In Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, we hear Paul telling us what naked faith looks like as he describes the garments worn by a genuine community of Christians: garments like compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, and, above all, love. These are the “style” or “fashion” marks of those who live “in Christ,” who have been blessed as “God’s chosen ones” (3:12). It is the kind of clothing that the newly converted are to wear, contrasted to the old clothing in the preceding verses that the newly converted are to take off, the kind of clothing that comprise moral and spiritual corruption, evil desire, lust, greed, rage, malice, slander, obscene language, lying (3:5-8).
Read carefully, this whole passage speaks of “taking off” and “putting on”: that’s the language of baptism. It’s also the language of conversion. It is the language of endings and new beginnings.
In fact, I am sure this week, when the clock strikes 12:00 o’clock on December 31st, when we all make our New Year’s Resolutions, we all will resolve to take off those things that we want to say “goodbye” to and put on those things we want to improve on: to cut out the carbs and spend more time in the gym, right? We all will resolve to take the stairs instead of the elevator and spend more time working on the waistline. We all will resolve to spend less time on social media and more time conversing with family and friends. We all will resolve, in short, to make a fresh start, to make good changes in our lives, to put on a fresh, new persona.
Now to be sure, I am all for making resolutions, and I hope we all can make resolutions. But I also hope that the resolutions we make are the kinds of resolutions that will make a difference: Be it resolved that the resolutions we make will make a difference!
What inner change needs to happen in our lives to make a difference? What kind of new clothing do we need to put to show the world who Christ is?
Both inner change and outer clothing are necessary. How may we show forth the kind of changed clothing Christ brings?
Pastor Andy Kinsey
Read carefully, this whole passage speaks of “taking off” and “putting on”: that’s the language of baptism. It’s also the language of conversion. It is the language of endings and new beginnings.
In fact, I am sure this week, when the clock strikes 12:00 o’clock on December 31st, when we all make our New Year’s Resolutions, we all will resolve to take off those things that we want to say “goodbye” to and put on those things we want to improve on: to cut out the carbs and spend more time in the gym, right? We all will resolve to take the stairs instead of the elevator and spend more time working on the waistline. We all will resolve to spend less time on social media and more time conversing with family and friends. We all will resolve, in short, to make a fresh start, to make good changes in our lives, to put on a fresh, new persona.
Now to be sure, I am all for making resolutions, and I hope we all can make resolutions. But I also hope that the resolutions we make are the kinds of resolutions that will make a difference: Be it resolved that the resolutions we make will make a difference!
What inner change needs to happen in our lives to make a difference? What kind of new clothing do we need to put to show the world who Christ is?
Both inner change and outer clothing are necessary. How may we show forth the kind of changed clothing Christ brings?
Pastor Andy Kinsey
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