Romans 13:11, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”
Paul has previously described what it means to live as a Christian on this side of eternity, giving us a series of commands, many of them difficult to follow. Paul has painted a picture of a believer as a person who sets himself aside for the good of others and radically trusts God to provide all that is needed.
Why it is so essential for Christians to live this way? Because time is of the essence. The world is changing right now. Paul writes to the Roman Christians that the hour has come for them to wake up, in the sense that the sun is about to rise. It’s time to get to work.
The New Testament often describes salvation as something that has happened, is happening, and will happen. In this case, Paul is referring to salvation in the sense that all who are in Christ will have reached eternity, and that the time of ultimate victory and judgment is fast approaching.
Paul believed that day could come at any time. Two thousand years later, we are still looking forward to it. Let’s move forward together in eager anticipation of Christ’s return!
