Q: I read in Romans 13:11, where Apostle Paul warns us, to be, “All the more diligent, because time is running out.” What does he mean by that statement?
A: The thing to remember is, whenever you’re reading one of the Apostle Paul’s epistles, you’re always detect an ‘urgency’ in his writings, because he was ‘always’ expecting the Lord Jesus to return at any moment.
What he’s saying in that particular verse is this: “walk in wisdom toward them [Non-Christians] that are on the outside of Christendom. Believers are on the inside [Saved]. Now he says redeeming the time. Well what do you mean, Paul? He means take advantage of EVERY opportunity to witness to someone, because Jesus is coming sooner than YOU think! It literally means, redeeming every opportunity made available to US. Psalm 90: “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.” It’s a matter of buying opportunity. We all know that opportunity is here and gone, time is short and people are dying; and as a matter of fact, we’re dying, plus the fact that Jesus is coming.
Remember, the Bible talks about the door being shut. The Bible talks about the night is coming when no man can work. The Bible talks about Jesus removing the candlestick in Revelation Chapter 2, which represents the “Light of the church!”
Romans Chapter 13, verse 11, is a tremendously potent verse. It warns us that there’s a time coming when it isn’t going to be possible knowing the time, that it is high time to wake out of sleep, the night is far spent, the day is at hand, cast off the works of darkness, put on the armor of light, walk honestly, and it’s time to get our lifestyles connected up with our message. Not in wild parties, drunkenness, immorality, wantonness, strife, envying, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and don’t make provision for the flesh.
Conclusion: When are God’s people going to begin to live the way God wants? How much opportunity are they going to squander? When are they going to begin to share Christ with their friends? When are they going to use those abilities and gifts God’s given them? When is God going to receive that money that they [made a Vow] promised Him long ago? Saints have to remember their walk-talks. I hope it says the right thing to those Non-Christians on the outside of Christendom. Every time we have an opportunity, redeem the time – take advantage of the opportunity to witness to someone. Life is so short. It’s so stupid for the Christian to waste it.
Comments (2)
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Elder Reggi Jones
Stay focused!
Stay on guard at all times …
The enemy is on the prowl to kill, to steal, and to devour us – Saints of God and to sift us as wheat.
We need to be sober and not foolish.
We need to work while it is day for night cometh and no man can work!
We need to be ready when Jesus comes back as well as when we are caught up or die our natural death.
Then we can say, “Oh death, where is thy sting…and Oh Grave..where is thy victory!
So; until that time ..let us be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of The Lord, for as much as you know, that your labor is not in vain, in the Lord!…Amen? Amen! So be it!
Pearl West
Dr. Mike, what a great teaching on the warning of Rom.13:11, and also Amen to Elder Reggi Jones as well. There is truly a sense of urgency to not only work while it is day for the night is coming, but we must indeed be “Ready”, because I believe the Night is already here. You can even sense the fear in non believers that something is going on in our world that preparation needs to be made for. And we as Saints must stay busy sounding the alarm! Get Ready! Jesus is on His way Soon!