Sermon Outline: Seven Directives for Our TimeWe do well as we near the end of the time of the Gentiles to take heed as to the course of action we should take according to the Holy Scriptures.

We find seven such directives in Romans 13:10-14. For this message, I felt led of God to put verse 10 last. I. Wake Up 11-12a For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: Sleep is being used here metaphorically of spiritual sleep. Some of us who like natural foods feel that sometimes people get sluggish due to chemical additives in our food. Likewise, for the Christian walk, a little sin here, a little sin there, and after a time we get spiritually drowsy. Many who name the Name of Christ are in a spiritual slumber, or at least drowsiness, which is sometimes induced by religion that replaces a relationship with God through Christ. Some are not as alert as they should be because they hold on to the thinking of the world. If Paul, by the Holy Spirit, felt salvation (meaning here complete redemption by being given a new body) was nearer then, it is much closer now. Yet, spiritual stupor has blinded the eyes of many to the fact that the establishment of the United Nations and Israel in the 1940s certainly sets the stage for the Armageddon passages of the Holy Bible to fulfilled. Or, take for example the act of beheading mentioned in Revelation 20:4. Before I came to Christ, and just afterwards, I thought surely that prophecy was speaking figuratively. Now that we have arrived in the 21st century and we see the rise of certain Islamic{1} forces it is quite clear Revelation 20:4 is anything but figurative.

II. Throw Your Sins Away 12b let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, While we are cleansed in Christ, we are to participate in our continual cleansing (see 1 John 3:1-3). We cannot truly and fully love Christ while clinging to sinful ways. We need to hate our sin and make every effort, through the Holy power given to us by Jesus Christ, to cast it away.

III. Put On Armor 12d and let us put on the armor of light. Let us remember that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). That is simply another sort of a way to say that God is holy. This last phrase of verse 12 also reminds me that we must put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18). IV. Live Properly 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. One mistake Christians sometimes make is that in the process of removing dead wood out of their life they do not then fill that empty spot with something that God would specifically want. Once we cast off the works of darkness, not only do we need to put on the armor of Light but we must also take the initiative to do the works of Christ as empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit.

To walk honestly would include behaving like Christ when not only around others, but when we are alone. It also includes dealing with our inmost being, permitting the Holy Spirit to work through and with us to eliminate those things that are displeasing before Him. V. Wear Christ 14a But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ We are living in a time when those presenting Gods Word must endeavor to make sure people do not misunderstand. So, to be clear, this term put on does not mean to make believe! It means{2} to put on like donning clothing. Clothing ourselves with Christ is the same as putting on the previously mentioned armor of Light. Along with covering our nakedness, clothing protects us to a degree from sunlight, insects and other things. So, too, Christ covers our spiritual nakedness due to our sinful nature and gives us a level of protection from satanic and worldly influences. VI. Defend Yourself 14b-c and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Our sinful flesh is a big enemy of ours. One of the keys to not make provision for the flesh is that we should challenge our thoughts. We must learn to immediately cast away any sinful thought and not entertain it, even for a few seconds. Also, if we know something bothers us, we should make an effort to stay away from it.

VII. Do No Harm 10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. I saved this one for last because I wanted to drive home the point to my hearers that if we make no effort to cast away the works of darkness and put on the Lord Christ we are harming our neighbor. We fulfill the Law by obeying Christ through His Holy Spirit by faith. Keep in mind that real love is (2 John 6), And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.