Romans Chapter 13 Vs. 14

 

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Rom 13:14

But put ye... To be clothed with a person is a Greek phrase signifying to take upon one the interests of another; to enter into his views; and be wholly on his side, imitating him in all things.

Make not provision... The phrase not provision has the basic meaning of planning ahead or forethought. Most sinful behavior results from wrong ideas and lustful desire we allow to linger in our minds.

Gal. 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would”.

flesh, to fulfil... The flesh works of Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 1:21-32; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Col. 3:5-10.

Here with this verse we see what summarizes sanctification, the continuing spiritual process in which those who have been saved by faith are transformed into His image and likeness.

The image given here by Paul to us describes the process which is like taking off and putting on clothes which is symbolic of thoughts and behavior.

In all these lessons, I have explained that we are a spirit that dwells in a body of flesh. The soul of man is either controlled by the desires of the flesh [which is sin], or we are controlled by the spirit which desires to do God’s will.

Gal. 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

We cannot overcome the flesh ourselves, but the Spirit of Christ within us can overcome the flesh. You see, we have no power of our own. It is the power of Christ that overcomes.

Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

A Christian’s lifestyle must be pure and holy, especially in view of Christ’s approaching return (cf. Rom. 13:11-12; 1Jhn. 3:3). The secret to living chaste lives is for Christians to clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. “put on,” Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). At salvation they were “clothed with Christ” (Gal. 3:27), so they should conduct themselves accordingly. Also the secret includes not thinking about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature (lit., “and do not make forethought [pronoian] for the flesh [sarkos; cf. Rom. 8:3-5, 8:8-9, 8:12-13] for lusts”). For a Christian to plan out specific ways to gratify his sinful nature is wrong and out of bounds.