Puritan pastor and theologian Thomas Watson wrote "O how much contemplative wickedness is in the world!" He wrote this in 1681, so you can imagine the increase of wicked thoughts with the modern technology and television shows of our day. Thomas wrote "we startle at gross sin, but we are not troubled so much for sinful thoughts." For Christians, their thoughts are what God judges. Do not be deceived, if you don't tremble at your thought life before a holy God, then you don't understand your need for His daily grace. Nor do you understand that you have been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8). Before we ever act it out, sin has already been birthed and lived out in our thoughts. Paul addressed this reality in his letter to the Romans when he wrote "but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires" (Romans 13:14). Paul essentially says we have two choices, Jesus Christ or our sinful nature. But how is a believer to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ?"
The context of this verse is to never assume we just remain in Christ without a daily, moment by moment relationship, where our thoughts are continually upon Him. No, we are to lay hold of Him and live under Christ as our Lord. Neglecting God's word, refraining from prayer, and living for ourselves will remove Christ and distance us from His presence and grace. The result is gratifying the flesh and our self-centered nature. Whenever the word "flesh" is used in scripture it refers to our old enslavement to sin and the corrupt world system. We desperately must continue to be transformed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit and God's word. Separation for a day, week, month, or years greatly cripples a relationship which affects our thought life. The prophet Micah stated that men first devise sin, then act it (Micah 2:1, 2). So what occurs with separation, the heart and thoughts of men "make plans to satisfy the fleshly desires."
So here is Paul's intent as he wrote Romans 13:14, without putting on Christ, believers will be dragged back into sin and given over to temptation. Then provision follows, meaning "forethought." Believers begin to plan their sin in their thoughts. The remedy is to make sin undesirable and inconvenient in our thoughts, so that its never birthed and then carried out, which is only done by putting on Christ.
Put on Christ daily and abide in Him while your thoughts become more holy and honoring to God.
The context of this verse is to never assume we just remain in Christ without a daily, moment by moment relationship, where our thoughts are continually upon Him. No, we are to lay hold of Him and live under Christ as our Lord. Neglecting God's word, refraining from prayer, and living for ourselves will remove Christ and distance us from His presence and grace. The result is gratifying the flesh and our self-centered nature. Whenever the word "flesh" is used in scripture it refers to our old enslavement to sin and the corrupt world system. We desperately must continue to be transformed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit and God's word. Separation for a day, week, month, or years greatly cripples a relationship which affects our thought life. The prophet Micah stated that men first devise sin, then act it (Micah 2:1, 2). So what occurs with separation, the heart and thoughts of men "make plans to satisfy the fleshly desires."
So here is Paul's intent as he wrote Romans 13:14, without putting on Christ, believers will be dragged back into sin and given over to temptation. Then provision follows, meaning "forethought." Believers begin to plan their sin in their thoughts. The remedy is to make sin undesirable and inconvenient in our thoughts, so that its never birthed and then carried out, which is only done by putting on Christ.
Put on Christ daily and abide in Him while your thoughts become more holy and honoring to God.
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