How Getting Dressed Can Remind Us Of Our Calling
How does putting on a T-shirt remind me of what God is doing in my life? Here are a few thoughts.
Often, the clothes we wear reveal the kind of person we are or what interests us.
Sometimes it's a coat, our favorite sports team apparel, gym clothes, or a uniform required for a job or position. Our clothing shows our goals, plans, or intentions. On the other hand, there are times we must shed what we are wearing to adopt what is now expected of us.
My 4-year wedding anniversary is approaching, and like many couples, my wife and I will celebrate by going out and looking “nice.” When I finish work, my wife will expect me to remove my work clothes and put on something more formal. While we physically take off and put on clothes, the apostle Paul instructs us to do the same spiritually.
The Dress of a Christian
In Colossians 3, Paul explains that there is a certain attire required for those of us who have been raised with Christ. Every single day, we are to dress ourselves with an eternal perspective. We are to dress ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and love.
With a near-sighted view of our lives and the lives of those around us, this can’t be accomplished. Which is why, in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 3, Paul commands us to fix our gaze on the things above, where our Savior is. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
However, we all know that one must remove their old clothes before putting on new ones, correct? That’s why Paul urges us to shed the old garments we wore prior to our resurrection into Christ. Paul describes our worn-out, tattered garments in verses 5-10 by stating:
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. In these, you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk–these garments do not fit Jesus Christ. And since we are now in Christ, these clothes shouldn't fit us either. Just as a snake sheds its skin to grow and eliminate damage, Paul teaches that we must shed these worldly things from our bodies.
So, how can I be clothed in righteousness?
First, Crucify The flesh
Paul says in verse 3, “for you have died.” This is a spirit we must embrace every single day. We are called not only to be like Christ in his resurrection, but also to be like Christ in his death. Galatians 2:20 says, “For I am crucified WITH Christ.” I don’t just thank him for dying, I die with him.
Think about the grave clothes Jesus wore; he doesn’t wear them anymore! He left them behind. Similarly, we are to leave behind our former selves and rise to new life with Jesus. One way to crucify the flesh daily is to acknowledge our weakness. Jesus says in Matthew 26:41 that the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Every day, cry out to God with humility, saying, Father, I am unable to live the life you have called me to live on my own.
King David crucified his flesh by asking God to examine his heart thoroughly. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
