Monday: A Dramatic Change of Clothing
In retelling the story of the conversion of his audience, what essential main point is Paul getting across to them? (Ephesians 4:20-24).
Having described their former, Gentile existence (Ephesians 4:17-19), Paul does not say, “That is not the way you learned about Christ.” Instead, he exclaims, “That is not the way you learned Christ!” (Ephesians 4:20, ESV).
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Noting that the addressees “heard Him” [Christ] (NKJV), and were taught “in him” (Ephesians 4:21, ESV) or “by Him” (NKJV), Paul further advocates the adoption of a Christ-shaped life with the phrase “as the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21). For Paul, coming to faith centers on a personal connection with Christ, one so vivid and real that it may be described as “learning Christ.” We acknowledge that the risen and exalted Jesus is alive and present with us. We are shaped by His teachings and example and exercise loyalty to Him as our living Lord. We open our lives to His active guidance and direction through Spirit and Word.
Paul tells us that the adoption of a Christ-shaped life requires three processes, which he expresses through clothing imagery: (1) to “put off” or turn away from the old way of life (Ephesians 4:22); (2) to experience inner renewal (Ephesians 4:23); and (3) to “put on” the new, God-like pattern of life (Ephesians 4:24). Paul’s metaphor reflects the use of clothing in the Old Testament as a symbol for both sinfulness (e.g., Psalm 73:6; Zechariah 3:3-4; Malachi 2:16) and salvation (e.g., Isaiah 61:10; Ezekiel 16:8; Zechariah 3:4-5).
In ancient times, men wore a knee-length tunic as an undergarment and a cloak or mantle to offer protection from the sun. Similarly, women wore a tunic and a robe. The cultures reflected in the Bible were subsistence ones. Garments were precious and expensive, and were kept for a long time. It would have been unusual to own more than one set of clothing. The quality and style of those garments signaled identity and status markers about the wearer. To change one’s clothes, exchanging one set of clothes for another, was an unusual and important event (rather than the trifling occurrence it is in many cultures today). Paul imagines the change in life to be as noticeable as exchanging one set of clothing for another would have been in this first-century context.
| What is the difference, the crucial difference, between learning about Christ and learning to know Christ? |
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The change of clothing metaphor is a good one but sometimes we get the idea that conversion has to be dramatic. Paul was knocked off his donkey and had an epiphany on the way to Damascus. He was stuck blind and healed again a few days later. That is just about enough to convert anyone. For some of us, the experience is like watching paint dry. It is slow and there is little evidence of change from one day to the next. It is important that we do not judge others by our own experience, or vice versa.
I have watched artists at work. Some of them slap the paint around with reckless abandon and can finish a painting within a few hours. Others take their time meticulously laying down brush stroke after brush stroke with care and precision. Yet both kinds of artists produce masterpieces of work for our enjoyment.
I consider myself a work in progress - over seventy years in the making. My one great joy is that God has not given up and is still working on me. God does not give up until we tell him to.
There’s nothing more precious than a testimony. Thank you for sharing. People can’t argue with a testimony, and our testimony is what will help us overcome Revelation 12:11.
Amen to that brother. At times, I find it very hard to comprehend where I would be today, if Jesus did not go through the torture and shame of death on the cross. I am a minute-by-minute convert that must constantly pray for guidance and forgiveness (and not necessarily in that order). It is so refreshing and humbling to know that even though I often feel unworthy, Christ ACTUALLY took on the cross WILLINGLY, to save a WRETCH like me.
Clothing makes a statement about ourselves.The greek word used in Ephesians 4:22 for "put off" is "apothesthai" which means "to set aside".Some of us keep our old clothes for fond memories sake or because we like them a lot.We have to take off(set aside)those clothes of our past way of life,otherwise we will revert to them because we like them or compfortable with them and not as weird,stiff and uncomfortable like the new ones.Let us get rid of our old self.We are God's image.
When we realize the depravity of our sin,our God is ready to give us a new rob like the prodigal son.
I love these wondful promise that lord promised in those text Ezek 16:8 by saying I will cover your nakeness Isa 61:10.
I love that text with that text 1John 1:9 if we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and clean us from our sin. Zech 3:3-4.
How wondful love that God show to us by sending us his son to shape our life. I am so glad with God.
Clothes communicate something, either an open message or a hidden one, but there is always a message. God offers anyone a new state of mind and heart that can be reflected on the surface, clothing, covering the old past person, and showing a new one.
We can try to show rich outfits even though we are poor inside while God offers us a meaningful heart and unpayable cover-ups for our sins through Jesus's sacrifice!
I like today's topic better than yesterday. Infact if we heed today's message we don't need to know about the slippery sloop to sin. The upward growth in Christ is the important path. If we heed the Word of God He makes our path with sure traction, even steps to make our growth in Him assured, providing also traction shoes to make our climb from the old way of life to a new Christ centered way of life.
With a new life in Christ our understanding is enlightened, we cling to a life with God, learning of Christ and growing in Christ, the eyes of our hearts are illuminated with the light of His love and His will for us. The inverse of Ephesians 4:18.
Just as in unity their are ways practically to hold on to His will.
1. If we have a problem, roll up our sleeves, get to work on solving that problem.
2. Pray that Christ will help us to die to self. That He will help us make Christ 1st, others 2nd, and us 3rd.
3. Let the Lord give us the right language of our soul, which is: Lord, take our hearts; for we cannot give them. They are Thy property. Keep them pure, for we cannot keep them for Thee. Save us in spite of ourselfs, our weak, unchristlike self. Mold us, fashion us, raise us into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through our souls. Christ Object Lessons 159.3
A person has to "Know about Jesus," before he or she can then go on to "Know Jesus." The first step is very crucial to then go on to the second step! The first step requires studying about Him and hearing about Him from those who already "Know Him." The second step requires a surrendering all to Jesus and His Holy Spirit and exercising faith in His Promises etc. and etc.
If one takes a practical look, looking past the theological aspect of Jesus Christ’s message of salvation for man, it becomes clear that all His teachings focus on the need for the believer to have a changed heart and mind to allow the Holy Spirit to establish Jesus’ ‘New Way of living’ in us – Eph.4:23.
This change cannot take place in one who is insincere, as this ‘new way of living’ changes fundamentally the decision-making process of our life. It will impact every aspect of one’s life when interacting with family, relatives, friends, and strangers. For the one who came to the faith unprepared to face the impacts of this decission, will soon return to his/her former ways of living.
Not everyone’s life shows a dramatically different lifestyle after accepting the conversion to live according to the Faith of Jesus Christ. Everyone, though, needs to be prepared to give the reasons for ones choice to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ - 1 Peter 3:15. While living in the Kingdom of God according to His Righteousness, the Holy Spirit will provide the answers to any challenging questions.
Accepting our new ‘clothing’ - I imagined the new tunic to be our spiritual and intellectual awareness which we accepted to govern our new life; the new cloak or mantle is the ‘righteousness’ of Jesus in which we have our new life, covering and protecting us from the burning sun of God’s otherwise unmitigated justice.
Sometimes we substitute religion for a real relationship with Jesus. Jesus explained this situation : “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules" (Matthew 15:8–9; Mark 7:6).
The Pharisees got distracted from knowing the truth by all of their rituals and religious organizational priorities . The proper steps. This actually got in the way of other people finding Jesus and growing up too. Just like now, there were people in Jesus’ day who thought they were His friends because they knew the Commandments and Scripture , made strict rules for everyday living for themselves and for others, and followed Him around to listen to His teaching and see His miracles and hear His prophecies. But in Matt. 7:21-23, Jesus says,
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
Knowing Jesus is more than doing “Christian things”. On a Sabbath afternoon, for example, what’s the best way for me to know Christ? Is it in the potluck meal and having more Bible studies with church members and a nap and may be a health seminar for church members? Or would yoking up with Him be more like a few hours of prayer, offering up specific situations and people and praises, and then heading out into the community to minister to the people on the street or to wherever the Spirit leads? I offer those examples not to say that one is right and one is wrong, but to say it is something I talk with God about a lot, because I definitely want to know Him and be yoked to Him in a working relationship, and not just know about Him , like the star-struck fan of a celebrity.
What is the difference, the crucial difference, between learning about Christ and learning to know Christ?
The crucial difference between the two lies in the depth of engagement. Learning about Christ can be theoretical and impersonal, while learning to know Christ involves a personal, experiential relationship that transforms one's life. Knowing about Christ might make one a scholar, but knowing Christ personally leads to becoming a disciple.
As Christians, the goal is not merely to accumulate knowledge about Christ but to enter into a consistent, living, loving relationship with Him. This relationship then becomes the foundation for growth, transformation, and the fulfillment of purpose and calling in Him.
I like the example of changing a garment. It seems fitting because to take a dirty garment off, it takes a conscious choice by me to do it. To live the type of life that Paul describes here, that too takes a choice. I have to recognize that my life needs to change and I have to choose Jesus. When I choose him, then in order to have a changed character, I can choose to be obedient to The Holy Spirits leading and guiding in my day to day life. Jesus will give me whatever I need to succeed in this. All I have to do is continue choosing Jesus and following where I’m led.