Introduction to Romans 13:14

Driving home: And to understand and to live and to submit to the impress of such texts is in the true sense to have one of the keys to an understanding of the general teaching of the Word of God.

This analogy explains how some Bible texts, like Romans 13:14, gather scattered truths and bring them to a sharp, burning focus, much like a magnifying glass concentrates the sun's rays.

They act like the magnifying glass does upon the rays of the sun. If you were to go out on an ordinary sunny day, you would find the rays of the sun gently dispersed all around you. But if you take the magnifying glass, what you do is capture some of those rays, and by virtue of the, the peculiar properties of the magnifying glass, they are bent until they all come to a hot and burning focus. And with that magnifying glass you can start a fire, or as I once foolishly did, burn your skin.

5:20 - 5:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And to understand and to live and to submit to the impress of such texts is in the true sense to have one of the keys to an understanding of the general teaching of the Word of God.

Martin recounts foolishly burning his hand with a magnifying glass to test its power, illustrating the intense, focused impact of certain biblical truths when properly understood and applied.

I couldn't believe that it would take, I put my hand through the gentle rays and felt no heat, and the magnifying glass was cold, and I couldn't believe that it was really making that leaf smoke. So I was going to be smart, and put it to the test, so I took the magnifying glass, until it brought all the rays of the sun to a burning focus on my hand, and I said, ouch, and I probably have a scar somewhere to prove my folly. Well, I say, there are texts in the Bible which have that same, facility. They take truth scattered as it were by the gentle rays of divine light, all the way through the old...

5:58 - 7:14 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He has a peculiar, a distinct love for those whom He has marked out to be His, and given to His own beloved Son, ere the world was ever framed.

This metaphor describes the introductory nature of the sermon, comparing it to preparing a meal by setting the table and presenting the main dish, but not yet consuming it.

our reflections upon this text will be merely introductory. We'll merely be spreading the tablecloth, putting the knife and fork and spoon and plate, and bringing in the main dish and setting it down and looking at it. Now we won't actually be chopping it up and masticating, swallowing, assimilating, but I trust you will see the wisdom of spending our initial meditation in this preparatory manner. And the first thing I want you to do, to understand with respect to this text, is who are the recipients of this word of direction.

7:39 - 8:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the clear structural division of Romans, with chapters 1-11 being doctrinally dense and chapters 12-16 being practically dense. He places Romans 13:14 within this…

Martin shares an anecdote about a new Christian not knowing the story of Jonah, serving as a rebuke to himself for assuming too much prior knowledge in his audience and prompting him to be more explicit in his teaching.

Now we can assume too much and that was a real rebuke to me. And often in preaching I say, now all of you are aware of. Well I'm not going to say that, at least I'm going to try not to. Many of you are aware of, but some of you may not be aware of the fact that Paul's letter to the Romans manifests a very clear structure.

17:57 - 18:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not let the world squeeze you into its mold, as its influence is relentless and powerful.

Martin shares a personal story of how Romans 13:14 came to him with great force during prayer for his congregation, highlighting the pastoral burden and relevance of the text to specific struggles within the church.

It is exerting its influence relentlessly, continuously, and alas, too often powerfully and in some cases efficaciously upon the people of God. And it is my pastoral realism which has moved me to select this text. In fact I think I know you well enough and you know me well enough that I can say this without it appearing saccharine or hyper-spiritual. This text came to me on my knees two weeks ago as I was praying for you people and praying for specific members of the church who had bared their hearts to me and other elders with respect to sins with which they were wrestling. And as I was prayi...

32:33 - 34:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But, and oh listen to me, it is not enough to fill the mind and the spirit with all of the glorious realities that make up this putting on the Lord Jesus if it is not followed by a decided, determined, calculated effort …

This example illustrates how sometimes the order of things (like items on a grocery list) can be arbitrary, contrasting it with the significant, divinely intended order in Romans 13:14.

Now sometimes the order in which things are set before us in life and in the Bible for the Bible is the book of God in the language of men. The order may be purely arbitrary. The arrangement may be simply born of necessity in that we can't dump everything at once. For instance, one of you kids.

40:57 - 41:19 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are natively more contemplative, you must honestly self-evaluate and analyze the patterns and circumstances that leave you vulnerable to sin, and actively make no provision for the flesh.

This example illustrates the 'hopelessly impractical' nature of a contemplative temperament, who might struggle with practical organization, contrasting it with the need for disciplined action.

They are of the more reflective, contemplative temperament. And the things connected with putting on the Lord Jesus Christ come more natural to them. But they're hopelessly impractical. They never put their car keys in the same place two days in a row.

48:41 - 48:57 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are natively more contemplative, you must honestly self-evaluate and analyze the patterns and circumstances that leave you vulnerable to sin, and actively make no provision for the flesh.

Martin uses the term 'airhead' to describe someone whose 'head's up in the clouds,' emphasizing a temperament that is more contemplative but less practically grounded.

You call them an airhead, don't you? Head's up in the clouds, see? Now would to God, and I say that seriously, would to God that when we got converted, God changed our basic temperaments so that immediately you always put your keys in the same place when you come in from parking the car. No, you don't.

49:15 - 49:35 Read in full sermon

The point: You must bend your temperament to God's directives, not expect God to bend His directives to your temperament.

This example illustrates the extreme discipline and structured nature of some temperaments, who might be prone to legalism and neglect the 'mystical' aspect of putting on Christ.

He's saying you've got to do it. And on the other hand, there's some of you, in fact, your wife probably wishes you just misplaced the keys once. You are so terribly disciplined and structured, it's sickening. Everything's always in its place.

51:09 - 51:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Cry to God for the Spirit's help to make progress in putting to death long-standing sins by diligently studying and applying this text.

These biblical examples of saints falling into sin are used to motivate believers to recognize the necessity of both putting on Christ and making no provision for the flesh, showing that even the best can fall.

of God. But the same apostle recognized that the best of saints could fall before any one of these sins. It's not the devil who wrote the chapter of Noah's drunkenness, of David's adultery, of Peter's denial. God the Holy Ghost gave us that record, not to imitate their sins, but to give additional motivation to us to recognize the necessity of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and of making no provision for the world.

54:36 - 55:15 Read in full sermon