Photo by Gianni Scognamiglio on Unsplash

Dear Saints,

I’m thankful for a lot of things. One – I’m not part of the Royal Family. They’re expected to get dressed up … all the time! Not just for fancy dinners or dances or church, but all the time. Recently Meghan, Duchess of Sussex made some unflattering headlines because she wore blue jeans into the Royal Box at Wimbledon. However, I will admit there are times when I don’t mind dressing up. It’s a process, but when it’s all finished, someone might compliment me saying, “Wow! You clean up pretty nice!”

St. Paul often uses “getting dressed up” imagery to make a point about Christian life. He says, “(Don’t act like you used to), 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 the Creator.” (Colossians 3:9-10) As Christians, sometimes we might have a tendency to look at our lives and think not much has changed. How come I’m still falling into sin … still get angry … still have bad thoughts? How come I can’t seem to “put to death what is earthly in (me)?” (Colossians 3:5) Well, God has some words of comfort for you … read carefully Colossians 3:9-10.

Unlike the process of getting ready for the Prom … or a Wedding … or some other big, fancy occasion, we “put on the new self” instantly when God clothes us in His righteousness in baptism. In that instant, we become a new creation, a child of God … but that’s only the beginning of our new life. Paul’s grammar reflects this fact for us. The “putting on” has been completed. It’s a finished action. However, the result of the “putting on” … “is being renewed.” Renewal is a constantly on-going process, it takes time. And, what’s more, we’re not the one’s doing the renewing. The Holy Spirit, dwelling in us since the time of our baptisms, when the new self was put on us, is the one renewing us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, as we hear God’s Word, knowledge from above – not from other men and the world – transforms us over time into the image of God, our creator (Colossians 3:1-2,10).

It’s hard to see this renewal taking place in the moment. However, if we take an honest look back at our lives and compare where we were at one time and where we are today in our walks of faith, I’m willing to bet we can see this renewal taking shape. As we look back, we can see “earthly” things we have, by power of the Holy Spirit, “put to death” (Colossians 3:5) which no longer animate us, excite us, move us. Are there still earthly things that do move us? Yes, but the Holy Spirit dwelling in us also moves us to ask God for forgiveness … and God forgives us … at the same time the Holy Spirit is putting those things to death too. Then, one day, we’ll become the image of our creator in fullness. “(We) will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4) That’s a promise from our Father in heaven to each of us who believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.

                                                               In Christ’s Love,

                                                               Pastor Jim