How Am I Clothed?

Meditations on Romans

September 21, 2021

How Am I Clothed?

Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 13:14a

Read Romans 13:8-14

“Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another” (Romans 13:8). My parents lived in a culture where close attention was paid to social customs. If friends invited you to dinner or to a party, you had an obligation to return the favor. In this quid pro quo culture, a favor was expected for a favor. Paul envisioned a different way of living where you can accept a grace offered without incurring an obligation to return a grace in kind. This form of culture is possible when we are grounded in a belief of the great commandment to love one another as we love ourselves. Paul continued this teaching by rehearsing several of the Ten Commandments and then summarizes all ten with one commandment: love your neighbor as yourself. Because love does no wrong to others, love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

Some people have interpreted the closing passage, verses 11-14, as a prediction that the end of the age was close at hand. I don’t think that was Paul’s intent. I think Paul sensed an impending crisis. The letter to the Romans was written in 57-58 AD. There was much restlessness in the Roman Empire at that time leading to the destruction of Jerusalem about ten years later. Paul had a sense of urgency for the witness for Christ. John Wesley shared that same urgency as he instructed his circuit riders traveling to America, “You have no other business than to save souls and spread scriptural holiness across the land.” Regrettably, this sense of urgency for the witness for Christ has been lost on the present age.

My Takeaway: Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (NIV). Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (NRSV). Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ (NLT). Whichever translation you choose for verse 14a, take time to meditate on this question: How different would my life be if I began everyday with this conscious thought, “I am clothed in the presence of my Lord, Jesus Christ?”

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.