I enjoyed your comments Mike
When I first looked at this verse, it looked straight forward - but being the "Bible thumper" I am, questions are springing forth...
In this verse of Rom.13:12, there is a concern expressed about being "asleep."
The same is expressed in Mat.25 where half of the 10 were also "asleep."
And when we get to Rev.3, we see also that the church is in neutral...and tho the word "sleep" is not used in Rev.3:14-15, I think it means the same as our text in Romans, and Mathew.
It seems as though we have had this problem of being asleep for a long time:
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"The Laodicean message has its application in conditions that exist in the church of God to-day. Many of God's people have strengthened themselves in their own way, followed the impulses of their own minds, and have grown indifferent to the admonitions of the Lord. Many who were once firm believers in the truth have become careless in regard to their spiritual welfare, and are yielding without opposition to Satan's well-laid plots."
I think that the above paragraph describes well, the "works of darkness," we are plagued with. Ellen White calls this "an insipid religious experience." (Letter 98, 1901).
We say that "the armor of light" is "putting on Christ," and then the church gets busy as beavers; but is all well when religious activity picks up? Maybe. Maybe not.
It seems to be extremely difficult to "wake up:"
"The message to the Laodicean church is highly applicable to us as a people. It has been placed before us for a long time..."
Are we not in "darkness," as we stay comfortably where we are?
A busy church may not be the answer to how we put on the "armor of light:"
"You may manifest great zeal in missionary effort, , and yet because it is corrupted with selfishness, and tastes strongly of self, it is naught in the sight of God..." (Ms.#33, 1894)
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Every true child of God should now be inquiring, "What wouldst thou have me to do? Brethren, for Christ's sake, do something, and do it now. Satanic influences are all around us, to be met and resisted. The tares are mingled with the wheat, error with truth, coldness with zeal, darkness with light. There must be a returning to our first love. We must battle nobly with tribulation and danger, in the midst of trials, tests, and provings of God. We must be rich in faith and good works. The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to those who have been made the repository of rich truth. This church is distinguished in prophecy by its great profession of advanced light; yet it was filled with spiritual pride and lukewarmness in religion. They had a religious theory, but were greatly lacking in moral power and holiness. They are pronounced wretched, poor, blind, and naked. O that our people would realize the danger, and heed the counsel of the True Witness, "Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed; . . . and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."
I have got to find out more about this gold! How about you? Is this what our "armor of light" should be made out of?
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"...you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Jude 3
DavidTBattler
[This message has been edited by DavidTBattler (edited November 19, 2001).]
