Psalm 52:4,8

⁴ Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. ⁸ But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

PUT ON CHRIST
ROMANS 13:11-14

 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.

Vs. 11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Paul has told the believers in Rome how to behave themselves regarding the government and their laws (verses 1-7), then the apostle speaks regarding the love they are to have toward one another and enforces the matter by the second table of the law, he says: and do this, knowing the time. And do this, ‘means and indeed’ the Greek oida means ‘to have seen or perceived’; hence, to know, have knowledge of the fact that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; the Greek kairos does not mean time in general but ‘a time (season) with distinct significance’. For now, our salvation (soteria) is nearer than when we first believed, The spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to all those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom alone it is to be obtained, and upon confession of Him as Lord. It would appear that the apostle is thinking of the present time in which he is writing, which has its termination in the second coming of the Lord. The Lord comes for His sheep at the appointed time, in our little assembly we have seen the Lord come for His own  many times, the most recent was for brother David Thorne.

Vs.  12 The night is far spent the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Now Paul addresses what all the saints have undergone, the passing away of Pagan darkness and night in their lives; the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. The Christian lived in absolute darkness until the Holy Spirit quickened them into life. Then the light of the glorious gospel of salvation through the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ was made effectual to them; therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light. The dawn of grace had broken in on their soul, the night of darkness is over. Now they see for the first time and they are robed in armor of light. Some think Paul is referring to the Roman soldier who wore a shining metal plate or breast covering from his chin to just below his waist. Now we are ready to go forth into the world in the day conducting ourselves in a modest, decent and becoming manner.We have the Christian armor revealed in Ephesians 6:13-18.

Vs. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. Now that the apostle has the Christian dressed, he tells him how to walk in this world, he uses plain language, First, let us walk properly euschemonos denotes gracefully, becoming, decently, and honestly or as the text properly in contrast to the Gentile social life. As in the day, hemera a period of natural light, a period of opportunity for service. Not in revelry komos a revel, carousal the concomitant and consequence of drunkenness methe strong drink, denotes drunkenness, habitual intoxication.  Not in lewdness koite primarily a place in which to lie down, hence, a bed, denotes illicit intercourse. Not in lewdness and lust aselgeia absence of restraint, indecency, wantonness, lasciviousness, lewdness one of the evils that proceeds from the heart. Not in strife, eris contention is the expression of enmity, and envy phthonos the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others, there is always a evil sense attached to this word.

Vs. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Paul is telling Christians to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, this means to be identified with the Lord Jesus Christ not only in His death but also in His resurrection life. The full title of Lord (kurios meaning Lord, Master, Owner, Sir)was givento the Savior in its full significanceupon Hisresurrection from the dead.Therefore, He is sovereign having power over all flesh and He is going to give eternal life to all that the Father gave to Him. They will make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts as they deny all lusts and reveal perfections of purity.When we think of Christ as holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners we see the total contrast between the vices described in verse 13 and the pattern set forth in verse 14. We are not to make any provisions for the fulfilment of the lusts of the flesh.

THESE VERSES USED IN THE SALVATION OF AUGUSTINE

Augustine was born 13 November 354 AD in a small town in North Africa his name was Aurelius. However, he never used that name. His mother’s name was Monica. She was a Christian, but his father was a pagan who received baptism on his death bed. His parents had great ambitions for their son, but their desires differed greatly. His mother wanted him to be a Christian, but his father was interested in him being well educated so he could become great and wealthy, therefore, he attended the best schools.  He was trained as a rhetorician, one who made his living by arguing cases of law or giving speeches. He was so successful that he was appointed government professor of rhetoric in Milan. This position gave him a high social standing and brought him into contact with the most influential people in Italy, to include members of the Roman court. He is thought of as a great libertine, but he was not as depraved as is supposed. He was promiscuous until he met a woman that he truly loved, and by the age of seventeen formed a long-lasting relationship with her. His parents did not want him to marry supposing that marriage at such an early age would be an obstacle to his career. After living together for fourteen years they were forced to separate so he could make a proper legal marriage, he wrote of his heartbreak when they were forced to part. She left him in Italy and went to Africa leaving him the son to whom she had given birth. Augustine lived in an age of sexual liberation, much like the world in which we live today. He openly confessed his sins which are the same sins many here in America commit today but remain silent.

Augustine with ruthless self-examination and logic explains that even in his indulgences his heart remained restless. For a time, he lived for foolish pleasures, but he found that even as he over indulged, in all the pleasures of the flesh he had no rest. He had a strong and restless mind, and he went from one popular philosophical system to another to try to discover the truth. This led him to the philosophy of the Manichaeans, the rationalists of that age. They expressed a high reverence for Jesus Christ, but their religion was all naturalistic and anti-supernatural. They were critical of the Bible and had developed a way of looking at evil that relieved man of responsibility for personal sins or failures. This was appealing to Augustine it bolstered his intellectual pride, allowed him to speak well of his mother’s religion, excused his moral failings, and freed him to live in any manner he pleased. Augustine drifted away from the Manichaeans, being disillusioned and skeptical, but he was then introduced to the Platonists. They sought for an immaterial reality, good, or truth behind the observable phenomena of life. This had a deep effect on the young man;  but he found no forgiveness for his sin or peace which he longed for.

He went to Milan as the government professor of rhetoric.  This introduced him to the influential Italians and even the Roman court. He came under the influence of Ambrose, the bishop of Milan. Ambrose was a man of great intellect, and outstanding preacher, so Augustine went to hear him. At first, he was only interested in his homiletical style. But Ambrose was an expositor of the Bible and teacher of Christian doctrine. In spite of himself Augustine was led deeper into understanding the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. He had not yet committed himself to follow Jesus and be His disciple; but he was reading the Bible. In his confessions, Augustine wrote: “But I, miserable young man, supremely miserable even in the very outset of my youth, had entreated chastity of thee, and said, ‘Grant me chastity and continency, but not yet.’ For I was afraid lest thou shouldest hear me soon, and soon deliver me.”

At last there came the well-known scene in the garden of a friends, estate near Milan, where Augustine was converted. He had been reading the Bible but became so distressed at his own lack of spiritual resolution that he vented his emotions in tears. He cried out “But thou, O Lord, how long?” “How long O Lord? Wilt thou be angry forever? O, remember not against us former iniquities; Why not now? Why is there not this hour an end to my uncleanness?” Then he heard the voice of a boy or girl from a neighboring house repeating, take up and read, take up and read.” He took up the volume of the apostles and open it and read the first paragraph he saw, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. “As the sentence ended, by a light, as it were, of security infused into my heart—all the gloom of doubt vanished away.” A life of service now lay before him.

Catechism Question 40

Q:  What benefits do believers receive from Christ at their death?

A: The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies being still united to Christ do rest in their graves till the resurrection.

Hebrews 12:23
²³ To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,