New clothes are awesome

God has given us a whole new outfit. Don't go back to wearing the old stuff!

There is more to life than clothes. No doubt. But I have to say, wearing new clothes is a great feeling. I know I’m a guy and I guess I’m supposed to hate shopping and be found sitting on benches whenever I go to the mall, but I’m in fact the opposite. I love shopping.

I love clothes. I love buying new clothes. I love wearing new clothes. I love the whole thing.

We all love the feeling of putting on some new clothes and having people mention that we look great. We may act like it’s no big deal but in our minds we’re like, “Yeah I do!”.

Out with the old...

In a way, we get new clothes when we meet Jesus. Obviously, not physical clothes but in a sense we get new "spiritual clothes". As an old hymn goes, ”His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange! Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered 'neath God's rage. Draped in His righteousness I'm justified".

We are given a new self and commanded to wear it! Check out this passage:

But that is not the way you learned Christ! - assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24)

As Christians, I think we automatically know what this is like. When I met Jesus I didn’t become perfect (or even close). I didn’t stop sinning (or even close). But I found myself presented with this new way of life – to follow Jesus instead of my sinful nature.

In with the new...

Whenever I stick with my sinful nature and lounge around in my old self I feel gross. I feel out of place. I feel underdressed. I feel like I need to change.

Whenever I put on the new self - though it's not easy and it's done by God's grace - I feel at home. I feel fresh. I feel confident and thankful to God.

It’s a similar choice to putting on old, stained clothes vs. new, clean clothes. And God says: out with the old and in with the new!

He’s made new clothes available to you! So take off the sweatshirt with that BBQ chicken stain on it and put them on!

This is part of our eternal life, God’s plan and our salvation. Enjoy!

In your mind, what does taking off the old self and putting on the new self entail? When are you tempted to walk around in your old clothes?