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Clothes Make the Man
An author wrote a short story about two small-time crooks trying to pull off a robbery. In the plan, one of the crooks was to dress up in a policeman’s uniform and stand in front of the place to be robbed. That way, with him there, no one would be suspicious while his partner pulled off the heist itself. The story ended, however, with the partner dressed as a policeman, apprehending and arresting the other one. Dressed as a cop, he started to act like one!
This story makes a point relevant to our topic. Yes, by faith we are covered in the righteousness of Christ, His “robe of righteousness” as it is called. We now are born again and have a new life in Christ. No question, then, that our lives will reflect the garment that we wear.
In receiving Christ’s robe of righteousness, we have made a 100 percent commitment to let Him work His attributes of character into our lives. We totally are justified by grace, the work of a moment, and also have been
given a power to obey that is assimilated over time and coined as the work of a lifetime. Why would we ask for more? “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13, NKJV). Certainly that would mean, if nothing else, the power to obey His law.
Read Romans 6:1–13. What do these texts say about what kind of life we are to live, now that we are covered, “clothed,” by the righteousness of Jesus?
Paul here is very clear about the radical, life-changing impact that will happen to someone who has “been crucified” with Jesus. Notice the life-and-death imagery here; there’s nothing halfway. Our old person, the person in those filthy rags, has died; a new person is born, one clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, a righteousness that is made manifest so that we can now “walk in the newness of life.” This newness means that we are no longer to let sin reign in us. We have been given many promises of victory; the question is, Will we claim them for ourselves?
What aspects of your life reveal the reality of your experience with God? What areas are you struggling in? How can you daily make the choice to die to self and live the new life in Christ that is offered us?
| WEDNESDAY | March 30 |
An author wrote a short story about two small-time crooks trying to pull off a robbery. In the plan, one of the crooks was to dress up in a policeman’s uniform and stand in front of the place to be robbed. That way, with him there, no one would be suspicious while his partner pulled off the heist itself. The story ended, however, with the partner dressed as a policeman, apprehending and arresting the other one. Dressed as a cop, he started to act like one!
This story makes a point relevant to our topic. Yes, by faith we are covered in the righteousness of Christ, His “robe of righteousness” as it is called. We now are born again and have a new life in Christ. No question, then, that our lives will reflect the garment that we wear.
In receiving Christ’s robe of righteousness, we have made a 100 percent commitment to let Him work His attributes of character into our lives. We totally are justified by grace, the work of a moment, and also have been
given a power to obey that is assimilated over time and coined as the work of a lifetime. Why would we ask for more? “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13, NKJV). Certainly that would mean, if nothing else, the power to obey His law.
Read Romans 6:1–13. What do these texts say about what kind of life we are to live, now that we are covered, “clothed,” by the righteousness of Jesus?
Paul here is very clear about the radical, life-changing impact that will happen to someone who has “been crucified” with Jesus. Notice the life-and-death imagery here; there’s nothing halfway. Our old person, the person in those filthy rags, has died; a new person is born, one clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, a righteousness that is made manifest so that we can now “walk in the newness of life.” This newness means that we are no longer to let sin reign in us. We have been given many promises of victory; the question is, Will we claim them for ourselves?
What aspects of your life reveal the reality of your experience with God? What areas are you struggling in? How can you daily make the choice to die to self and live the new life in Christ that is offered us?
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