Wake from sleep
Assistant Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity
Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology
Virginia Union University
In this passage Paul expresses from his heart and experience that the center of Christian theology and life requires understanding of the time (kairos), God’s eschatological time – already breaking into history and yet to be fulfilled. This time begins when we wake from sleep. We should wake from the self-centered, crooked vision of who God is, who we are in the world, and who we are in relation to others. We should move away from excessive individualism and factionalism in our communities, as were the grave issues for the Roman Christians. We should also wake from self-seeking glory and power which sacrifice others – the voiceless, the poor, and the marginalized. A way of the Roman Empire and society is focused on success, prosperity, competition, and survival, as is today. If we are involved in perennial strivings for more power or honor as such, we are doing “the works of darkness.” But the way of Christian life, not made or achieved once and for all, seeks costly love and sacrifice for others – a far larger community than we think we are in. It requires everyday life as we submit to the cross of our own every moment. It is done through baptizing into Christ’s death. It is done by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is done by putting our fleshly desires to death. That is what we do as we wait for the day and the time.
Prayer
Loving and gracious God, help us see the purpose of Christ’s sacrifice
and love for the world. As we go through adverse life conditions everyday, strengthen
and renew our mind and body so that we continue on our journey with faith, hope
and love.