"Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13v13-14
Paul now comes to the second part of his final appeal. In the first part the emphasis was on URGENCY, now in the second part the emphasis is on HONESTY. He says let us "walk honestly;" the word means "becomingly," to live in such a way that it truly represents what we believe. There is nothing worse than people preaching and living the opposite. We are to do those things which are "becoming" to the gospel of the grace of God. In Paul's mind this means there are things we have to cast off of the old life, and there are things we have to put on of the new. Here he mentions the kind of things we are to put away from our lives, which marked us before we were saved. Our former life he described as "darkness" our new life he describes as "light."
He presents samples of the things we are to discard in the form of three couplets; 1st Rioting and drunkenness; 2nd Chambering and wantonness; 3rd Strife and envying. Consideration of these reveal that the one leads to another. These we have to cast away: these practices we must ruthlessly discard from our lives. They are unacceptable practices for the Christian . We have to cast them off as we would old and filthy clothing, and replace them with new clothing. This is something that all of us do physically every day; now says Paul we are to do this spiritually. In another place he puts it like this "mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth." Put then to death, be done with them, finish with them, eject them once and for all from your lives.
- Rioting with drunkenness - This is the way the world lives. The phrase is banded about "party animals" and people are heard to proclaim that this is what they are. Involved in this is an abandonment of reason by means of intoxication to give vent to the pleasures of the flesh. Rioting is komos, a carousel, a letting loose, revellings, wild fleshly behavior. The fuel for this kind of living is strong alcoholic drink which is the word "methe". The dangers and abuses of this are well documented in society and should not be part of the Christian life. The scriptures are clear of the dangers of this "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? they that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder." Proverbs 23v29-31 This kind of living has a fatal attraction for those intent on partying, but there are pleasures for the Christian which the carousers wouldn't believe possible. "At Thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more."
- Chambering and wantonness - Chambering is koite which literally means a couch. What is in view here is using a couch or a bed for illicit sexual purposes. The marriage bed is ordained of God and is described as "honorable in all things and the bed undefiled." Hebrews 13v4 There the couch or the bed is seen to be something good from the hand of God. All other beds or couches are evil in the sight of the Lord. We live in a day of unlawful sexual activity, the practice of which is condoned sometimes even just by our silence. The constant practice of this leads to what is described as wantonness; the word is aselgeia which could be rendered licentiousness, that is the licence to do anything that comes from the desires of our flesh. In effect, a blank cheque to do what we like; unbridled behavior where morality goes out the window. This is in fact the society we are living in now, and dare anyone seek to condemn it? That is the way of the world and the consequences are evident for all to see. This marked our former life, all this is to be put away.
- Strife and envying - Strife is eris the disposition to quarrel, an attitude of wrangling, of contention of debate. Envying is zelos from which we get our word "zeal" and used in connection with strife, can only be seen in a bad sense. It means intense dislike to the point of active hatred against another human being. This pattern of behavior was also part of our lives in our unconverted days. It is certain that Christians may be still subject to this kind of living more than the previous ones which are more obvious. Strife and envying has to be put away.
Alternatively we are to walk honestly, the word is euschemonoss it means decently, becomingly, it means to order our steps under the eye of God. The list above of things we have to discard is only a sample. Paul now reveals how we are to replace these things in our lives with this amazing phrase at the end of the chapter "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." What is the standard for a Christian? How do I decide what I can do and what I cannot do? Answer....... put on the Lord Jesus Christ. he is the standard by which I live! How can I put on a person? I can do it because in the teaching of Romans chapter 8 His Spirit dwells within me. To put Him on, to bring His standard into my life, I need to study Him from God's word, I need His Spirit to reveal Him to me, I need His Spirit's power to display His life within me. The occupation therefore of the Christian is no longer in self indulgence; it is in replicating the features of Christ which have been revealed in His word.
Paul ends his appeal by saying "make no provision for the flesh;" cut off the supply which fuels the desires of the flesh. In the treatment of cancer, doctors would seek to cut the supply of sugar and blood to the cancer cells to prevent the spread. We have to do the same with our own inordinate desires. Make no provision! if we thought about it, this is what we do every day and all day long. Cut off the supply and it will die a natural death.
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