Romans 13:14

Put ye on. In v. 12 the Christian is exhorted to put on “the armour of light.” Now Paul represents Christ Himself as the Christian’s panoply. But this life with which he has been clothed must be continually renewed in the day-by-day experience of growth in sanctification (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:12-14). Each new step in this development may be regarded as a new putting on of Christ, and the Christian who perseveres in this transforming experience will more and more perfectly imitate the life and character of Christ and reflect Him to the world (see 2 Cor. 3:2, 3; COL 69; cf. Gal. 4:19).

The flesh. That is, the depraved physical nature (see Eph. 8:1-13). Provision must be made for the needs of the body, but the Christian must take no thought for the excitement and gratification of unholy physical cravings. A life of luxury and self-indulgence stimulates those fleshly impulses that the Christian should seek rather to mortify (chs. 6:12, 13; 8:13). Therefore Paul warns believers not to give their thoughts to such things.