17]

The Apostle Paul at the beginning of his life as an apostle expected the Lord to return almost at any moment but that was not confined to him that all the early Christians thought the same thing indeed some of the teachers who hold this view go further and say that our Lord himself thought that. [00:05:40]

If they could establish and prove that the Apostle Paul had made a mistake and that what he taught in his early Epistles was wrong well then you can no longer claim that all the Epistles of Paul are divinely inspired Paul is only a human being after all and his Epistles are not the result of the unique. [00:09:30]

The Apostle warned these people not to listen to those people who were teaching them that the Lord was coming immediately listen now we beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that you be not soon shaken in mind or troubled neither by Spirit nor by word. [00:19:04]

The Apostle is saying that when he first preached to them he did preach the second coming of Christ but he made it equally plain and clear that it wasn't going to happen immediately that certain things were going to happen first now if we have nothing else that is more than enough it is agreed by all. [00:23:04]

The Apostle obviously explicitly and plainly teaches that there is going to be a great Gathering into the kingdom of God into the church of converted Jews it's going to happen sometime before the end the Apostle teaches him how could he then possibly at the time at which he was writing and was alive claim or even. [00:25:49]

Prophetic time always deals with the big things only it's not so interested in the Lesser things it always concentrates on the big things what I mean is this take the prophecies in the Old Testament for instance have you noticed how often they seem to foreshorten history and they very often merge into one statement. [00:33:18]

The Christian is already living in the day he already knows of the glories of Eternity that are awaiting him the result of this should be that his whole view of life in this world should be controlled entirely by that thinking and the effect that it has upon his thinking is this a man who rarely knows. [00:38:50]

Our light Affliction which is that for a moment a moment that's all all that happens to us in this world says Paul is but a moment our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory while we look not at the things which are seen. [00:40:25]

We are called upon always to be ready to be always waiting always to have our lines G about not because we think he's going to come at any moment we know certain things have got to happen and yet taking this view of time this prophetic view of time we know that it's at hand it has been. [00:42:17]

There was no change in the opinion of the Apostle he was not in error at one time the teaching is a whole and it is consistent and it is always the same what is of importance for us is this are we able with him to look out upon life as it is at the present time. [00:43:50]

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