Wake Up Sleepy Head
What would you do if someone came barging into the room and yelled, “Get out! Fire?” Would you finish your conversation? Would you finish that cup of coffee? Or, would you leave as fast and as safe as you could making sure those around you were safe and out of harm? This is the same urgency that Paul is using. Awake! Why? Because there is a spiritual fire that will consume all if not ready for it and willing to fight it.
Paul tells us to awake and to cast off our works of wickedness. These are the works of the flesh. We cannot fight the battle and serve the Lord depending on ourselves and our flesh. We must mortify it all and give no please to it.
In verse 13, we see the command and that is to walk honestly or to awake out of spiritual death. The carnal verses the spiritual. If we have not cast off the flesh, we will not make it any further. However, when the flesh is taken care of, on a continual basis, we can then walk in honesty. In I Sam. 15 Saul was not walking in honesty. He disobeyed God and Samuel had to correct him. Samuel told him that it is better to obey than to sacrifice. God wants us to walk in honesty.
Then Paul tells us to awake and put on Christ. Awake out of spiritual slumber. What on earth are you on earth for. If you are living for yourself, money, fame, etc. than you will be sorely disappointed and spend an empty life trying to obtain it all. Instead, we are to live holy and put on holiness or Christ, Col. 3:12-16. Then we will have fulfillment and truly be awake and alive.
Remember, as Paul tells the Corinthian church, we do not war after flesh and our weapon, Christ-likeness, is mighty and strong.