11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
The Time is Coming... Get Ready!
Christians believe the world is going to end one day. Jesus makes it very clear in His teachings. He also says He will return at the end of time and that all of us need to "get ready." Paul is giving a similar warning here. But what does it mean to "get ready"?
Paul makes it very clear... we should behave decently, and he says we must not engage in carousing or getting drunk. I had to look up the word carousing, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "to drink liquor freely or excessively." So, this is an example of something we should NOT be doing if we want to get ready for the return of Jesus. He also says we should not engage in sexual immorality and debauchery. I had to look up debauchery too, and Merriam-Webster defines it as "extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures: behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral." Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Paul also says we should not engage in dissension and jealousy. I know jealousy is selfishly desiring what other people have, but I wasn't too sure about dissension; here's what Merriam-Webster said: "partisan and contentious quarreling."
So let's put it all together... We should live decent lives that are free of a love for alcohol and sexual immorality and in which we strive to live peacefully and lovingly with others. Paul says Jesus is basically expecting this of us and that these are signs that should define our faith and life in Jesus. In Paul's eloquent words, we should "put on the armor of light" and avoid gratifying "the desires of the flesh."
Today is a good day to reflect on how we're doing and to ask oursleves, "Are we ready?" If not, do something today to "get ready" for Jesus' return.
- Brian Hall
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