From: Ben Kelley
Subject: "Put on's", part 1
Most of us, upon waking in the morning, or soon
after, take off our bedclothes and put on different clothes in
preparation for the day's events. I don't believe many of us would, as a
habit, ignore this practice and head out each morning in our bedclothes, for a
clothing change is a necessary part of our preparation for the day's
activities. The Bible regularly
tells us to do the same sort of thing spiritually. In this series of
messages, I want us to look at and consider a number of these passages and try
to make it a habit to do what they say, regularly.
And that, knowing the time,
that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer
than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us
therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk
honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and
wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans 13:11-14
(KJV) Paul says we do know the time, that the day of our salvation is
getting nearer and nearer. When we get dressed, we consider what we're
about to do, and dress accordingly. If we are about to work outside in the
yard, raking leaves, shoveling dirt, or planting flowers, we don't put on a coat
and tie, or a fine dress, for those clothes are not suitable for the activities
we are about to undertake. No, we would put on our old "work
clothes". Even the lost sinner does this to a degree. Excepting the
most hardened, practically all conduct themselves differently when in a church
on Sunday morning than they do in a bar on Saturday night. They do this
"naturally", yet we have to be reminded to do it. Paul is telling us we
are to consider what we're about to do and take
off the ragged and dirty things we've been wearing as we lived the old
fleshly life, mingling comfortably with the trash of sin. We are to put on the "armor of light," not only to cover
our nakedness, but to protect us by illuminating the evils and snares concealed
in the darkness around us. Our armor is
Jesus, staying close to Him and in His Word is the way to "put on the
armor of light."
For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is
thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:53-55
(KJV) This passage is not really a directive to "put on" something, but a
reminder of what will happen, and in one sense, has happened to those of us who
have placed our faith and trust in Jesus. The dreaded enemies, death and
the grave, who once covered us with their power, have literally been taken off
of us and replaced by eternal life through the salvation given us by God. They no longer cover us, for God has
now covered us with immortality. This physical body may temporarily pass
through death and the grave, but that's just the point, it temporarily passes through. It will be made brand new, totally incorruptible
and immortal. What a victory! Through the death and resurrection of
the Lord Jesus, we will live forever,
with no more sorrow, sickness, or
suffering!