We are in the midst of our study of the imperative moods addressed to church age believers.
Last time we completed the study of Rom 13:1-7 where the believer's relationship to civil government is addressed.
We must always remember that these meditates are enabled by the power and grace for God and as a result are not a burden. 1John 5:3; Believers are empowered by the grace resources made freely available to them inside the PPOG.
With this in mind, we are now looking at Rom 13:14; where we have the mandate to "put on" TLJC.
Rom 13:14; But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no (" me poieo” poieo plus the negative particle me: do not make, bring about, or cause) provision ("pronoia" foresight or plans or what you can foresee) for the flesh (“sarx" the old sin nature) because of its lusts (“epithumia" lust patterns or desires)
This passage describes the process that enables the believer to function in the assets of their new identity.
That is the "Putting on of TLJC and making no provision for the OSN"
The OSN of every person has a particular area weakness among the lust patterns that is extremely difficult to control and this passage tells us not to make provision or to plan ahead or to make opportunity for those desires from the OSN to be fulfilled.
Believers do not overcome this by reforming themselves or trying to do better. It can only be accomplished by God as believer permits God to work in them through the thinking of TLJC by their PVD. Phil 2:13;
It is not the believer's work it is God's Eph 2:10;
The advance in the spiritual life is described as the changing of a garment. We are told to put on the new man, which is created after the image of God in true righteousness and holiness Eph 4:24;.
The words translated "put on" is in the middle voice where God does the work and the believer permits it.
We are told to stop lying to one another, seeing that we have put off the old man and his practices, and that we have put on the new man, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created us Col 3:9-10;.
Again the words translated "having put off” and "having put on" are in the middle voice where God does the work when the believer permits it through their PVD.
We are told that those who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal 3:27;. The aorist passive indicative of the Greek word "baptizo" referring to the moment in time that the person believed in TLJC, was saved and received the grace assets of salvation from God.
The word translated "clothed” is in the middle voice where God does the work when the believer permits it through their PVD. It is also in the aorist tense referring to the change that occurred at the moment of salvation by Grace Through Faith alone in TLJC alone.
In our passage Rom 13:4; we are told to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and to make no provision for the flesh, regarding it's lust patterns.
The OSN is compared to a dirty garment that is to be laid aside as we would lay aside dirty clothing, and to put on the new man as we would put on clean clothes.
We see that this work is established by God the Holy Spirit in the unbeliever at the point of their salvation and it is maintained by God the Holy Spirit in the believer when the believer simply acknowledges any known sin to God. 1John 1:9;
The Galatians passage describes the process as having already been finished; the other passages encourage believers to keep on receiving the work of God the Holy Spirit.
This principle is true of all of mandates found in the Scripture. God first establishes us in our position in union with TLJC and then describes the blessings he has given to believers who are in union with him and then goes on to tell us to live in what he has provided by Grace though Faith by walking in him as received him. Col 2:6-7;
We are told that the gift, the endowment, and the power, is ours, and then told that we are to exercise the gift, to enjoy the endowment, and to use the power and advance in it. 2Pet 3:18;
At salvation the believer is provided with all of the resources in from their position in union with TLJC that are necessary to comply with the mandates of God but the process of making no provision for the OSN and putting on TLJC experientially takes place in multiple phases as a result of the believer's consistent persistent PMA of Bible Doctrine that results in the renovation of the thinking. Eph 4:23;
The Greek word that is translated "renew" is "ananeoo", that means to make new, to receive new strength, vigor and energy, to be completely changed to a new kind of life.
Our minds are like computers, and because we are in the kosmos we always receiving information from the kosmic system that left unchecked results in our functioning under the OSN.
This is why we are to critically evaluate all of the information that is being presented to us. 1Thes 5:21;
In order to prevent this, the believer's mind must be reprogrammed with the "mind of Christ" that will enable us to live, as God would have us live.
This renovation is where the believer "puts on Christ" or actually the mind or thinking of Christ that then rules the believer's thinking and thereby the believer's life. Prov 23:7a;
With this thinking and the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit,
The believer resists the influence of the OSN by submitting to God James 4:7;
The believer overcomes the OSN by obeying God the Holy Spirit Gal 5:16;
The believer develops a habit of being victorious over the OSN. Rom 6:14; 1John 5:4-5;
The believer enters into the secret of the victorious life that is "hid with Christ in God” Rom 8:37; 2Cor 2:14 Col 3:1-3;
God entrusts the believer with their part in his plan. 1Tim 1:12; 1Cor 4:2;
God permits the believer to participate with him in delivering others from the control of their OSN Jude 1:22-23;
The believer is empowered to experience heaven while living on earth in the devil's world Jude 1:24-25; Phil 4:6-7;
This renovated thinking enables believers to see problems as God sees them. There are no problems in life that are too great for Christ Jesus who strengthens you, for nothing is impossible for God.
There is no problem too big for God, but if we fail to put on TLJC that results in the change our thinking, we leave ourselves open to doubts, fears, worries and anxieties that come from the OSN because of the chaos of the world that surrounds us.
With the thinking of TLJC believers can live in absolute tranquility in the midst of that chaos because the TLJC has purchased it for us.
This lifestyle is not automatic, the believer will experience it only to the degree that they have the same thinking that TLJC had while he was on the earth during the DUHC. John 16:33;
The next imperative mood we will examine is found in Rom 14:1; where the words translated "not for the purpose of passing judgment" is the second person present middle imperative of the Greek word "proslambano" plus the negative "me" that is a command not to judge.
The believer's faith or knowledge of Bible Doctrine is progressive. So strong believers are obliged to tolerate the nonessential, inconsequential, and occasionally obnoxious opinions and actions of weak believers while they are in Bible Class for the purpose of learning Bible Doctrine. Rom 10:17; 1Pet 2:2; 2Pet 3:18;
The objective learning is to come to a unity in Doctrine Eph 4:13-16;