Have you seen the movie Awakenings with Robin Williams? The movie came out in 1990 and is based on a true story about victims of an encephalitis epidemic that left people in a catatonic state. In the 1970’s, Dr. Oliver Sacks tried a new drug regimen that offered the prospect of reviving these people from their unconscious condition. One thing Dr. Sacks said of his experience that I’ve never forgotten is: “Every human being has an inner person who needs to be awakened regardless of what we can see on the outside.”
Isn’t this true of our spiritual lives too?
1 Corinthians 15:34 says, “Awake to righteousness.” I read this two ways: (1) awake to necessary salvation, and (2) stay awake (because every day is an awakening). Physically we may look the same on the day of our salvation as we did the day before, but we are not the same. When our spirit man is born again (awakened to new life), ever day becomes an opportunity to grow in Christ.
“You know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah)” (Romans 13:11, Amplified).
This isn’t a reference to physical sleep. Paul was referring to the catatonic state we once walked in before Christ and the danger of falling back into a similar condition. Righteousness is first and foremost our right-standing with God… and then it is our daily response to His grace.
In other words, WE HAVE BEEN AWAKENED— therefore we should walk (live, abide, and choose) the light every day. Although we are guaranteed to have days when we struggle, make mistakes, or simply dislike ourselves (and others), those things don’t change God’s Word. The Bible says, “…the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
If you’re lacking peace and joy, I guarantee there’s a snag in your belief system regarding your righteousness in Christ.
Awake to righteousness.
“If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too” (Romans 14:18, NLT). Isn’t that what we want? To be approved by God and others…? Of course it is. So live for Christ. Choose righteousness every day and you will be approved because– there’s more to the package of this life in Christ than what you know right now. You can BELIEVE IT.
A few years ago, I was ministering at a women’s conference and an elderly lady came up to me and said, “You know what makes you so good?…” As soon as she said that, I thought, “What?” I wasn’t there to promote myself so she caught me off-guard with her statement until she finished her sentence. She said, “You know what makes you so good?… You believe this stuff!”
Hahaha I had to laugh out loud– to which I answered, “Of course I do!” She went on to explain she’d been a Christian over sixty years and had been a part of a lot of churches and heard a lot of “preachers” but she didn’t think they all believed what they preached. Isn’t that sad? I’m glad she could tell I believed it. But the truth is, I was awakened to righteousness and our life in Christ and I never wanted to go back to the dark.
I hope you’ll strive to do the same. The result of your continued faith in God isn’t just an understanding of righteousness… it’s actually total salvation (whole, entire, full-blown, full-scale, undisputed, unlimited, and thorough)! And who doesn’t want to strive for that?!
It’s time to wake up.
