Power Filled Positive Thinking-Chapter 13c- 7 Garments of Your New Life in Christ -Will you wear them today?
In Christ, we are new creations, raised out of the dust and ashes of our spiritual death into new life. God breathed into Adam the breath of life. In Christ, God has breathed into us the Holy Spirit—who indwells us, guides us, and provides for us the security of His covenant promise to us. Furthermore, God has clothed us with the righteousness of Christ. Yet, this earthly journey leaves us surrounded by all the allurements of our old addictions to self-exaltation, our allurements to counterfeit pleasures, our anger, our greed, our pride, and our sin filled nature. Too often we cling tight to those old garments. We don’t want to release them because we might possibly want to wear them again. After all, those were the garments that made us feel better about ourselves. We had worn those garments to attempt to ward off the depression, lifelessness and sorrow of our own depraved hearts. It comes down to whether I really believe and trust in the promises of God. Do I really know that in Christ, this new life is an abundant life? Do I really trust in God’s Sovereignty? Do I really believe that His plans for me are the best plans—the ones that will guide me into fullness of joy? Do I see the trials of this pilgrimage journey as stepping stones to greater love, joy, hope, faith and glory? Do I truly believe that Christ won the victory over sin and death for me? Most important of all, do I really believe that God loves me with a perfect, unconditional, everlasting covenant love? When we get dressed for the day, we choose our clothing from the closet so as to look our best, to be appropriate for the task at hand, and to display to the world our position in life.
If I really believe that God is Sovereign, loves me with a perfect love, and has clothed me with newness of life; then, I will adorn those new garments in response to every situation of life. I will choose those garments which best display who I am in Christ.
So what are these new garments of this new life in Christ?
Let us turn to Colossians 3 to look at a few of the garments. (AMP) “12 Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].14 And above all these [put on] love.”
As we see above listed 7 garments that we are instructed to clothe ourselves in are:
1. Compassion—the Spirit of Mercy.
2. Kindness
3. Humility
4. Patience
5. Gentleness
6. Forgiveness
7. Love
So, how do we apply this? Let’s say that at work your boss has given a co-worker a raise while never noticing that you were the one responsible for the increased productivity instead of the co-worker. What would be your response wearing your old garments? What would be your response wearing the new garments of Christ’s love? Or, what if your wife seems to never appreciate you while a very attractive co-worker hangs upon your every word with adoration. What would be your response if you adorn your old fleshly clothing that declares your right to being fulfilled by your partner? What would your response be clothed in the love and compassion of Christ? Are you beginning to get the picture? When faced with any situation, we have a choice to make. We can either reach into the closet to pull out the old rags or we can adorn ourselves with the new clothing which is befitting of our new life in Christ.
I would love to hear your stories about when you have chosen to adorn yourself with Christ’s love and when you haven’t.
listen to this hymn, Clothed in Righteousness
Amplified Bible (AMP)
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©2015 Effie Darlene Barba
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