AN AGE OF DISORDER

 

Thursday, March 9, 2023

 

AN AGE OF DISORDER

 

Rom 13:10-14

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering (this begs an explanation) and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

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

 

          You may think that our Bible portion does not fit the label of today’s devotional, but I am a presbutes, an old man, and I have seen a few things. Like you, I have worn the garments of youth and sampled more than a sip of life. I understand what is called peer pressure and am old enough that it no longer matters. Now, I see a world in disarray, and I wonder just why it is so.

 

          Love works no ill to his neighbor. We are seeing everything but this. The Greeks had several words, eight actually, for “love” and the one most seen today is ϕιλαυτία ( philautía) Philautia is self-love. No, not that kind. Philautia refers to how a person views themselves and how they feel about their own body and mind. The modern equivalent of philautia would be something like self-esteem but today’s particular form is selfishness. It is a “me first and me only” mind set.

 

          Let us walk honestly. Today our word “honestly” means without falsehood but the Greek word used here is euschemonos and means “decorously.” Ladies will know what “home décor” means and it has a similar meaning here. So, let us walk honestly means let us conduct ourselves in an orderly fashion. I have lived through the fifties, the sixties, the seventies, and well, you get the idea. I’ve observed a kaleidoscope of fashion trends. But we seem to have yet another roaring twenties marked by brand-new worn out jeans and a thing called “dress tennis shoes.” Well, let’s move along.

 

          Not rioting and not in strife. The two Greek words used here are VERY interesting. Rioting, which we think we understand is the word komos from which we seem to get KOMO-TION. Our current brand is called insurrection. The word strife, which we also think we understand, is the Greek word eris and means “wrangling” or contentious debate. So this is NOT how we should be living.

 

          I promised to deal with the word chambering. Well this is the Greek word koite and it means just what you think it does. It refers to a couch, co-habitation, etc.  So, yes, we have plenty of that as well.

 

          Verse 14 sums things up. Put on Christ. His actions, attitudes, and motives. Copy Him and stop excusing yourself for sin.

 

Dear Lord, let me walk in this world with the understanding that you are coming soon. Let me walk with maturity and decorum. Let me not join the rioters but prepare myself to meet you. AMEN