Redeeming the Time

The care that we have of our temporal profit will suffice to condemn us before God for the negligence that is seen in us when we come to the well ordering of our life. For we hope to escape by this excuse, that we did not think of it. But is it a tolerable fault that when God calls us to Himself and puts the heavenly life before us, specially telling us how dearly it was purchased, and requires nothing but that we should yield Him His right, that is to say, that we should glorify Him in true obedience, all this should be nothing to us?

Is it not the case that we are so gross as to get taken upon with mere nothings and trifles, and about many things that vanish away, and in the meanwhile despise the kingdom of heaven in such a way as to make no account of God's service, and esteem the salvation of our souls as a thing of nothing? For this reason Paul exhorts us to be more vigilant than we have been accustomed to be. First he says that in this matter we must stand on our guard, and not imagine that God must acquit us because of our stupidity, when we are entangled in this world and by that means do not think upon the kingdom of heaven. “Take heed,” he says, “that you walk circumspectly.” It is true that although we watch ourselves very closely, yet we shall not fail to be carried away by our infirmities and commit many faults, not only through ignorance, but also even knowingly, and often we are not strong enough to withstand temptations as need arises.

Nevertheless, if you look closely to ascertain why men pardon themselves many offences so easily, and why they imagine that God does not think about them, you will find that it springs from sheer carelessness. For if we considered that we walk in the presence of God and His angels, surely it would restrain us more than is the case. That therefore is the reason Paul expressly requires here a great care and diligence in us, in order that no man should give himself up to evil through failure to take heed.

To provoke us the more to it, he adds that we have need to redeem the time because the days are evil. In this he shows that we cannot misuse God's grace even a little without its being a willful losing of the time which we cannot recover afterwards. Now then, let us make a brief summary of what is contained here, and let us begin at this point, that the days are evil, by which Paul gives us to understand that we shall find many difficulties to hinder us from coming to God. For we know we are surrounded by so many corruptions that even they who are well-intentioned stumble on one side, are retarded on another, and sometimes go completely astray. Now we have need of a singular inward power to fight in such a way that we may get the upper hand over all the impediments that Satan casts before us to pluck us from our God and to entice us from the way of salvation. This has been true in all ages, that since men are always perverse by nature and we are born in sin, Satan keeps us as his prisoners.

Again, there is not one man among us who does not draw other men to wickedness. Moreover, we scarcely know how to open our eyes without seeing I know not what that may utterly pervert us; and the devil through his own wiliness applies all to his working, so that unless we take good heed to his doings, he corrupts us immediately. But the more the world rages, and the more iniquity overflows, the more ought we to note this text well and the counsel that is given us here by the Holy Spirit. For surely nowadays men are come to the full measure of all enormity, and there is no part of the world where a man may find simple and honest dealing.

In old time a man might yet have found some nations where men were not so crafty and malicious, nor so excessive in pomp and all kinds of pleasures, nor so abounding in robbery, cruelty, and violence. But nowadays let a man take a tour here and there, and he shall find that there is nothing but a horrible flood and confused turmoil of all kinds of wickedness. Therefore if Paul said that the days were evil when there was a hundred times more integrity than there is nowadays, we ought to be the more vigilant in keeping careful watch, according to the increasing of the evil of the time. If there is any fear of war, each one of us will become tight-fisted and consider that it is not for him to hazard all there and then, but that he must reserve some little thing for a time of extremity, both of food and other things. Also if we have any other troubles, every one of us will be making enough provision in that respect.

Let us think (we will say), for necessity will drive us to it. But now we see well enough the evil of the days, that is to say, that all is against us. And although we were the most alert in the world, yet we shall not fail to be caught napping with many things, and to find ourselves hindered when it is a question of serving God. Nevertheless, all this passes by and slips away, and we do not care about it at all. Therefore let us consider and learn to redeem the time, that is to say, the more occasions there are to provoke us to wickedness and to pull away from God, the more let each one of us strive and strain to do good. For we are accustomed to use the corruptness of the time as a cloak to cover our sloth and lethargy, and so we imagine always that it is lawful for us to do as others do, as the proverb says. If a man tells us that we must live in equity and uprightness, how shall I do it? Every man will say, A man cannot buy a pennyworth of apples without some deceit, and how then may I deal in wares and merchandise?

Again, if a man tells us that we must live soberly and temperately, yes (we say), but who does it? If a man speaks to us of patience and meekness and other such things, is it not apparent (we say) that every man behaves himself completely to the contrary? Shall I be all alone in the world? Take note how we set about making this our shield against God and a means of repelling all the warnings given us, as if vices, because they are common, ought to serve us as an acquittal or discharge. But, on the contrary, it is said here that we must take so much the more pains to redeem the time; and the more the devil labors to hinder us and the more means and wiles he has with which to do it, the more must each one of us employ himself virtuously and stir up all his mind and understanding, praying God to strengthen us and to give power to resist him.

Thus you see that our redeeming of the time must not be by making worldly gain, for in that respect we need neither counsel nor encouragement. Every man is so much inclined that way by his own nature, and our lusts are so gushing that they will not allow us to be slothful in that matter. But when we see how the devil goes about to trouble us in order that we should not spend our lives in serving God, let us redeem the time in that respect. And in what way? In that he speaks of redeeming, he presupposes that we must leave or lose the thing that we are desirous of keeping. For when we speak of redeeming a thing that has gone out of our hands, or a thing that we need, or a thing that another man withholds from us, in those cases we give up some part of our profit. If another man has laid hold of a thing that would be serviceable to me, I must give him some money to get it back again. Even so it is said that we must redeem the time. And in what way? Not always with gold and silver, but by forsaking all our own lusts. It is true that sometimes gold or silver must be spent for that purpose. For if worldly riches turn us away, or hold us back from following wherever God calls us, we must redeem the time, that is to say, all that we ever perceive to be injurious and offensive in that way must be thrust under foot.

However, there are many other means besides. For some are so wrapped up in their ambition that this world has altogether ravished them, and they have no taste for everlasting life, no matter what may be preached to them. Others are given to deceiving, and others to extortion. According then as every man sees the devil able to overcome him and to make him lose his time by consuming it in wicked things, so let him redeem it, that is to say, let him reform himself and forsake both himself and all the temptations with which he might be entangled.

You see then the thing we have to note from this passage. In view of the corruption which is nowadays throughout the world, and the great number of outrageous vices, and the fact that all things are quite out of order, and (to be short) that even the most perfect men are somewhat infected with the vices and disorders that are everywhere, instead of seeking empty excuses by pleading that we are weak and unable to overcome the great number of hindrances that present themselves to us, let us redeem the time.

God Our Help and Hope

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

— Psalter 247

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen