Since the New Year is here and we are contemplating the passage of time, the inspired words of the apostle Paul in Romans 13:11-14 are apropos:

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. 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 armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Three instructions stand out in this passage.

1. Wake Up

Paul says it is high time to awake out of sleep. The apostle was concerned about followers of Christ falling into a spiritual stupor. He frequently writes to Christians to wake up. Not only does he tell those in Rome to do so, but in Ephesians 5 Paul emphasizes the need to be awake and make the most of the time (v.16) after quoting from the prophet Isaiah: “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Eph. 5:14). To his converts at Thessalonica, whom he had to abruptly leave after their conversion (Acts 17:1-10), Paul wrote: “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:6-8).

2. Get Dressed

Paul’s instructions to put on these pieces of the armor in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 brings us to the second instruction–being properly attired. The works of darkness are to be cast off; the armor of light must be donned (Rom. 13:12). We put on the Lord Jesus Christ initially in baptism (Gal. 3:27); yet, Paul exhorts Christians to put on the Lord Jesus Christ in their behavior (Rom. 13:14). Colossians 3:8 lists sins we must put off. Colossians 3:12 give virtues we must put on as the elect of God. A parallel in his epistle to the Ephesians is, “that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:22-24). Ephesians goes on to detail certain sinful habits and dispositions to “put away” (Eph. 4:25-31); moreover, it details the whole armor of God which Christians must “put on” (Eph. 6:10-17).   Almost as if we were changing out of graveclothes (Jn. 11:44), the Christian has been given new life and must put off the former sins associated with spiritual death and put on the Christian armor associated with light and life.

3. Walk in the Light

The daily activity of the Christian is described as walking honestly, as in the day (Rom. 13:13). Paul warned Christians how to walk (Eph. 4:17, 5:15). This is similar to the familiar passage John gives on walking in the light (1 Jn. 1:5-9). What habits will you break, form, or continue in 2025? Let us examine ourselves so that our habit is to walk in the light of God’s word (Psa. 119:105).

The Holy Spirit is God as much as the Father and the Son are God (Mt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14). When Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3), he indeed lied to God (Acts 5:4). The Holy Spirit was there in the beginning of creation (Gen. 1:2) The Holy Spirit is not some impersonal force. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit using personal pronouns, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (Jn. 16:13, 14; cf. Jn. 14:26). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Eph. 4:30); this statement would be nonsense if the Holy Spirit was merely energy or power but is entirely understandable since He is a person.

The Holy Spirit has worked in revealing the truth through inspired men and providing miraculous confirmation (2 Pet. 1:20-21; Heb. 2:1-4). David wrote, “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue” (2 Sam. 23:2). The psalms David wrote came about by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, He prefaced it by saying, “For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool,’” (Mk. 12:36). The Spirit inspired prophets like Elijah and Elisha who did not write books of the Old Testament, but nevertheless spoke to Israel to turn from their idolatry (1 Kings 17:1; 18:21, 22; 2 Kings 2:15). The Spirit also gave Samson miraculous strength to deliver Israel from their enemies (Judges 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14).

The Old Testament came about through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:20-21). Likewise, the New Testament is what the Holy Spirit revealed through the apostles and prophets (Eph. 3:5). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to engage in miraculous activity which we do not see in the Old Testament. For example, speaking in other languages (Acts 2:6, 8, 11; 1 Cor. 14) and casting out demons (Mt. 10:8; Lk. 10:17) were abilities provided by the Holy Spirit in New Testament times, which we have no account of in the Old Testament (Mk. 16:17) —though the Holy Spirit did give an indication through Isaiah that speaking in other tongues was coming (Isa. 28:11; 1 Cor. 14:21).

The Holy Spirit has been the great revealer of divine truth throughout time. The Bible, the completed revelation of God to us, is a result of the Spirit’s work. The Spirit confirmed the word through accompanying miraculous signs (Mk. 16:17-20). God has not asked us to believe someone is speaking for Him without proof. The miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit serve as authentication. We must then beware of any who claim to be a spokesperson for God when miraculous confirmation is lacking, and the content of the teaching contradicts the Bible (Rev. 2:20). The Spirit’s work today will not oppose what He has revealed in the Scriptures.