Today's Readings - Jeremiah 23-24, Ephesians 4:17–32, Psalm 115:8–14, Proverbs 24:28-29
Devotional
I was doing yard work and I was muddy, dirty, and covered with grass and weeds and all sorts of grunge. I was nasty. What I did next was simple. I stood at the porch door and brushed as much stuff off me as I could. I made my way to my room where I took off all the filthy clothes, got a hot shower, and put on new, clean clothes. Now I was fresh as a daisy.
That is how Paul illustrates the new life of the Christian. We are full of sin, living according to the ways of the world and following the dictates of our own sinful hearts. Our spiritual state is comparable to my condition coming in from working in the yard - sin makes us dirty! In Ephesians 4:17-32, Paul instructs his hearers to walk worthy of their call to salvation by taking off their old dirty clothes and putting on some new clean clothes.
This metaphor speaks of the old ways that were part of our natural, sinful nature. Those are the old dirty clothes that verse 22 tells us to "put off." Then, verse 23 tells us to put on the new clothes of Christ - clean and pure.
Our God is truth, so verse 25 tells us to get rid of the dirty clothes of dishonesty and clothe ourselves in truthfulness. Of course, though this command comes to us, it is actually only possible for us to obey the command as we walk in Christ and in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit of Truth can empower us to put on the clean clothes of truth.
Many believers shipwreck their lives by holding onto anger, by letting grudges grow and becoming bitter. Paul warns them to deal with their anger quickly, in verses 26-27 so that they do not sin and do not give Satan a foothold in their lives.
In verse 28, thieves are told to take off those dishonest clothes and put on the robes of integrity.
Verse 29 takes up the matters of the tongue. No corrupting talk - words that tear down, spread poison and sin, that abuse and degrade - are to come from our mouths. Those words are to be replaced by words that build up, edify and encourage.
Perhaps verses 30-32 are the best known of these verses. They tell us to stop grieving the Spirit with bitterness, wrath, and anger, and to put away all slander and hurtful words - basically, all the clothes of the sinful flesh. Instead, we are to treat others as Christ treated us - being kind, compassionate and forgiving.
One thing is clear in this passage. God is not pleased when his redeemed and sanctified people walk around in the filthy clothing of the world. Since we have been redeemed, we ought to take off the nasty stuff and put on the things of Christ.
Father, forgive me for when I have walked in this world wearing the clothing of sin instead of being clothed in the righteousness of your Son. Bathe me in your holiness and clothe me in Christ.
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