Awakening to Duty: Romans 13 and Solemn Responsibility

Romans 13:11-12

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

We are living in a period of solemn responsibilities that demands an immediate awakening to our duty because the night of this world is nearly over and the day of eternity is at hand Romans 13:11-12Ev 546.3. This call to awake is a divine summons for every worker to recognize that the work of the true medical missionary is of the highest order and is largely a spiritual workEv 546.1+1.

The Solemnity of Our Responsibilities

The instruction to "awake out of sleep" is a call to realize that our salvation is nearer than when we first believed Romans 13:11. In this critical time, consecrated work must be done with a deep sense of accountabilityEv 546.3.

• A Sacred Setting Apart: Because the work includes prayer and the laying on of hands, the missionary physician should be as sacredly set apart for his work as is the minister of the gospelEv 546.3.

• Protection Against Temptation: This formal consecration strengthens the worker against the temptation to withdraw from the sanitarium work to engage in private practice for personal gainEv 546.3.

• Resisting Selfishness: No selfish motive should ever be allowed to draw a worker away from their post of duty during these solemn timesEv 546.3.

The High Character of the Gospel

As we "cast off the works of darkness" and "put on the armour of light," we are called to reach those in the higher walks of life who have been strangely passed by Romans 13:12Ev 546.1.

• Reaching All Classes: This specialized medical and ministerial work is not to be limited to the poorer classes but must reach men of ability who will respond to the consistent character of the truthEv 546.1.

• Transforming Consumers into Producers: When these individuals accept the gospel, they use their God-given talents to become producers in the work of God rather than merely consumersEv 546.1.

• A Work of High Order: Those laboring in evangelistic medical lines are doing a work of as high an order as their ministerial fellow laborersEv 546.1.

Seeking the Lord Diligently

To meet the demands of this hour, we must seek the Lord diligently and understandinglyEv 546.3. This spiritual preparation ensures that the physician and the minister work in complete harmonyEv 546.2.

• Unity as a Witness: By their unity and by counseling together, they bear witness to the world that God has sent His only-begotten Son to save all who believe John 17:21Ev 546.2.

• A Unified Mission: The faithful physician and the minister are engaged in the same work and must maintain a bond of unity to be effective in these last daysEv 546.2.

• Constant Vigilance: Knowing that the day is at hand, every worker must remain at their post, focusing on the high character of the gospel message Romans 13:12Ev 546.1.

By understanding that the night is far spent, we are empowered to labor with a sense of urgency, ensuring that every talent is consecrated to the service of the Master Romans 13:12Ev 546.1.