“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Romans13:14
Christianity is Jesus Christ, the revelation, and manifestation of His life, being lived on earth, as it is in heaven. When the Lord finished His work on Calvary, the end result was not to wash away our sins, nor to deal with the sin nature, and what the scripture calls “the old man.” It is true that every one of these issues, of necessity, had to be dealt with, and this entirely. The great reason for which these were addressed and dealt with was preparatory for that which is “great in the sight of the Lord,” that which is the highest, and most holy, is the coming of the King of Heaven, and Life, into the heart. Paul calls it, “…Christ dwelling in the heart by faith.” John the Apostle reveals it to us as Christ knocking at our heart’s door, desiring to gain entrance into the life. The tabernacle of old, and eventually the temple, were to be places of worship where He would, by His dwelling would be known. Christ came to fill both places of worship with His glory. And so, it is with the Christian, he is a Christian, not just because his sins are forgiven, and the rule of sin and Satan have been broken in the life. It is because of the Spirit of Christ dwelling IN the heart. This is the great truth of the New Testament, that just as John the Baptist came to prepare the way of the Lord, it would be that Christ’s preparatory work on the cross had for its objective to bring the sinner to the new birth, a spiritual birth BY the Spirit of God. As a result, the King of Heaven, by the Holy Spirit, would once and for all, enter the heart, to create a NEW MAN, one IN Christ. This is why the Apostle Paul writes to the Romans, “But ye are not in the flesh, but IN the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” (8:9) He goes on use the phrase: “…and if Christ be in you.” (v.10) To the Colossians he would write on the same subject: “…this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (1:27) The question now becomes, since God has done all this for me in Christ, out of love for me, how then shall I live IN HIM?
In the New Testament, and particular to the writings of Paul, we find him addressing believers, instructing them to “put on” something or someone. This act of “putting on” is an act of faith, based upon the truth of God. That which eclipses every other consideration of WHAT to put on is the person of Christ. This is why he writes to the Romans, “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:14) What does he mean by this? First and foremost, the believer is called upon to believe the truth of his or her union with Christ, then to partake of Him, by practically appropriating Christ. Faith lays hold upon the truth of union with Christ. Scripture is very clear in declaring that Christ IS our life, our lives being hid with Him in God. So, we are called to go out into the day, every day, living by faith, partaking of the Lord Jesus as our life, and our all. Paul would write to the Philippians, “For to me to live IS Christ.” When the Apostle Paul instructs us to, “put on Christ, or put on the new man, and put on the whole armor of God,” God is calling us to practically clothe ourselves with Christ, appropriating all that is true and “new” of Him in us by the Spirit, living by the resources of His nature and person. To live this life of faith, the believer must see himself IN Christ, his life hid with Christ in God, inseparable from him, complete in Him, and His grace perfectly sufficient.
Dear Father, Enable us by the Spirit, to put on Christ as our life, today, for Thy glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.