14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Verse 14 deals with building a platform for the sin capacity to execute its desires.
14 But
The word “but” is a term of strong contrast to the sins of verses 13 and 14.
put on [as clothes] the Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul returned to the image of clothing ourselves. Here we clothe ourselves with “the Lord Jesus Christ” Himself. The idea is to endue ourselves with Christ. We do this by faith. We establish an identity with Christ by believing His promises. We unite ourselves to the closest fellowship with Him so that our lives match what we believe.
We are to so apprehend the meaning of our union with Christ that His character becomes ours. He controls our thinking and actions. We must be attuned to the Lord.
Eph 6:11,Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
1 Th 5:8,But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
We put on the Lord Jesus at salvation (Ga 3:27) but we also put Him on again when we walk in spirituality. We belong to Christ; there is no option about that. The Greek calls for decisive action about making Christ the center of our lives.
PRINCIPLE:
The Christian life is Christ centered.
APPLICATION:
“Put on” is an allusion to dressing ourselves in proper spiritual clothing. The clothing here is the Lord Himself. We do not put on the dirty clothes that originate in our sin capacity, because that violates the Lord.
Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ is to identify with everything that He represents. We are to be Christ centered. We cannot do that unless we first put off “the works of darkness” (v. 12).
Eph 4:22-24, 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man [sin capacity] which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Co 3:12-14, 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
The name “Lord Jesus Christ” is the full title of our Lord. Previously we believed in Jesus, now we are to orient to Him as we live our daily lives. We now share personally with the risen Christ.
As a seasoned biblical scholar with a profound understanding of the topic at hand, let's delve into the intricacies of the text found in Romans 13:14. The passage emphasizes the transformative power of faith and the intentional act of "putting on the Lord Jesus Christ." To substantiate my expertise, I draw upon my extensive knowledge of biblical exegesis, historical context, and theological nuances.
In verse 14, the term "but" serves as a pivotal point of contrast, redirecting attention from the sins discussed in the preceding verses (13 and 14). This linguistic device underscores the importance of the upcoming injunction to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." The metaphorical act of clothing ourselves in Christ is a recurring motif in Pauline literature, reflecting the idea of enduing ourselves with the character and teachings of Jesus.
The act of "putting on" Christ is elucidated as a symbolic representation of establishing an identity with Christ through faith. This faith-driven process involves believing in the promises of Christ and cultivating a deep union with Him. The aim is to align one's life with the teachings of Christ, allowing His character to permeate one's thoughts and actions.
The call to put on the Lord Jesus Christ finds resonance in other biblical passages, such as Ephesians 6:11, where believers are urged to put on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil's schemes. Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 5:8 encourages believers to put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation.
The text emphasizes that putting on the Lord Jesus Christ occurs not only at the moment of salvation but also in the ongoing journey of spiritual growth. The Greek language employed in the text emphasizes decisive and continuous action in making Christ the center of one's life.
The overarching principle derived from the passage is that the Christian life is inherently Christ-centered. The application of this principle involves a metaphorical allusion to spiritual clothing—choosing to wear the righteousness of Christ rather than succumbing to the temptations of the sin capacity. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative found in passages like Ephesians 4:22-24 and Colossians 3:12-14, which advocate for putting off the old self and putting on the new self in Christ.
In conclusion, the name "Lord Jesus Christ" encapsulates the full title of our Lord, signifying a personal and transformative relationship with the risen Christ. The passage in Romans 13:14 underscores the profound theological concept that the Christian life is a continuous process of intentionally clothing oneself in the character and teachings of Jesus, thereby living a Christ-centered existence.
