That was the question I heard last night as my son and I were at a local store.
“Mom, did you hear that? That’s disgusting,” expressed my son.
“Yes, it is, dear,” I said in response, “welcome to Halloween week!”
It was a mom shopping for Halloween costumes and “fake blood” for her children.
As I was reading my Bible this morning, I paused at the Apostle Paul’s repeated admonition to believers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14), “for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27), “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24), “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10).
Still thinking of Halloween costumes, I wondered what God was telling us about “clothes” here. What do “clothes” signify? Why does God want us to “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ?
Clothes protect from external conditions. Heat, cold, etc.
Clothes protect internal weaknesses. They cover us up.
Clothes reflect the image of the designer. Any brand we wear reflects the brand designer.
When we “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ,
He Himself is our protection against the external world and
He Himself covers up all our internal weaknesses,
because when people see us, they see the brand designer, Jesus Christ!
This is possible because of the real blood that He paid on our behalf at the cross. God made clothes from sheep/lamb skins for Adam and Eve to wear to cover up their shame after the Fall. The skins offered external protection, but they weren’t sufficient to cover up their internal weaknesses, and they weren’t sufficient to transform them. Cain was wearing the skins when he murdered his brother!
God’s ultimate solution to rescue man out of this dilemma was to offer His only Son, who would bear the punishment, shed real blood, and offer eternal “coverage” for those who “put on” Christ, the Lamb of God.
So, my friends, let us take off our old costumes; our old sinful selves, and let us put on our Lord Jesus Christ.
I’ll conclude with one last thought, when we take off our old selves and put on Christ, our uniqueness will shine more than ever before! Only when we lose our self do we truly find it! Only when we are united with our Lord will we discover and enjoy who we really are! I can think of nothing else that is more existentially satisfying!