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.  Romans 13:12  NASB

Cast off – In the English language, we have only two “voices” (a grammatical term) – active or passive.  But in Greek, there is a third voice, called the middle voice.  The middle voice signifies a special interest in the speaker about the action described.  In other words, whatever the action is, it is being done for self-interest. The action has a special effect on the subject.  Today’s word, cast off, is found in the Greek New Testament only in the middle voice.  Whenever this word is used to describe an action, it is always an action that has particular personal significance.  It is an action that someone does for himself and on his own behalf.  This word comes from two Greek words – apo meaning “from” and tithemi meaning “to put in place”.  Literally, the word means to remove from its place.

Paul tells us to WAKE UP!  The night is gone.  The day is approaching.  Get up and throw off those old habits and connections to the darkness that infected you.  Get rid of them, just like you would throw away the hospital garments you wore when you were deathly ill in the bed.  Now you are healed.  Now you are clean.  Those old things carry a disease that will kill you.  So, give them the heave-ho.  Do it now, today, for yourself.  Put on something new and alive.  Throw off the old dead stuff and get going.  It’s up to you!

God can cast away your guilt.  In fact, He is the only one who can do that.  But God cannot cast off your past works of darkness.  They are yours, not His, and you must determine what to do with them.  You are entirely free to let them go since they no longer hold you with the power of shame and guilt.  But you must decide.  God will not remove them for you.  You are not a child who needs to be dressed and undressed.  You are a citizen of the Kingdom.  You have the authority, the power and the purpose of removing what once held you captive.  God has opened the jail door but you must walk out.

Yeshua preached the favorable year of the Lord (Luke 4:19), but the day of wrath is coming.  It inevitably comes.  The death and resurrection of the Son guarantees its coming.  That’s why the night is far spent.  Outside that jail cell is the light, waiting to embrace you.  The shackles are gone, the door has burst open.  Why do you sit in the corner recounting your sins?

Topical Index:  Romans 13:12, cast off, apotithemi