Colossians 3:12 – Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
In the letter to the Colossians, Paul made an interesting analogy. That we as servants to God through Jesus Christ are to clothe ourselves with certain attributes. That being mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. It is not stated that we will be clothed this way once you come to Christ, but as being a part of the Body, we are to dress ourselves. To do the task ourselves.
This is an implication of works, as is fortified by these verses in James:
James 2:14 – What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
We cannot just say we are “Christian.”
We must live that we are “Christian.”
It is an easy task if you have truly asked Christ into your heart. It is not something that is arduous and painful, for the most part, even though there can be some emotional discomfort time to time.
Why is this?
For we have been reborn in the image of Christ Himself, yet we are just babes as he once was Himself.
Christ did not come out of the womb talking and walking. He had to learn to do these things when He took on human form. Just as we did.
No one comes into the Body of Christ fully clothed and prepare to serve the Lord, just as a baby is not born already wearing diapers. It is a growing and ever changing process that aims toward the ultimate goal of reflecting Christ. However, time to time we will fall and hurt ourselves causing pain and suffering. Yet still be must make the effort to dress ourselves in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Thus to become clothed.
This is re-emphasized Revelations 3:
Revelation 3:17 – You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.”
Note that the glorified Christ tells those of Laodicea to buy from Him white garments to cover their nakedness.
The letters to the seven churches is said not only to be contemporary, not only to churches in the 90 A.D., but also to any churches at any other time in history. These letters are chronological as well. The first being the state of the overall church at the time the book of Revelation was written. To the last letter being to the church of Laodicea, which represents the state of the overall church just before the return of Christ to this temporal plain of existence.
Taking that in context and looking about us throughout what is called the “church” we see many that thing themselves rich. Not only monetarily, but spiritually. However in reality they due to living upon faith alone they are truly naked and need to seek out clothes to wear.
So are you clothed or standing naked before the Lord?
For if the state of the overall “church,” at this time, is the same as the church in Laodicea, then is it not nearly time for the return of Christ? If that is so then clothing is not optional, but required to stand before God Himself and time is running out.