Put on Christ

You know when you can't seem to find something to wear that you'd feel good in?  You look at what you put on and it's just whatever (compared to days when you feel great about your outfit of the day).
But alas, you need wear SOMETHING.

What if everyday you put on the best clothes because you could?  Would you?

"for you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:26‬ ‭

“For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ
have put on Christ like a garment.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:27‬ ‭

Are you wearing clothes today?

Paul gives this analogy of "putting on Christ like a piece of clothing" because our identity is now Christ.  Not that we are another "god," but that we are in Christ who is God so that we have everything Christ was given when He was on earth.  So what did Christ have that is ours too when we put Him on like a shirt?  The receiving of Christ is like putting on a shirt (pretty simple and easy), but the result of putting Christ on as opposed to a shirt is that Christ is more than fabric, He's alive and powerful! The result of putting on a shirt is that you are now clothed in a shirt.  That's about as far as a shirt can work for you.
The result of putting on Christ results in:

Relationship.  Being able to relate to God as His child.  Having a filial relationship with God that Christ had with God.  Not SIMILAR TO the one they had, but the EXACT SAME one.  Father & Son.  That as Christ was the Son of God, we are now sons and daughters of God.

Perfection. Jesus had no sin in Him.  He was perfect.  So when He swallowed all our sins on the cross in His perfect self, He removed our sins (all of them) and gave us what He had: His sinless perfection.  The exchange was completely and fully made finished.

The Holy Spirit (aka: God).  Jesus always had the Spirit of God with Him.  Leading Him, protecting Him, providing for Him, empowering Him, and Communing (or talking and hanging out) with Him.  They were inseparable--the Father's love was never away from Jesus, but through the presence of the Holy Spirit that love was always in action for Jesus.

Future glory.  Though the life of Christ on earth is not exactly something defined as awesome, it is looking at the final result that matters more than the process.  Jesus lived pretty minimally on earth.  He didn't have nice clothes, a big house, or even a good reputation with the people who did have good reputations.  Through years of serving others (which included working as a carpenter) and suffering the disapproval by the very people he was serving--He gave it all He had...literally until His very last breath.  And God raised Him up after 3 days after His last breath and for the rest of eternity gave Him EVERYTHING: glory, joy, riches, comfort, love, power, you name it ...it now all belongs to Jesus.

So then,
when we put on Christ today...recognize who you have put on and what that means.
Live as you truly are: a child of God. Through faith.

Otherwise you'll have access to the very best without even taking hold of it!

When we put on Christ we put on Christ!
He represents in every way!

All four of those results above are always at work in our hearts against the lies of the enemy.  When we put on Christ we put on the identity of a child of God.  There is no fear of anything or anyone but of God when we wear Christ like a garment.  It might sound too good to be true, but allow for God's love and grace to sink deep into your objections and be free for what Christ died to set you free from!  Don't make the death of Christ for nothing in your life, but live into what He has made available to those who will take hold of it!  Just like putting on a shirt, we take hold of the gospel by putting on Christ today.

Relationship, perfection, the Holy Spirit, and future glory are all ours in Christ, have you decided to put Him on today and all throughout the day?  Walk by faith and not by sight.

Love you guys.

From one always in need of Christ,
Jmegrey