Romans 13:11-12 - Exposition

And that (for a similar use of καὶ τοῦτο , or καὶ ταῦτα , cf. 1 Corinthians 6:8 ; Ephesians 2:8 ; Philippians 1:28 ; Hebrews 10:25 ; Hebrews 11:12 ), knowing that it is high time for you to awake out of sleep (more literally, that it is the hour for you to be already roused out of sleep ) ; for now is our salvation nearer (or, now is salvation nearer to us. The salvation here meant is "the restitution of all things" ( Acts 3:21 ), the "manifestation of the sons of God" ( Romans 8:19 ), "the regeneration" ( Matthew 19:28 ), the "gathering together in one of all things in Christ," ( Ephesians 1:10 ), which is yet to come) than when we believed ( i.e. than when we first became believers; cf. Acts 19:2 ; 1 Corinthians 3:5 ; 1 Corinthians 15:2 ; Galatians 2:16 . Time has been gradually advancing since then, bringing the consummation we look for ever nearer). The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light . Former habits of life are here, as elsewhere, regarded as clothing once worn—a man's habitual investment, though not part of his real self—which is to be put off (cf. Ephesians 4:22 ; Colossians 3:8 , Colossians 3:9 ); instead whereof are to he put on, as a new investment, the graces and virtues, supplied to us from the region of light, which constitute the Christian character (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 ; 2 Corinthians 6:7 ; Ephesians 6:11 , seq.). In all these passages the new clothing to be put on is designated as armour, the idea being carried out in detail in Ephesians 6:11 , etc.; and thus the further conception is introduced of Christians being as soldiers on the watch during the watches of the night, awaiting daybreak, equipped with arms of heavenly proof, careful not to sleep on their post, or to allow themselves in revelry or any deeds of shame, such as are done in the night under the cover of darkness.