Friday, March 22, 2019

Spring Clothes


“Do not lie to one another, since you
have put off the old man with his deeds,
and have put on the new man who is
renewed in knowledge according to the image
of Him who created him. . .Therefore, as
the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on
tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering; . . .But above all these things,
put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
     Colossians 3:9-14 (NKJV)

Spring is finally here and I’m looking forward to putting away my thick sweaters, heavy coat and other winter gear, and putting on my spring clothing.  In the above passage, Paul talks about putting off the old man and putting on the new man, as if they are garments.  And he makes it seem easy, like we just go to the closet and get rid of our old clothes, take our new outfit and don it. 

I don’t know about you, but I often struggle with living according to my new nature and not letting my old flesh have its way.  Thankfully, Paul admits he struggles with this too:  “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Romans 7:18-19, NKJV)  This gives me encouragement.

True believers have the Holy Spirit living within us and that gives us power in this putting off and putting on.  And when we stumble and make a mistake, go to the Lord and tell Him about it.  But don’t stay in defeat—that’s a tactic the enemy likes to use to keep us down and ineffective.  Trust that Christ, who is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV), has begun a good work in us and He will complete it (Phil. 1:6). 

Our sanctification in His hands.  So let’s rejoice in our gracious Lord as we put on our new clothes daily—tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, love.  Spring is a season of hope and our spiritual garments should reflect the blessed hope we have in Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).

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