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(philotheoi)". In the same epistle, the crown is for all those "who have loved His
appearing", while the defection of Demas is attributed to the love of this present evil age
(II Tim. 4: 8, 10).
We also remember the pre-eminent place given to love in I Corinthians--above all
miracles and martyrdom, above even faith and hope. Love is all-comprehensive, for God
Himself is love; and when we know even as we are known, we shall need no other
attribute to make God all in all to us. For the time being, the white light of love must be
split up to suit our present limitations, but we can see even now that both law and grace,
as well as faith and hope, look to love for their realization.
We must pass on to the closing member A | 13: 11-14.
A | 13: 11-14. The night. The flesh. The light. Put on.
a | 11. Time. Knowing the season.
b | 11. Action. The hour to awake.
a | 11, 12. Time. | c | Salvation nearer.
d | Night far spent.
c | Day at hand.
b | 12-14. Action.
e | Put off.
f | Put on.
g | Walk "as" (pos.), (Euschemonos).
"Not" (neg.)
f | Put on.
e | Put off.
This is the last section of the Structure, and the teaching of Rom. 12: and 13: is now
complete. No conformity with this age was the key to the first section (Rom. 12: 1, 2);
and "walking honestly", as in the day; not as in the night, is the teaching of this and
balancing section (Rom. 13: 11-14). In the first passage suschematizo is used; and in
the second euschemonos ("honestly"). In both words the root is schema, "fashion". We
are not to be conformed to the fashion of this world which passes away, but to be
fashioned in harmony with "the day"--the day of salvation.
There is an emphasis here upon the importance of recognizing "the time". While the
people of Israel remained a factor the purpose of the ages, the Second Coming of Christ
could be regarded as imminent. Contingent upon Israel's repentance, the return of the
Lord was to take place, and the "times of refreshing" would have come (Acts 3: 19-21).
In view, therefore, of "the present necessity", the shortness of the time, and the character
of the days immediately preceding the Second Coming, the Apostle gave special
instructions, as for example in I Cor. 7:, with reference to marriage (I Cor. 7: 26, 29).
This instruction was considerably modified when the dispensation changed
(Eph. 5: 22-23, I Tim. 3: 1-5, 5: 11-14).
A knowledge of the character of the season leads to action--"It is high time to awake
out of sleep". We find a very close parallel to Rom. 13: 11-14 in I Thess. 5: 1-10. In