“…And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:24
Dear Ones:
Paul, in writing to the believers in Ephesus, wrote: “….But you have not so learned Christ.” (4:20) How have we “learned” Christ? Have we learned aright, and in a balanced way? Have we come to the Scriptures to truly, and sincerely, behold the great truths of Christ’s work on the cross, and the corresponding blessing of the Father, the result of that work? In every consideration of every truth, and subject, in the Bible, we must come first trusting the Spirit of God to lead us into all truth, to anoint our eyes to see spiritual reality, in order to appropriate the corresponding blessing of God in Christ. Where do we begin?
Beyond the writings of the apostles and prophets, we begin with God Himself, with Christ. Why? It is simply because of His declaration of two things. First, Christ declares Himself to be the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending. The truth of Him being the great Initiator of all that is Good and Holy, is essential to our understanding of His work on Calvary, and His grace and mercy to us, to appropriate it, and Him. As the Beginning, it was He who devised and created the world. It is also the Lord who is the Author and Finisher of faith, the One in whose heart, the work of salvation was perfectly crafted, and accomplished. This is the first and great reason for which we draw nigh to God to hear what HE says concerning creation and redemption. The second reason is found in the second declaration concerning Himself: “I AM THAT I AM.” We, as human beings, think of the “beginning” and the “ending” as two points of time. And in one sense they are. But what of all that is in between? It is here that we see afresh that God is the ever-present, unchanging, ever fresh and sufficient God, our constant Savior, Shepherd, and Friend. That which He begins, He will accomplish. That which He declares He will do…in this present moment. The sum of these thoughts is brought home to us in their application when we ask ourselves, “How much do we know the Creator, and Redeemer?” “Have we truly learned His ways, so that we can believe Him, appropriate His life to be our own?
The Apostle Paul uses two words very effectively to paint for us a picture of what is to be our response to the revelation of the truth in Christ. He writes several times the words, “Put on…” On one occasion he writes, “…put on the new man.” (Eph. 4:24) Later on in the same letter, he writes, “…Put on the whole armor of God.” (6:11) In his letter to the Romans, he writes: “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Why does he write in this manner? It is because of his knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, the indwelling Spirit, and our union with Christ, being inseparably joined with Him, having been placed IN Him by the Father. He uses the words “Put on” as a command, and means, by which we partake of the divine nature of Christ by the Spirit. Christ has become the very life of the believer, and all resources of goodness and holiness are found in Him. Indeed, “…there is no difficulty inward or outward which He is not willing to meet in us TODAY.” This blessed God who created all things, and has redeemed us by the blood of His Son, has provided us a way, by faith, to “receive,” or constantly derive from Christ, all that is needed to glorify God this day, by what we do and say.
In John’s gospel, he writes the words of the Lord Jesus: “I am the Vine, and you are the branches…abide in Me, and I in you.” (15:1,4) By His work on Calvary, we have been put INTO Christ, in living union with Him, to live by faith, deriving all from Him.
Dear Father, Help us to learn well Thy ways, to trust Thee fully in truth, appropriating Thy Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad
This devotion can be used as a format for worship! What an amazing God we serve! Thank you!