Colossians 3:10-11 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
The putting on of the new man is no less than Christ being formed in us. It is a putting on of Him who is all and in all. Believers find in Christ a full sufficiency. As they see in him a fullness of redemption, righteousness, and sanctification they also discover a perfection of character. They see in him the fullness of love, mercy, kindness, gentleness, and grace. As they discover these things in the sweet experience of grace, the very things they admire in him, become a part of their every day lives.
The apostle John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3: 2-3)
Not a progressive sanctification, but a growing in grace and knowledge of Christ who is all and in all. To put on Christ is to walk in him. It is to live your life with an understanding that he alone is your righteousness. That apart from this righteousness you are as wicked and vile as any devil out of hell. To walk in Christ is to walk being freely justified by his grace. It is to live each day with an understanding that Jesus Christ bore your sins in his own body on the tree. It is an awareness that apart from his sin atoning death you would have a debt that all the martyrs put together could not pay. To walk in Christ is to walk in gratitude and love for him who first loved us and gave himself for us. To put on Christ is to be aware that everything you are and have is by the free grace of God. Those who truly know this walk humbly, in this world, understanding that grace alone has made them to differ from another. (1 Corinthians 4:7 ). To put on Christ is to bow to his sovereign authority and seeing him as God’s reigning King of grace; having power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as the Father hath given him. (John 17:2) To put on Christ is to live out our days in hope of his return. May God be pleased to enable this poor sinner and all those under the sound of his voice to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Darvin Pruitt, Pastor Grace Baptist Church – Taylor, Arkansas
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