The First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024
The First Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024
The Apostle Paul teaches here of the Christian life. He has just finished relating the life of a Christian as citizen (14:1-7). Now he turns to relating the life of a Christian as a neighbor. He does this by first dealing with the actuality of love (14:8-10) and then by putting the neighbor in the context of the dawning day (14:11-14).
In full realization that love cannot be commanded, Paul turns to the actual commandments of the past, naming them as concrete activities which promote the neighbor’s welfare. Love is first an act, not a sentiment. There is no righteousness to be had from such activity, though, if sentiment and activity do not align. One must both desire to promote the neighbor’s welfare and then, actually promote that welfare. Because of original sin and our bound wills, we simply cannot get ourselves out of the way: our love of neighbor is always tainted with self-love.
Consequently, since the alignment of sentiment and activity required for love of neighbor cannot arise out of obedience to past commandments, Paul turns to the future reality. He turns to the Lord Jesus Christ in whom Paul has previously said (2 Cor. 5:17) “there is a new creation.” Our resurrected Lord comes back in time to us from beyond the eschaton. Only as we are in him are we in the light of the new day and not in the darkness of this old world which is passing away. This light shines in faith alone; sight can only perceive the darkness (2 Cor. 5:7). This new creature existing totally in the reality of faith in Christ lives the alignment of sentiment and activity, spontaneously promoting the neighbor’s welfare.
You who have been taught that the good tree bears good fruit, now know that the good tree comes to you from beyond the eschaton. It is the future’s gift to you, not your commanded obedience to laws from the past. Being found in Christ, all your sin—even original sin—is forgiven. Being found in Christ, your bound wills have been replaced by His will. The debt of love owed to your neighbors is paid again and again as you, a new creature in Christ Jesus, act spontaneously for their good.
Table Talk: Talk of how our “good” works get tainted with self-interest.
Pray: Heavenly Father, make me new in Christ that I may be useful. Amen
Romans 13:(8–10) 11–14
(8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet, and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.)
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.