What are you wearing????

Fortunately we are required by law to wear clothes when we are

out in public.  In the winter time you can freeze to death if you are not properly clothed.  Even in the summer time we dress to be comfortable and cool.  I think some people are such slaves to fashion that they will wear anything regardless of how comfortable it is or how offensive it may be.  If is say, “those aren’t pants!”, you know I am talking about yoga pants.

Most people put a fair amount of thought into what they wear.  During the school year I pick out my clothes the night before so that I can shower and dress quickly in the morning to get to the car rider line at school.  I choose clothes that “go together” and are comfortable.  If they aren’t comfortable, it will be a very long day.

Some Christians make a big deal about clothing and even cite some Bible verses to support their stand on clothing.  However most of us skip over the most direct references to clothing because it makes us uncomfortable.  As you know I have been reviewing a lot of Scripture that I have read in the past in the Amplified version of the Bible.    The passage I am reading that directly addresses what we as Christian should and should not wear can be found in  Colossians 3: 8-16.  Before you click on that link, get ready for a whole new wardrobe to wear out on the town.

Colossians 3:8 gives us a list of things that we can remove from our heart, life and closet.  What may you ask is on that list?  The Amplified version tells us “put away and rid yourselves completely of:

Anger

Rage

Bad feeling toward others

Curses and Slander

Foul-mouthed abuse

Shameful utterances.

Paul exhort us to put away and rid ourselves of these things from our lips.    Time for some new lip gloss.  And you thought that lip gloss was poppin’.  In verse 9 we are told not to lie to one another! Why?  We have stripped off the old unregenerate self with its evil practises. (See also 2 Cor. 5:17)
You are wondering where the new clothes are right?

As Christians we are supposed to have clothed ourselves with the new spiritual self, which is “ever in the process of being renewed and remolded into the fuller and more perfect knowledge upon knowledge after the likeness of Him Who created it.” (Col. 3:10)  This is speaking of the process of santification.  Apparently this new self comes with cool glasses in verse 11 “all distinctions vanish.”  Additionally, these glasses help us to see that “Christ is all in all, everything and everywhere to all men without distinction of person.”  I know where are the clothes.  Follow me to verse 12 of Colossians 3.

We are God’s own chosen ones, a royal priesthood.  So when we go out into the world we have to dress such that what is in us is reflected to the world.  How do we do that?  We are to “put on behavior marked by tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of ourselves (humility), gentle ways, and patience which is tireless and longsuffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper.”  See, I told you it is a whole new wardrobe.   The top hat to all of these new clothes is love, and “the bond of perfectness which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony.”   
There we were worrying about whether our shoes and belt matched.    We were concerned with what others might think of our clothing.   God wants us to show his character in how we clothe ourselves.   I am going into a cocoon to ruminate over this new wardrobe.  Be patient while I adjust my body, mind and attitude to fit the clothes.  How will I do that.  Colossians 3:16 gives us the key to transforming our wardrobe:  “Let the word spoken by Christ the Messiah have its home in your hearts and minds and dwell in you in all its richness.”

I hear someone ask, “Do we have to wear this new wardrobe?  Some of my friends, Christians and non-Christians won’t like it?”   Paul give us the answer to that question in Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily from the soul, as something done for the Lord and not men, knowing with all certainty that it is from the Lord and not from men that you will receive the inheritance which is your real reward. The One Whom you are actually serving is the Lord Christ-the Messiah.”

      Excuse me while I construct a cocoon, and ruminate on this.

 I hope and pray to emerge properly clothed.  Unfortunately, my cocoon will be see through so be kind and patient during the process. Let me know how you are doing and we can pray one another through this wardrobe change.