I don’t know about you, but I have an old pair of tennis shoes I keep reserved for lawn-mowing days. They have been stained green from all my trips around the yard behind my Briggs & Stratton. I have certain t-shirts I wear when washing the car or tackling a painting project. But, those are not the same clothes I wear when I leave the house to go out on a date with my wife or meet some friends for dinner or attend a wedding. Certain clothes are just not appropriate for certain occasions. When I am done working around the house, I change clothes into something more suitable for a public setting. Do you do that too? Sure you do.
In Ephesians chapter 4, verses 17-24, we are admonished to change clothes. Here’s how Paul worded it:
With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God–truly righteous and holy.
Did you catch it? God is telling us through the pen of Paul that we are to “throw off” our old sinful nature and “put on” our new nature. We’re supposed to change clothes! Our old clothes (our sinful behavior, thoughts, and desires) are not appropriate for our new life in Christ. We are to change out of our old clothes and put on new clothes that are suitable to a child of God. We are to trade in the rags of our greed and impurity and selfishness and lust for the splendor of living in the likeness of God’s righteousness, and holiness, and truth.
We are created in the image of God, and we are to model our lifestyle after His. We are to strive to think holy thoughts. We are to pursue righteousness rather than sinfulness. We are to look at the needs of those around us through the eyes of Christ’s compassion rather than our natural bent toward selfishness. And, as we change clothes, becoming the new creation God calls us to be (2 Corinthians 5:172 Corinthians 5:17
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.
WP-Bible plugin), we are not left to adjust to the new clothes all on our own. With the new set of clothes, our new nature, comes the transforming power of the Holy Spirit as well. He is the gift from God that enables us to live in a manner worthy of the new clothes we’re wearing. These clothes represent the name of Jesus. They bear His likeness, His goodness, His honor. And the Holy Spirit is the One who helps us to, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1Ephesians 4:1
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Unity with Christ
4
1 As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own.
WP-Bible pluginb-3) God provides the new clothes, the new nature for us through the life-changing power of His Spirit alive and active within each of us who believe and trust in Christ as our Savior.
One last thing I’ll mention…unlike my lawn-mowing tennis shoes that I return to wearing as the need arises, it is NEVER okay for us to return to our old clothes spiritually speaking. Our old nature is to be abandoned, thrown away, and left behind permanently. We’re not supposed to leave the old, “comfortable” clothes of sin and darkness and bad habits and addictions hanging in the closet or in one of our dresser drawers for use again later. They are to be destroyed, through the transforming power of God’s Spirit, never to be seen or worn again.
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20Galatians 2:20
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
20 I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me.
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Jesus purchased your new clothes by paying for them with His very life. His death on the cross was the cost of the new clothes you are wearing as His child, and He bought them willingly and lovingly. (1 Corinthians 6:19-201 Corinthians 6:19-20
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
19 . You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own.
20 God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.
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I encourage us to wear our new clothes humbly, recognizing the manner in which they were bought and provided for you and me. We should wear them with immense gratitude and help other people who don’t know the Lord yet to see the new set of clothes He has for them too.
When you’re getting ready for bed tonight or standing in front of your closet tomorrow deciding what to wear, why not take a moment to thank God for the new set of spiritual clothes He’s given you in making you the new creation you are in Him?
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