HOW DO WE RULE OUR SPIRITS? 9. PUT OFF AND PUT ON

Colossians 3:12-16 says: “PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful.”

However, before we put on all the virtues that make up the wedding garment, we must put off all the things that are part of the old, fallen nature. Colossians 3:5-9 says: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also PUT OFF all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have PUT OFF the old man.”

How is it possible to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb if the Lamb’s wife has not MADE HERSELF READY? The garments of the old life must be put off, not just covered over. The beautiful virtues of Christ are not given to us as a band aid to cover over the evils of the old satanic nature. We are to mortify (put to death) all that Christ has put to death on our behalf and instead wear His new nature.

Our life on this earth is a time of preparation. It is a time of making ourselves ready. It is time to put off the old nature with all its evil deeds and put on the new nature with all its beautiful virtues. This is what it means to put on Christ and cover ourselves with His garment of righteousness.

Ruth understood this when she put herself at the feet of Boaz, her kinsman redeemer.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell