No Provision for the Flesh

In Romans 13:14, Paul exhorts his fellow believers, “Walk properly, as in the daytime.” And in order to walk properly, they must “cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ — his love, his holiness, his goodness, his very presence. It’s a clear enough exhortation — Paul saying “In your walk as Christians, don’t attempt to dress in layers — light as your outer garment, darkness underneath. No, but cast off darkness, put on light, put on Christ himself. Put on Christlikeness.

It’s simple, clear, we get it, and yet, we need more, and Paul knows that we need more. Because he is all too aware of our sinful nature, and just how subtle and deceptive it can be. So he adds, “and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Cast off darkness, put on light, put on Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.

The picture is as if we should be in the spiritual barracks with Paul, readying ourselves for war. Having scrapped our cloak of darkness, put on the armor of light, this uniform of Christ, we’re now about to head out to the field of battle. Paul stops us at the door, “Saying, I’ve seen that you’ve thrown off that cloak of darkness, you’ve put on this armor of light, but what’s that you’ve just stuffed into your pockets?”

Sheepishly, we answer, “Oh this? Well, it’s just a little bit of lust, just a handful of envy, only couple days’ worth of pride. I mean, you can’t expect us to just put on Christ and nothing else — we’ll starve. We’ve got to bring just a little bit of darkness with, I mean, we’re only human. Who knows, we may even end up not using some of it. But we got to bring some with lest, lest…Lest what? Why might we feel the need to, armored in light as we are, clothed in Christ as we are, to yet take along with us for the journey some provision for the flesh? 

I think it’s because deep down, we don’t fully trust that Christ alone will really be enough.

Were we to fully discard our “just in case I need it” provisions for the flesh.

Were we to completely empty our pockets of any excuses we’ve used to help us justify our sin.

Were we to scrap all devices, subscriptions, movies, channels that have lead us into sin in the past.

Were we to reveal our many hidden habits, confess how we’ve been carrying them around with us, and then let them fall entirely to the wayside.

Would we, in that moment, be able to do without any sense of, “Have I made a mistake.” Have I just given up life? Should I go back and gather some of it up again? Would we, in that moment, be able to move forward with nothing in our hands save Christ fully confident, Jesus will be enough. Jesus will yet satisfy.

Jesus will prove more than able to make up for provision I’ve surrendered in order to follow him?

Brothers and sister, hear the exhortation of Romans 13,

“the hour has come for us to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand.”

Put on Christ, put all provision for the flesh behind. Trust, Christ will be enough.

Let’s pray.