Romans 13:13-14, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
Now Paul describes the opposite lifestyle: deeds of darkness, in which those who follow Christ should no longer participate. These things don’t fit with who we are or the time in which we live. Paul urges us to walk as if it were daytime instead of taking part in the things that people usually do under the cover of darkness.
What should daytime people no longer do? Debauchery and drunkenness describe a lifestyle of reckless partying. Sexual immorality and sensuality are the focus of those seeking personal pleasure above the good of others. Quarreling and jealousy are both about the need to serve ourselves first and best.
When Paul uses the word “flesh,” he means more than just sexual immorality. He means all the human appetites we experience to feel good, to get what we want, and to be treated well. Instead, as Jesus did, we must put others first and trust God to provide for us in ways that bring Him glory.
Are you trusting God to supply your every need or trying to do it all for yourself today?
