"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ…" Romans 13:14

A MIGHTY CHALLENGE ISSUED

Paul concluded his discussion of living significantly with these words.

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the flesh,
to fulfill its lusts."
Romans 13:14

Once again, Paul painted two contrasting pictures!

1. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ"

a) The conjunction "but" is a reference to the previous verse (Romans 13:13- the second part of the verse)

b) The genuine and wise believer will not choose but to "walk properly, as in the day"!

c) An even stronger thought

i) Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

ii) This imagery is that of wearing clothes.

iii) The clothes the believer wears cannot but feature the Lord Jesus Himself.

iv) The believer would seek to walk as his Master did.

2. "And make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts"

It would be wise to remember what Paul had written earlier about the flesh and its lusts!

a) Sin seeks to reign in the flesh Romans 6:12

b) Sin seeks to have dominion Romans 6:14

c) Sin seeks to enslave Romans 6:17, 19, 20

d) Sin seeks to kill Romans 7:11

THE BATTLE WITH SIN AND THE FLESH

The believer must know that the sin principle still survives in the flesh (even though the sinful nature has been crucified with Christ). Sin is a law within the body that must be battled! The only way to defeat the principle of sin is to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and to let Him live in us with His glorious power!