Wake Up And Get Clean

Posted on March 18, 2007

 

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Romans 13:11-14

It’s been quite a few weeks since we were in the book of Romans, but when we were, we looked at verse 11 of this passage in the message titled Wake Up and Get Concerned! Tonight, we finish chapter 13 on the thought that in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ, we ought to keep ourselves clean and pure.

Jesus is coming for a purified church, a holy bride!

The subject of consecration, separation, or holiness of life is a very confusing doctrine. It’s an area where a lot of people disagree. We really struggle to maintain a balance on questions such as…

• Do I willfully purify myself, or does God do it supernaturally? I think the answer is yes to both!
• Do I separate myself from worldly practices and habits, or do I just separate myself to God’s service? Again, the answer is yes to both.
• Is it possible to be truly holy and pure, or is it a practical improbability? The answer, again, is yes to both.

TWO PHASES OF THE PURIFYING WORK OF GOD…

1. We need to put off darkness.

We are to put off the “works of darkness.” That is, we are to clean out of our lives that which is produced by our energy leading to darkness. We are no longer to expend energy for the sake of darkness.

Paul mentions three areas in particular (certainly not exhaustive)…

• Get clean from substance intoxication. Paul clearly condemns drunkenness. Alcohol is a controversial subject among Christians today, but for me it is quite clear. We’re not to put a controlling toxin into our bodies. You may argue that you can drink “moderately” or “socially” and I could argue that I can drink a tiny bit of arsenic every day and it won’t kill me, but I’d still be purposely ingesting poison.

• Get clean from sexual immorality. The word “lewdness” or “chambering” in the King James is the word from which we get our word “couch” or “bed.” It’s used in Scripture to refer to both the marriage bed shared between married couples, and the bed of adultery. It means to lie down together. Thayer and Strong both define it using the word “cohabitation.” In its broader sense, and combined with the next word, “lust,” it covers every kind of sexual immorality—premarital sex, living together, adultery, pornography, prostitution, etc.

• Get clean from relational illnesses. Strife and envy refer to those sins that cause us to fight with one another, to quarrel and to get competitive. I have served two churches early in my ministry that were absolutely destroyed because of power struggles. There was a control factor. One wanted to vote every year on their Pastor, whether he was doing the job they expected or not. The other was under the spell of a very controlling woman who happened to be a strong tither. They both used business meetings like battering rams.

2. We need to put on Christ.

Notice that there is a balance, an exchange in the Christian life. It’s not just saying “no” to bad stuff. It’s saying “yes” to the person and work and influence of Jesus Christ within us.

Verse 14 is one of the keys to living a pure Christian life. It’s a summary of our walk with God, in fact. There is a contrast in the verse. Cover yourself with the provisions of Jesus Christ—His cleanness, His righteousness, the eternal life He offers. And refuse to cover yourself with any provision for sin. Make no allowance, leave no door open, leave no occasion. I’ve heard a lot of Christians say, “If I’m really committed, I shouldn’t have to remove every temptation, I should just be able to resist.” That’s dumb! It’s like letting our kids play around poisonous snake pits so long as they know not to fall in.

Proverbs 6:27-29 speaks of this principle. Can we put ourselves in a place of temptation and expect to come out clean? Usually not. Job 31:1 is a great verse too. Job says, “I have made a covenant with my eyes, why then should I look at a young woman?” He says, because of my covenant, why even look? Why entertain sin?

Jesus Christ provides a covering of righteousness in both a judicial and a practical sense. I am covered before the throne of judgment in the precious blood and righteousness of the Lamb of God. But I am also capable of defeating sin in my life through the practical righteousness Jesus offers to those who will throw off the old patters, make no provision for sin, and put on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

How are you doing on purity? Are you clean tonight? Or if Jesus were to come in this moment, would He find you hanging on to heaven by a thread, dirty and ashamed of the life you’ve been living? How’s your thought life? In His blood is cleansing. At the throne is mercy because of the death He died on Calvary. Wake up and get clean tonight!