MESSAGE

FROM THE

WORD

BEING A WELL-DRESSED CHRISTIAN

Colossians 3:10-14

SERIES:  Colossians                                                                                          Message # 17

            There was excitement in the air as the crowd waited expectantly for their king to ride down the street.  For weeks, the king had remained in his castle preparing a new wardrobe.  Finally, he was ready to show his people the newest trends in fashion.  As he came into view, the crowd was awestruck.  Perched majestically on his horse he rode in all the splendor royalty could imagine.  “Look at the king’s new wardrobe”, cried out one.  “How beautiful it looks”, cried out another.  Finally, the king was about to finish his trip when a little boy turned to his mother and asked, “Why isn’t the king wearing any clothes”?

            You probably remember reading that story when you were younger.  The king had been conned into believing that he had purchased beautiful clothes when in reality, he was naked.  That is a picture of so many people today.  They believe they have it all together, when I fact, they are naked.  Jesus even addressed this in one of the seven letters in Revelation.  We read,          REVELATION 3:14-22        How sad it must be to find out that you are a waste after believing you have it all together. 

            As we continue our study through the book of Colossians, we return our thoughts to Paul’s description of a well dressed Christian.  We saw last week that to be a well-dressed Christian you must take off the rotten clothes of the old life.  In our message for today, we want to look at the wardrobe that needs to be put on.  The best way to determine what a good wardrobe looks like, it to check in with the designer.  Paul writes            COLOSSIANS 3:9-14           We want to look at what God approves of in a well dressed individual.  As we look at this topic, we are going to look at why the true believer should take off the old attire and put on the new wardrobe.

            FIRST, BECAUSE OF OUR CONVERSION.  The word conversion means to change.  When someone has a religious conversion, we understand that they used to be one religion and they are now a different religion.  Conversion means to change.  Let’s say you came up to me and said, “I’m converted, because I used to attend Simi Valley Christian Church and now I attend Faith Christian Church”.  I would need to sit you would sit you down and inform you that was not a conversion, it is a name change.

            To convert is to give up your old religion for a new religion.  Paul writes,                     COL. 3:10                        Notice the aspects of our conversion.  Paul tells us to “PUT ON THE NEW SELF…”  That is a picture of conversion.  This is why Paul wrote  II CORINTHIANS 5:17                This is why it is so silly to claim that people can come to Christ and not change.  The whole of the New Testament teaches that conversion changes the individual.  We read                TITUS 2:11-14              The entire focus of the passage is to point out that saving grace changes people.  If someone came to you and said they had just taken a pregnancy test and found out that the test was positive, you would rejoice with them.  If the girl then told you that she had decided that there would be no changes in her during her pregnancy, you would laugh.  When you become pregnant, the changes are outside of your control.  It is the same with coming to Christ.  If you come to Christ and are truly converted, the changes are outside of your control.  The Holy Spirit comes in and takes over.  When that happens, changes begin to take place.  We fight some of them, but they will occur. 

            Notice something about this conversion.  Paul writes,         VERSE 11              One of the marks of a true conversion is the understanding of the unity of the entire body of Christ.  Prejudice is deeply rooted in the heart of sinners.  Whether it is ethnic struggles, religious wars, tribal conflict, racial hatred or a dozen other issues, prejudice is a reality.  Jesus came to break those barriers down.  The early church struggled with this.  Peter refused to go the house of Cornelius because he was a Gentile.  It wasn’t until God spoke to him that Peter’s heart changed.  The church then opened up its doors to the Gentiles.  How sad it is in our own nation that we sent missionaries to Africa to convert the natives and refuse to allow blacks in many of our churches.  We need to constantly be reminded that Heaven is going to be a very diverse place.  God’s church should be the same on Earth.

            SECOND, BECAUSE OF OUR CALLING.  Paul uses three words to describe the believer that are pulled out of the Old Testament.  Those words are “chosen”, “holy”, and “beloved”.   In all of the Old Testament, Israel had a special place in the heart of God.  It was chosen for a reason.  It was through Israel that the promises of God were given, the word of God came through Israel, and the Messiah came from the chosen people.  This is one of the reasons why Israel is so hated today. 

            Israel was to be a holy people.  That is, they were to be set apart from other nations specifically to represent God.  When they tried to be like other nations, they got in trouble.  When they accepted their place and trusted God, they prospered. 

            One of the great qualities of God is His love.  While God loves everyone, He had a special place in His heart for Israel.  He loved them with a special love.  Paul transfers those qualities to the church.  However, here is the difference.  In the Old Testament, The blessings of God were on the nation.  In the church age, those promises of God are to the individual.  Israel as a nation still has a place in the heart and the plan of God.  God is not finished with Israel.  However, for the present, God has turned His attention to the church.  The promises of God come with expectations.  He chooses us and expects us to represent Him.  He makes us holy and expects us to be holy.  He loves us and expects us to love Him in return. 

            How are you doing in these areas?  God has chosen you, He has saved you to be holy and He has loved you with an eternal love.  In response, God has called us to love our lives totally devoted to Him.

            THIRD, ECAUSE OF OUR CHARACTER.  Remember that God called us to be chosen, holy and beloved.  Paul then goes on to describe what our character is like when we fulfill our calling.  Paul listed eight characteristics that should identify the believer.

            First, we need to put on compassion.  Life at the time of Christ was a brutal existence.  There were no government subsidies or welfare.  The weak were simply left to die.  Children were often sold into slavery or prostitution, or killed by the father if he didn’t want to keep the child.  Diseases were not controllable, and the sick were left to die.

            Into this world Jesus came to bring compassion.  He began His church to continue that compassion.  As the early church began, one of the first acts was to provide for the widows and the orphans.  James even makes this a test of spirituality.  We read                JAMES 1:27              Historically the church has been at the forefront of ministry to the poor and needy.  Salvation Army, World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Rescue Missions, Sisters of Mercy, and Catholic Relief Agency are just a few of the hundreds of Christian organizations that show compassion to those in need.

            Recently, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic Party said some things that got him into hot water.  I do not believe he is aware of the connection to some of those comments regarding this subject.  You may remember that in a speech in San Francisco he said that the Republican Party was mostly, “a white, Christian party”.  In an earlier statement, he was asked what the difference was between the two parties.  He stated, “Unlike the Republicans, Democrats care if children go to bed hungry”.  Put those two statements together and you arrive at the conclusion that white Christians don’t care if children are hungry.  This belief is largely based on the conclusion that since Republicans want to lower government spending and government spends money on children, Republicans want children to receive less food.

            The only problem with Mr. Dean’s conclusion is that it is wrong.  In a survey based on 2001 IRS tax releases, states that voted for Mr. Bush gave a higher percentage of their income to charities than did people in states who voted for Mr. Gore.  This shows us an interesting fact.  States that tend to vote democratic believe they are compassionate because they are giving more to the government to take care of the poor.  States that vote republican tend to believe that taxes should be lower and the needy provided for on a local level.  Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, God has called you to show compassion to the poor and the needy.  This is a personal call that cannot be transferred to another.

            Second, we need to put on kindness.  This word is very similar to compassion.  It has to do with the desire to see the needs of others as important as your own.  It is, in reality, the fulfillment of the Golden Rule.  Jesus stated,                    MATTHEW 7:12                     You may not have seen this, but God Himself manifests kindness.  We read       ROMANS 2:4                    Many people think that God is just waiting for sinners to fall so He can smack them around.  The opposite is true.  God manifests kindness, love, and compassion to rebellious humans so that they will turn to God and yield their life to him.

            I want to look at the perfect example of kindness.  We read          TITUS 3:4           When Jesus came into the world; He manifested the kindness of God.  Look at this example.  For eternity, the Father and Son had shared uninterrupted fellowship.  For thousands of years man had struggled with the consequences of sin.  God looked down and put our needs above His own.  Aren’t you glad that took place? 

The call of God to His people is to do to others as God did to us.  There are people who do not deserve your kindness, but that is why you give it to them.

Third, we need to put on humility.  If you want to understand what the culture was like into which God sent the church, you only need to know that the Greek language did not have a word for humility until after the church was born.  It was Christianity that brought humility into the world.  Humility is not the attitude of, “I can’t do anything”.  Humility is the understanding that the world does not revolve around you.  It is the example of Jesus.  We read                      PHILIPPIANS 2:3-8 Humility is simply putting other people ahead of yourself. 

Fourth, we need to put on gentleness.  This is the willingness to suffer injury rather than see others hurt.  A gentle person does not have to be right all the time.  If a conflict arises, they do not need to win.  This almost sounds like weakness.  Here is the difference.  A gentle person does not need to defend their own turf.  If they have to give up their own rights to keep peace they do.  However, they stand strong when the reputation of Christ is threatened.  We read          GALATIANS 6:1, 2; II TIMOTHY 2:24-26                When sin is involved, when truth is threatened, when false doctrine is proclaimed, they stand and defend the truth.  But, they do it in a gentle tone.  They do not get hostile or belligerent.  They do not get mean-spirited.  They stand for right, but do so in a soft tone.

Fifth, we need to put on patience.  I’m probably going to step on some toes here.  Patience is the opposite of revenge and resentment.  It is a systematic policy of enduring positively with the failures of others.  Again, it is the example of God.  We read                   1 TMOTHY 1:16; II PETER 3:8, 9, 15        God is patient.  Aren’t you glad that is true in your life?  We read              REVELATION 6:9-11               Do you ever do that in your life; complain to God about not dealing with your enemies?  Aren’t you glad God overlooked your failings and patiently allowed you to come to Him?  We should be patient with others, because God was with us. 

Sixth, we are to put on forbearance.  The basic meaning of this word is endurance for others.  Are there people in your life that just drive you crazy?  You just seem to have no patience for them.  That is what Paul is talking about.  We read         1 CORINTHIANS 4:11-13; II THESSALONIANS 1:4          What a testimony!  It is so easy to lash out at people who are not nice to you.  This does not mean that there can be no response on your part.  It does mean that any response will be at the end of much hostility.  We do not respond at the first hint of a trial. 

Seventh, we are to put on forgiveness.  The concept of forgiveness is greatly misunderstood in our culture today.  Some feel we are to forgive so that we feel better.  Others teach that we are to forgive because the instigator didn’t know what they were doing.  Some feel that to forgive is to let the person off of the hook.  None of those are true.  Forgiveness has to do with graciousness. 

It is essential that we understand three facts when we discuss forgiveness.  First, forgiveness is an act of the will.  We do not forgive because it feels good.  We forgive because we choose to, in spite of what our feelings say.  Second, forgiveness does not mean absolution.  God has called us to forgive those who do us wrong, he does not call us to absolve them of all blame.  If a criminal does evil to you, you are to forgive them.  That does not mean you refuse to testify against them so they get away with the crime.  It is God who absolves of sin, not us.  Third, we are to forgive because we have been forgiven.  This is often difficult, but is must be done.  We do it so that there is nothing between us and God.  We allow Him to deal with the consequences of that person’s evil. 

Eighth, we are to put on love.  Isn’t it amazing that God would have to tell His people to love?  Yet, He does this often.  1 John is filled with admonitions to the people of God to love one another.  Love is the capstone of all Christian virtues.  Paul writes  1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-3              If everything else is in place except love, I have wasted my life.  Without love there is nothing.  In fact, Jesus gave the world the right to judge His people based on this.  He said                       JOHN 13:35                This is the mark of the believer.  Correct doctrine is important.  A good worship service is a priority.  However, if we have no love, we miss the mark.

How is your wardrobe?  Do you have a spot on your tie?  Does your shirt need ironing?  Do you need to send the dress in to be dry cleaned?  This is an opportunity to inspect your closet.  Here is the wonderful part in this whole situation.  If our wardrobe is in need of repair, our father owns the clothing store and He gives us things at no charge.  We read              REVELATION 19:7, 8, 14      That is your destiny.  If you are a child of God, you will be dressed in white.  Why fight it?  What a tragedy it would be to live in the gutter until you die.  Now is the time to get your wardrobe in order. 

Off with the old nature and on with the new.  The great part of this is that when we all dress the part, Paul says that the result will be unity.

This message is from the teaching ministry of Glen Jackson, pastor of Faith Christian Church in Simi Valley, CA.