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Dear Saints,
I’m thankful I’m not part of the Royal Family. Though I don’t mind getting dressed up occasionally, Royals are expected to get dressed up – all the time! Not just for fancy dinners, dances, or church, but all the time. One time a royal made some unflattering headlines because she wore blue jeans into the Royal Box at Wimbledon.
There is one kind of getting dressed up that should be all the time. St. Paul often uses “getting dressed up” imagery when teaching 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)
However, unlike the process of getting ready for a big, fancy occasion, which takes time, God “puts on the new self” instantly when He clothes us in His righteousness in baptism. In that instant, we become a new creation – the “putting on” has been completed. However, the result of the “putting on” … “is being renewed.” Renewal is a constantly on-going process, it takes time. And, what’s more, it’s not us, but the Holy Spirit, dwelling in us, that’s doing the renewing. He renews us as we hear God’s Word. Through the Word, knowledge from above gradually transforms 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 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 you’ll see “earthly” things the Spirit has “put to death” (Colossians 3:5) – they longer excite or move you. Are there still earthly things that move us? Yes, but the same Spirit also moves us to receive God’s forgiveness while, at the same time putting those things to death. Then, one day, we’ll become the image of our creator in fullness. “(We) will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4)
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Jim