Romans 13: William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

Transcription

1 Romans 13:12 Romans 13:12-The Night Has Drawn To A Close For The Christian, The Day Is Approaching, Therefore, We Must Lay Aside Activities, Characterize Those Belonging To The Kingdom Of Darkness And Clothing Ourselves With The Weapons, Which Characterize Those Belonging To The Kingdom Of Light We continue with our study of Romans chapter thirteen by noting verse twelve. However, before we do that, let us review what we have learned thus far from this chapter. First of all, the apostle Paul in Romans 13:1 issues a command for his Christian readers in Rome to continue making it their habit of voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities in Rome. Then, he presents the reason as to why the Roman believers should continue doing this, namely because there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no authority that exists on the earth except by God. Lastly, he defines specifically this reason by teaching that those governmental authorities, which do at any time in history exist on the earth have been ordained from eternity past by God the Father under the divine decree. Romans 13:1, Each and every person must continue making it their habit of voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities because there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no authority except by God. Specifically, those which at any time do exist are, as an eternal spiritual truth, ordained by God. In Romans 13:2, Paul presents an inference from his instruction in verse 1 by teaching that the Christian who at any time does set himself or herself in opposition against any governmental authority is in a state of opposition against this institution, which originates from God the Father. He advances upon this statement teaching also that those Christians who are in a state of opposition against any governmental authority will, as a certainty, undergo judgment at the hands of these authorities for the detriment of themselves. Romans 13:2, Therefore, the one who, at any time does set himself or herself in opposition against this authority is in a state of opposition against this institution originating with God the Father. In fact, those who are in a state of opposition will, as a certainty, undergo judgment for the detriment of themselves. Then, Paul in Romans 13:3 resumes the discussion from verse 1 as to why the Romans believers are to obey the command in verse 1 to continue to voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities. Therefore, the statement presents an additional reason why they should obey his command in verse 1. This 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

2 would indicate that the Roman believers also must continue to voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities because governmental rulers are a cause of fear for those whose conduct is evil. Then, he poses a rhetorical question that follows as a logical consequence of this previous statement. Thus, Paul is to his readers saying that since governmental rulers are a cause of fear for law breakers consequently or as a logical consequence to this if you do not want to live in fear of the authorities, then obey the laws of the land. The command that presents the logical consequence of the rhetorical question requires that Paul s Christian readers in Rome must continue practicing that which is good, i.e. obedience to the laws of the Roman government. Lastly, this command is followed by a result clause indicating that if Paul s readers continue making it their habit of practicing that which is good in character, i.e. obedience to the governing authorities, the result will be that they will receive praise from the governing authorities. The implication of this result is that Paul wants his readers to be outstanding citizens since only those who were outstanding citizens received commendation from the Roman government. Romans 13:3, Furthermore, rulers are, as an eternal spiritual truth, never a cause of fear with respect to conduct which is good in character but rather with respect to that which is evil in character. Consequently, do you desire not to live in a state of fear of this authority? Continue making it your habit of practicing that which is good in character so that you will, as a certainty, experience recognition from the same. Then, in Romans 13:4, Paul makes two assertions that explain or elaborate on his previous statements in verse 3 with regards to the positive and negative function of governmental authority. Romans 13:4, For you see, it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God s servant for your benefit for the purpose of encouraging that which is good in character. However, if you, at any time practice that which is evil in character, then begin and continue to live in a state of fear because it, as an eternal spiritual truth by no means exists in the state of bearing the sword without justification because it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God s servant, an avenger for the purpose of exercising God s righteous indignation against those who exist in a state of committing that which is evil in character. Romans 13:4 can be divided grammatically into five sections. First of all, the passage begins with an explanatory statement that is divided into two sections: (1) A declarative statement: It is, as an eternal spiritual truth God s servant for your benefit for the purpose of encouraging that which is good in character. This assertion elaborates on the positive function of governmental authority, which he addresses in the command at the end of verse William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

3 Romans 13:3, Furthermore, rulers are, as an eternal spiritual truth, never a cause of fear with respect to conduct which is good in character but rather with respect to that which is evil in character. Consequently, do you desire not to live in a state of fear of this authority? Continue making it your habit of practicing that which is good in character so that you will, as a certainty, experience recognition from the same. (2) Adversative clause containing a fifth class condition: However, if you, at any time practice that which is evil in character, then begin and continue to live in a state of fear. This assertion elaborates on the negative function of governmental authority, which Paul mentions in the causal clause at the beginning of verse 3. Romans 13:3, Furthermore, rulers are, as an eternal spiritual truth, never a cause of fear with respect to conduct which is good in character but rather with respect to that which is evil in character. Consequently, do you desire not to live in a state of fear of this authority? Continue making it your habit of practicing that which is good in character so that you will, as a certainty, experience recognition from the same. Then, on the heels of the adversative clause, which contains a fifth class condition, we have a causal clause that elaborates on this negative function: Because it, as an eternal spiritual truth by no means exists in the state of bearing the sword without justification. This causal clause presents the reason why Paul s readers should live in a state of fear for practicing evil. They should live in fear for practicing evil because God has delegated authority to the government to inflict capital punishment for those who practice evil such as murder. This causal clause is followed by another one: Because it is, as an eternal spiritual truth God s servant. It teaches that governmental authority is justified for inflicting capital punishment upon those who commit evil because they serve God by doing so. Lastly, this second causal clause is followed by an epexegetical clause: An avenger for the purpose of exercising God s righteous indignation against those who exist in a state of committing that which is evil in character. This clause is clarifying for the reader exactly the responsibility of the governmental authorities in relation to God the Father s purpose for them. It teaches that when the governmental authority uses capital punishment against criminals it is expressing God s righteous indignation. Therefore, in Romans 13:4, Paul is teaching his readers that governmental rulers are God s servants, which is demonstrated by these two functions. For the Christian, the positive function of governmental authority is that it encourages conduct that is in obedience to the Father s will in relation to one s fellow human 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

4 being, which can be summarized by the command to love one s neighbor as oneself. The negative function discourages conduct that it is evil or in other words, it discourages conduct that is in disobedience to the will of God. Governmental authority serves God by fulfilling these two functions. Romans 13:5 is a summarization and a self-evident inference or conclusion based upon Paul s teaching in Romans 13:1-4. Romans 13:5, Therefore, to continue voluntarily subjecting yourselves is, as an eternal spiritual truth, always absolutely imperative, not only because of this exercise of righteous indignation but also because of your conscience. Therefore, based upon this teaching, to continue voluntarily subjecting themselves to the governmental authorities in Rome is always absolutely imperative for Paul s Christian readers in Rome. The statement in verse 6 advances upon his statement in verse 5 and intensifies it. Romans 13:6, In fact, because of this, all of you make it a habit of even paying taxes because they are, as an eternal spiritual truth, God s commissioned public servants, continually dedicated to this very thing. In Romans 13:6, Paul teaches that the Roman believers pay taxes because of their conscience in the sense that they pay taxes because they know that all authority originates from God and is His servant and that it is the will of the Father that they subject themselves to these authorities. So he is speaking of the Roman believers conscientious subjection to the government, which is expressed by their paying taxes to these authorities. Consequently, Paul is teaching them that they pay taxes to the Roman governmental authorities because of their knowledge that they, like all human government, was established by God and are His servants to encourage good conduct and discourage evil conduct. They also pay taxes because of their knowledge that it is God s will that they subject themselves to the governmental authorities. Paul s statement in verse 6 is teaching the Roman believers that their paying taxes to the Roman government is an implicit recognition of the government s authority and power over them that was delegated by God to the Roman government. Then, in this passage, he teaches that the reason why Paul s Christians readers in Rome pay taxes to the Roman governmental authorities is that they are God s public servants since the Father has delegated authority to them to govern and protect the human race from the unrestricted function of the sin nature. Therefore, Paul is teaching that the institution of human government is a manifestation of God s sovereign rule over human beings and functions as His servant to carry out His purpose of protecting and sustaining and blessing the human race William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

5 In Romans 13:7, Paul solemnly charged the Romans to make it their top priority to fulfill their four-fold obligation to the governmental authorities. This four-fold obligation involves paying the Roman government direct tribute taxes, indirect custom taxes, and bestowing reverence and honor on them because they are public servants of God for their good. Romans 13:7: I solemnly charge all of you to make it your top priority to fulfill each and every one of your obligations to each and every one of them, without exception: To the one who receives the tribute tax, that which is the tribute tax, to the one who receives the indirect custom tax, that which is the indirect custom tax, to the one who receives reverence, that which is reverential in character, to the one who receives honor, that which is honorable in character. Romans 13:8-10 begins the second section that appears in chapter thirteen and teaches us that the righteousness of God is manifested in the believer s conduct towards both the believer and unbeliever. Paul in Romans 13:8 issues a prohibition that is related to the believer s financial obligations. He also issues a command that is related to his moral or spiritual obligation to his fellow human being, both believer and unbeliever. The prohibition should always be met whereas the command is a debt that can never be fulfilled since it is the royal family of God s honor code and is the Christian way of life. Romans 13:8, All of you continue making it your habit to owe absolutely nothing to anyone except to continue making it your habit of divinely loving one another because the one who, at any time does divinely love the other person fulfills the Law. Paul s statement in Romans 13:9 serves to advance upon and intensify his statement at the end of verse 8 that loving one s neighbor fulfills the requirement of the Mosaic Law. Romans 13:9, In fact, this group of commandments: You must never commit adultery, you must never commit murder, you must never steal, you must never covet, (and if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that there does exist any other commandment and we know that one does) is, as an eternal spiritual truth summarized by this command: You must love your neighbor as yourself. In Romans 13:9, Paul cites four of the Ten Commandments that are related to the believer s conduct in relation to the entire human race and alludes to a fifth and does explicitly mention it that also is related to the believer s conduct in relation to the entire human race. Therefore, he is citing these commandments to advance and intensify his argument from verse 8 that loving one s neighbor fulfills the Law in that obedience to these prohibitions is a manifestation of loving one s neighbor William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5

6 The apostle is teaching in Romans 13:9 that when the believer obeys these four commandments, he is manifesting the fact that he loves his fellow human being as he would himself or herself. Consequently, the implication is that if they do not obey any one of these commandments then they don t love their neighbor as they would their own selves. Romans 13:10 teaches that divine-love never commits evil against a neighbor, therefore, love fulfills the Law. Romans 13:10, Divine-love never, as an eternal spiritual truth commits evil against a neighbor. Therefore, divine-love fulfills the Law. This passage teaches that the Law and the love of God are not mutually exclusive since operating in God s love will fulfill all that the Law requires. When the believer is operating in the love of God and thus fulfilling all that the Law requires, he is simply responding by faith to the Spirit s revelation in the Word of God that he is the object and beneficiary of God s love before and after being justified through faith alone in Christ alone. This faith manifests itself in obedience to the Spirit s command in the Word of God to love your neighbor as yourself and appropriates the power of the Spirit so as to give the believer the capacity to obey this command that summarizes all that the Law requires from the believer in relation to his fellow human beings. Then, Paul in Romans 13:11 commands his Christian readers in Rome to continue making it their habit of loving their neighbor as themselves as a result of what he taught in Romans 13:8-10 that loving one s neighbor fulfills the requirements of the Mosaic Law. In this passage, he teaches that they are to continue obeying this command because they are well aware of the significance of the period of history in which they were living in, namely, they were living in the church age preceding the imminent return of Christ at the rapture. This period he teaches is characterized by urgency and opportunity for them, demanding immediate action on their part in that they can gain rewards for obeying the command to love your neighbor as yourself. The apostle also teaches in this passage that it is now already the moment for his readers to be awake spiritually. To awake from spiritual sleep refers to the confession of sins to be restored to fellowship with God and maintaining that fellowship by obedience to the Word of God. Lastly, he teaches that it is now already the moment for Paul s readers to be awake spiritually because their deliverance from the sin nature, Satan and his cosmic system at the rapture of the church is now nearer to taking place than when they first became Christians. Romans 13:11, So then, all of continue making it your habit of practicing this because all of you are well aware of the significance of this particular period of history characterized by urgency and opportunity, demanding 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6

7 immediate action, namely that, it is now already the moment for each and every one of you to be awake from sleep because our deliverance is now nearer to taking place than when we believed. Then, in Romans 13:12 Paul informs his readers that the night has drawn to a close and the day is approaching. He then draws an inference from these two statements by exhorting his readers to lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. As he has done quite a bit throughout Romans 12:9-13:11, here in Romans 13:12, the apostle Paul employs the figure of asyndeton. The common practice of the Greek language was that each clause be connected with the preceding by some connective word. The term for the lack of such a connective is asyndeton. The use of conjunctions came to be very common in the Greek so that the absence was noticeable and was called asyndeton, which literally means, not bound together. Paul does not use a connective between Romans 13:11 and Romans 13:12 because he wants his readers to carefully meditate upon his statement in the latter and the inference that follows to lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. The night is the articular nominative feminine singular form of the noun nux (nuvc) (neex). In classical Greek and the Septuagint, this word means night in contrast to the day. Sometimes it denotes time and sometimes darkness. It was used as a proper name of the Greek goddess of night and was used figuratively to mean death or some other disastrous circumstance. In the Septuagint, the noun was used figuratively for a time of gloom and despair (Micah 3:6). The noun nux appears 61 times in the Greek New Testament. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) period between sunset and sunrise, night (2) night as condition, night (Page 682). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: (1) the period between sunset and sunrise night (volume 2, page 653) (2) darkness of the night in contrast with daylight night (volume 2, page 177). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, night; metaphorically, spiritual night, moral darkness (Page 280). It is used in a literal sense for the period between sunset and sunrise called the night in contrast to the daytime (Matthew 4:2; 12:40; 14:25; 26:34; Mark 4:27; 5:5; 6:48; Luke 2:8, 37; 5:5; 17:34; John 3:2; 21:3; Acts 5:19; 9:24-25; 16:33; 23:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; 2 Timothy 1:3; Revelation 7:15; 8:12; 12:10; 14:11; 21:25; 22:5). The word is used in a figurative sense in John 9:4 for the period in 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7

8 which our Lord was dead in the grave in contrast to His First Advent, which He calls the day. It is appears again in a figurative sense in Romans 13:11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5 for the period in which Satan is the god of this world and his policy of evil dominates the earth. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night. Now when they are saying, There is peace and security, then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep we will come to life together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing. (NET Bible) In Romans 13:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5, the term skotos, darkness contains the figure of metonymy referring to the kingdom of darkness or in other words, Satan s cosmic system, which promotes his policy of evil. The noun nux in Romans 13:12 means night and refers to the period in which the believer is not in his or her resurrection body and is living during a period of human history in which Satan is the god of this world and his kingdom and policy of evil dominates the earth. This period began with the Fall of Adam and will end with the Second Advent of Christ. For the church age believer this period will end with the rapture. In Romans 13:12, the noun nux functions as a nominative subject as indicated by its articular construction indicating the word performs the action of the verb prokopto, is almost gone. We will translate nux, the night. Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Is almost gone is the third person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb prokopto (prokovptw) (pro-cope-toe), which is a compound word composed of the preposition pro, before or forward and the verb kopto, to cut, thus the word literally means to cut before and then to cut forward in front, to cut forward away, to advance, to go forward William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8

9 This verb in classical Greek means going forward or it can making progress in some specific activity. It was used by sailors for making headway despite harsh winds and was used of pioneers cutting a path through a forest (Liddell-Scott, pages ). The word became a metaphor that was used in everyday speech and described progress in some sort of activity whether good or evil. Prokopto does not appear in the Septuagint and only six times in the Greek New Testament (Luke 2:52; Romans 13:12; Galatians 1:14; 2 Timothy 2:16). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains: (1) to change one s state for the better by advancing and making progress to advance, to progress, to change for the better, advancement. (2) to progress or advance in some activity to progress, to advance, to accomplish. (3) to cause a significant increase in some quantity to increase, to advance. (4) to extend in time, with focus upon the end point to draw near, to draw to a close. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition lists the following usages and meanings: (1) to move forward to a final stage, of time, be advanced, be far gone (2) to move forward to an improved state, progress, advance (Page 871). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following meanings, to cut a passage forward; to advance, make progress; to advance, as time, to be far spent; metaphorically, to advance in wisdom, age or stature; to make progress or proficiency in; to proceed or advance further (Page 345). It was used of the Lord Jesus increasing wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). The word was used of Paul s advancing his status in Judaism (Galatians 1:14). In 2 Timothy 2:16, the verb is used by Paul to warn Timothy that those believers who are occupied with profane communication stray further into ungodly living. In Romans 13:11, prokopto means to draw to a close and is used with nux, the night as its subject. As we noted nux refers to the period of history in which the believer is not in his resurrection body and is living during a period of human history in which Satan is the god of this world and his kingdom rules the earth. This period began with the Fall of Adam and will conclude with the Second Advent of Christ. Now, the question arises, is Paul referring to the period in which Satan is the god of this world ending with the Second Advent of Christ? Or, is he referring to the period ending for the believer with the rapture of the church? The context indicates that the latter is in view since the following statement hemera engiken (ἡµέρα ἤγγικεν), the day is near refers to the imminency of the period of time when each and every church age believer is living in his or her resurrection body and is not living in the devil s world. This period begins for the believer with the rapture of the church and will never end and will go on throughout eternity future William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9

10 The day stands in contrast to the night, which refers to the period in which the believer is not in his or her resurrection body and is living during a period of history in which Satan is the god of this world. Therefore, the verb prokopto indicates that this period called the night has drawn to a close for the believer. The verb indicates that the period in which the church age believer is not in his or her resurrection body and is living during a period of history in which Satan is the god of this world has drawn to a close. Paul s teaching in Romans 13:11 further indicates that Romans 13:12 is addressing the end of the period of time in which church age believers are not in their resurrection bodies and are living in the devil s world. In Romans 13:11, Paul commands his Christian readers in Rome to continue making it their habit of loving their neighbor as themselves as a result of what he taught in Romans 13:8-10 that loving one s neighbor fulfills the requirements of the Mosaic Law. In this passage, he teaches that they are to continue obeying this command because they are well aware of the significance of the period of history in which they were living in, namely, preceding the imminent return of Christ at the rapture. This period he teaches is characterized by urgency and opportunity for them, demanding immediate action on their part in that they can gain rewards at the Bema Seat for obeying the command to love your neighbor as yourself. The apostle also teaches in this passage that it is now already the moment for his readers to be awake spiritually. To awake from spiritual sleep refers to the confession of sins to be restored to fellowship with God and maintaining that fellowship by obedience to the Word of God. Lastly, he teaches that it is now already the moment for Paul s readers to be awake spiritually because their deliverance from the sin nature, Satan and his cosmic system at the rapture of the church is now nearer to taking place than when they first became Christians. Romans 13:11, So then, all of continue making it your habit of practicing this because all of you are well aware of the significance of this particular period of history characterized by urgency and opportunity, demanding immediate action, namely that, it is now already the moment for each and every one of you to be awake from sleep because our deliverance is now nearer to taking place than when we believed. Paul s statement in verse 11 emphasizes with his readers the importance of living in light of the imminent return of Christ at the rapture in which they will be permanently delivered from Satan s cosmic system and will receive their resurrection bodies. The inferential statement in Romans 13:12 further indicates that Paul is addressing the end of the period of time in which church age believers are not in their resurrection bodies and are living during the period of history in which Satan 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10

11 is the god of this world. The inferential statement: apothometha oun ta erga tou skotous endusometha de ta hoopla tou photos (ἀποθώµεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, ἐνδυσώµεθα [δὲ] τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός), Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. This inferential statement emphasizes with the Roman believers the necessity to lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. The deeds of darkness refers to activities, which characterize those who belong to the kingdom of darkness because they are in accordance with the standards of Satan s cosmic system whereas putting on the armor of light refers to appropriating by faith the teaching in the Word that the believer is identified with Christ in His death and resurrection. Therefore, Paul s emphasis in Romans 13:12 is upon the conduct of the Roman believers in light of their imminent deliverance from this period in which they do not live in their resurrection body and are living during a time of history when Satan is the god of this world and his kingdom rules the earth. In Romans 13:12, the aorist tense of the verb prokopto is a consummative or culminative aorist, which is used to emphasize the cessation of an act or state. This type of aorist views an event in its entirety but regards it from the viewpoint of its existing results. Therefore, the culminative aorist views the church age believers time of the living in cosmic system and not being in his or her resurrection body as drawing to a close. But it regards it from the standpoint of its existing results, which is that the period in which they are living in their resurrection body is imminent. The active voice of the verb is stative indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb prokopto. The subject is the night, which refers again to the period in which church age believers are not in their resurrection bodies and are living during the period of history in which Satan is the god of this world. Therefore, the stative active voice indicates that this period exists in the state of drawing to a close for the believer. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion as an unqualified statement of fact and Bible doctrine. We will translate prokopto, has drawn to a close. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 13:12: The night has drawn to a close Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. And is the emphatic or intensifying use of the conjunction de (dev) (theh), which emphasizes the statement hemera engiken (ἡµέρα ἤγγικεν) (ee-ma-ra enyee-ken), the day is near, which refers to the imminency of the period of time when each and every church age believer is living in his or her resurrection body. That the word is emphatic is indicated in that this period in which the believer is in 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11

12 his resurrection body is the confident expectation of every church age believer, thus it was important to every believer and a source of encouragement. This period is also important because immediately after receiving their resurrection body, the church age believer will stand before Christ at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church to determine if they merit rewards or not. Therefore, we will translate the word, Indeed. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 13:12: The night has drawn to a close. Indeed Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. The day is the articular nominative feminine singular form of the noun hemera (h(mevra) (hay-mer-ah), which refers to the period of time when each and every church age believer is living in his or her resurrection body and is permanently delivered from living in Satan s cosmic system. This period begins for the believer with the rapture of the church and will never end and will go on throughout eternity future. The day stands in contrast to the night, which refers to the period in which the believer is not in his or her resurrection body and is living during a period in which Satan is the god of this world. This noun hemera functions as a nominative subject as indicated by its articular construction indicating the word performs the action of the verb engizo, is near. We will translate the word the day. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 13:12: The night has drawn to a close. Indeed, the day Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Is near is the third person singular perfect active indicative form of the verb engizo (e)ggivzw) (en-gidz-o). The verb engizo is attested from Aristotle (Mir. 845a20) onwards. It is used transitively and intransitively in classical Greek: (1) Transitive: to bring near (2) Intransitive: to approach to bring near. The intransitive usage appears most often and often refers to drawing near or approaching God. Antipho employs the verb with the definite article forming the expression hoi engista meaning next of kin. The word rarely appears in the papyri but is very common in the Septuagint (LXX) appearing 156 times. The intransitive usage appear frequently and its transitive usage is rare (Gen. 48:10, 13; Is. 5:8). It is employed in the LXX to translate the following Hebrew terms: (1) Haras, force, through (Ex. 19:21). (2) Chush, Hiphil: hasten (Is. 5:19). (3) Yachal, Piel: wait, make one hope (Ex. 69:3 [68:3]-only some Vaticanus texts). (4) Yaqosh, catch ; niphal: be snared (Is. 8:15). (5) Kanaph, Niphal: hide oneself 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12

13 (Is. 30:20). (6) Meta, extend, reach, arrive, come (Dn. 4:11, 22-Aramaic). (7) Nagha, Qal: reach (Jon. 3:6; Jer. 51:9 [28:9]); hiphil: come, draw near (Ps. 88:3 [87:3], 107:18 [106:18] ). (8) Negha`, wound, sore (Ps. 38:11 [37:11]). (9) Naghash, Qal: come near, approach (Gen. 27:21, Jg. 9:52); niphal: come near (Ex. 19:22, Is. 29:13); hiphil: bring near (Gen. 48:13; Is. 41:22; Am. 6:3). (10) Qawah, Piel: wait for (Hos. 12:6). (11) Qarev, Qal: draw near, approach (Gen. 27:41, 1 Kg. 2:1; Is. 41:5); piel: bring near, approach (Is. 46:13); hiphil: bring near, offer (Gen. 12:11; Hg. 2:14 [2:15] ). (12) Qarev, approaching (2 Sm. 18:25; Ez. 40:46). (13) Qerav, battle (Ps. 55:18, 21 [54:18, 21]). (14) Qerev, in the midst of (Heb. 3:2). (15) Qirevah, approaching, seek (Is. 58:2). (16) Qarov, near, approach (Lev. 10:3; Ru. 2:20; Is. 51:5). The verb is used mostly in the LXX to translate the Hebrew term qarob, near, approach (Lev. 10:3; Ru.2:20; Is. 51:5). The word is often used of approaching the Lord through prayer, worship and the Levitical sacrifices. This sense is also used of judgment as in the Tribulation period and salvation or the approach of a new dispensation, in particular the Second Advent and millennial reign of Christ. The verb engizo appears 42 times in the Greek New Testament, and only in the intransitive sense. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) to move in space and so draw closer to a reference point, draw near, come near, approach of humans and transcendent beings (2) to draw near in a temporal sense, draw near, come near, approach (Page 270). Louw and Nida list the following meanings: (1) to move nearer to a reference point - to draw near, to come near, to approach (volume 2, page 192) (2) the occurrence of a point of time close to a subsequent point of time - to approach, to come near, to approximate (volume 2, page 632) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, to be at hand, impend, to be at the point of death, to draw near to God, to offer Him reverence and worship, used of God, to draw near to men, assist them, bestow favors on them (Page 439). Dormeyer states Engizo is accompanied by the dative of the person or thing, but can also appear absolutely or in connection with prepositions. Engizo has a spatial or temporal significance, which remains in all further aspects of its usage (Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament volume 1, page 370). It is used of the appearance of our Lord during His First Advent presenting Himself as the Messiah and offering His rulership and thus His kingdom to the Client Nation of Israel (Mt.3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Mk. 1:15; 14:42; Lk. 10:9, 11). The word is used in a negative sense of unregenerate Israel rejecting the Lord during His First Advent as Messiah (Mt. 15:8). It is used of our Lord approaching a particular destination in Israel (Mt. 21:1; Mk. 11:1; Lk. 7:12; 18:35; 19:29, 37, 41; 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13

14 24:15, 28), and Saul of Tarsus approaching Damascus (Acts 9:3). This sense is used of also the Gentile Cornelius approaching the house of Peter (Acts 10:9). Engizo is used of Judas Iscariot approaching the Lord to betray Him (Mt. 26:46; Mk. 14:42; Lk. 22:47). The word is used with reference to the Tribulation period of the regenerate Jews awaiting the imminent return of the Lord as the Second Advent (Lk. 21:8, 28), and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem at the culmination of the Armageddon campaign (Lk. 21:20). It is used also in Acts 7:17 in Stephen s address to the Jews regarding the approach of the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham made by the Lord that his descendants would multiply into a great nation. The verb is also used of approaching the Lord in fellowship through confession of sin (1 Jn. 1:9), and the filling of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). The word is used of the imminency of the rapture (Heb. 10:25; Jam. 5:8), and the end of human history (1 Pet. 4:7). In Romans 13:12, engizo means to draw near, to approach and is used in a intransitive and temporal sense of the imminency of the rapture of the church, which will begin the believer s time of existing in a resurrection body and which time will never end as well as his permanent deliverance from the cosmic system. The perfect tense of the verb is an intensive perfect used to emphasize the results of present state produced by a past action. The past action is the passing of time and the present state is the imminency of the rapture, which will begin the believer s time in a resurrection body and which time will never end. The active voice of the verb is stative indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb engizo. The subject is the day, which refers again to the period of time when each and every church age believer is living in his or her resurrection body and is permanently delivered from living in Satan s cosmic system. This period begins for the believer with the rapture of the church and will never end and will go on throughout eternity future. Therefore, the stative active voice indicates that this period exists in the state of drawing near for the church age believer. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion as an unqualified statement of fact and Bible doctrine. The intensive perfect is the best translated with the English present tense. Therefore, we will translate engizo, is approaching. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 13:12: The night has drawn to a close. Indeed, the day is approaching. So this second statement emphasizes the imminency of the rapture of the church. It emphasizes the necessity of staying in fellowship with God since Christ could come back at any moment William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14

15 Due to the fact that Christ s return at the rapture and the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church is imminent, the believer must live his or her life in fellowship with God. There are several Scriptures, which teach the church to expect Christ to come back at any moment (Romans 13:12; James 5:9; Philippians 4:5; Hebrews 10:25; Revelation 1:3; 22:7, 20). The purpose of such imminency is that the church may be in a constant state of expectancy, always looking for and waiting for the coming of her Lord from heaven. Not only is the hope of His return a source of comfort and encouragement to the believer, but also it is a very definite incentive for service and for holy living. This is what Paul is saying in Romans 13: This is what John is also saying in 1 John 3: John 3:2-3, Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is and everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. The believer will be rewarded for living in light of the imminent return of Christ at the rapture of the church. Every moment that the church believer lives, is an opportunity to bring glory to God and receive rewards for loving one s neighbor as oneself. The overcomer church age believer or in other words those who were faithful till death or the rapture will receive rewards at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church, which takes place immediately after the rapture of the church. It is called by theologians, The Bema Seat Evaluation or Judgment since the expression is taken from the Greek noun bema. This judgment takes place immediately after the rapture of the church and is actually an evaluation of the church age believer s life after salvation to determine if they merit rewards or not (Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 John 2:24). Judgment Seat in Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10 is the noun bema, which was taken from Isthmian games where the contestants would compete for the prize under the careful scrutiny of judges who would make sure that every rule of the contest was obeyed. Just as the victorious Grecian athlete appeared before the Bema to receive his perishable award, so the Christian will appear before Christ s Bema to receive his imperishable award. The Bema Seat is not a place and time when the Lord will mete out punishment for sins committed by the child of God but rather, it is a place where rewards will be given or lost depending on how a believer has lived his life for the Lord. This second statement in Romans 13:12 is a reminder to Paul s readers of their stewardship of time (Luke 9:11-26; cf. Psalm 90:12; Galatians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:15-16; 1 Peter 1:17-18; 1 Peter 4:1-2) William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15

16 Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Therefore is the inferential use of the post-positive conjunction oun (oon), which denotes that the exhortation introduced by this word is the result of an inference from Paul s previous two statements. The first statement the night has drawn to a close teaches that the period in which the church age believer is not in his or her resurrection body and is living during a period of history in which Satan is the god of this world has drawn to a close. The second statement the day is approaching emphasizes with Paul s readers that the period of time when each and every one of them is living in their resurrection body and is permanently delivered from living in Satan s cosmic system is approaching or is imminent. This period begins for the believer with the rapture of the church and will never end and will go on throughout eternity future. Therefore, the conjunction oun introduces an exhortation let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light that is an inference from these previous two statements. We will translate oun, therefore. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 13:12: The night has drawn to a close. Indeed, the day is approaching. Therefore Romans 13:12, The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us lay aside is the first person plural aorist middle subjunctive form of the verb apotithemi (a)potivqhmi) (apo-teeth-a-me), which is a compound word composed of the preposition apo, away from and the verb tithemi, to place, thus the word literally means to place away from. Liddell and Scott list the following meanings: (1) to put away, stow away (2) expose a child (3) to put away from oneself, lay aside; disregard (3) avoid (4) put by for oneself, stow away (5) reserve, keep back (6) of a woman, laid down the burden of her womb, i.e. bore a child (7) employ, bestow time upon it (8) set a fracture (Greek-English Lexicon, New Edition, With a Supplement, page 223; 1968; Oxford at the Clarendon Press). This word was a common term in antiquity meaning to lay aside, to put aside including both tangible (e.g. laying aside clothes) and intangible (e.g. laying aside greed) objects. It was used in classical writings to describe the Olympic runners taking off their clothes to compete in the nude. The verb apotithemi appears fifteen times in the Septuagint where it follows the classical usage. It was used in the Septuagint for putting someone into the custody of the civil authorities until a judicial decision had been rendered determining guilt or innocence (Leviticus 24:12; Numbers 15:34; 2 Chronicles 18:26) William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16

17 The verb was used of Aaron putting an omer full of manna into a jar (Exodus 16:33) and Aaron placing it before the Lord (Exodus 16:34). It is used of Aaron taking off his linen garments which he put on when he entered the sanctuary (Leviticus 16:23). In Numbers 17:22, the word was used of Moses placing before the Lord the staffs of the leaders of each of the twelve tribes of Israel as well as Aaron s. The verb appears in Numbers 19:9 where it is used of a ceremonially clean Israelite man putting the ashes of a red heifer in a ceremonially clean place outside of the camp. It appears in Joshua 4:8 where it is used of the Israelites obeying Joshua s command to place twelve stones according to the number of the Israelite tribes in the middle of the Jordan as the Lord instructed. The verb apotithemi appears nine times in the Greek New Testament where it never occurs in the active voice. The New Thayer s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings: (1) to put off or aside (2) in the NT only middle, to put off from one s self (3) to be put off or way which any one gives up, renounces (Page 69). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition: (1) take off (a) literally of clothes (b) figuratively, lay aside, rid oneself (2) to put aside for a special purpose, lay aside (3) to remove from a locality and place elsewhere, put away; lay down (Pages ). Louw and Nida list the following meanings: (1) to cease doing what one is accustomed to doing to stop, cease (volume 2, pages ) (2) to put or take something away from its normal location to put away, to put out of the way, to remove (volume 2, page 728) (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, to lay off, lay down or aside, as garments; metaphorically to lay aside, putt off, renounce (Page 48). It is used of putting John the Baptizer in prison (Matthew 14:3). The word is used of those Jews who laid their coats at the feet of Saul of Tarsus before stoning Stephen (Acts 7:58). The verb is used of a figurative action by the believer laying aside or putting off sinful actions or conduct. In Ephesians 4:22, Paul uses the word in commanding the Ephesian believers to lay aside the old man, which is a personification of the old sin nature. He uses the word in Ephesians 4:25 of the Ephesian believers laying aside falsehood. In Colossians 3:8, he uses the word to command the Colossians to put off sins such as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from their speech. Apotithemi is found in Hebrews 12:1 where it is used of the believer laying aside every weight and the sin nature. In James 1:21, it is used in a command to put away all filth and evil excess William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17

18 Peter uses the word in a command in 1 Peter 2:1 to putting off all evil, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. In Romans 13:12, the verb apotithemi means to lay aside and is used in a figurative sense in an exhortation to lay aside the deeds of darkness as one would clothes. This is indicated in that the verb enduo, which stands in contrast with apotithemi, means to clothe oneself and is used also in a figurative sense in an exhortation to clothe oneself with the armor of light as one would clothe oneself with literal clothes. The laying aside the deeds of darkness involves the confession of sin (1 John 1:9) to be restored to fellowship with God since the noun ergon, deeds refers to activities and the noun skotos, darkness refers to those who belong to the kingdom of darkness. The exhortation put on the armor of light refers to appropriating by faith the teaching of the Spirit in the Word of God that the believer is in union with Christ and identified with Him in His death and resurrection, which maintains one s fellowship with God (See Romans 6; Romans 8:5-6). The first person plural form of the verb apotithemi refers to Paul and his readers. Paul switches from the second person plural to the third person plural because in this verse he is describing something that is true of all Christians including himself. This indicates that this laying aside the deeds of darkness should be and is a distinguishing mark of a Christian. In the previous verses he uses the second person plural because he is exercising his authority as an apostle and teacher of the Word of God. But here he is not since he wants to emphasize that laying aside the deeds of darkness should characterize all believers including himself. The subjunctive mood of the verb apotithemi is a hortatory or volitive subjunctive used to exhort or command oneself and one s associates. This type of subjunctive is used to urge someone to unite with the speaker in a course of action upon which he has already decided (Chamberlain, W. D., An Exegetical Grammar of the Greek New Testament; pages 83-84; New York: Macmillan, 1941). The hortatory subjunctive is an exhortation in the first person plural. Therefore, the subjunctive mood of the verb apotithemi is a hortatory subjunctive and is used by Paul to exhort his readers to unite with him in laying aside the deeds of darkness. This mood is used to grammaticalize potentiality indicating this laying aside the deeds of darkness, i.e. confession of sin during the period before the rapture is a potential and not yet a reality for Paul and his readers. It emphasizes their volitional responsibility. Paul uses the hortatory subjunctive rather than the imperative mood for the same reason he uses the first person plural rather than the second person plural in 2010 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18