Intro
This morning, everything is about getting dressed, about putting our clothes
on. The Scriptures say much about Christian clothing, especially the clothing
of the soul. Although the clothes of the soul are invisible, others can see
whether we’re wearing our soul-clothing, or if we’re not. For these clothes
are made, not made of cotton or fabric, but of grace and virtue.
Every day, we’re used to getting up and getting dressed. Yet even in these
casual times, if someone were to come to Church wearing his speedo swim trunks,
you’d think he was a bit off-kilter. Yet compared to that, we are mere novices
when it comes to getting spiritually dressed, which is by far much more
important. To adorn our souls properly is more important than clothing our
bodies.
A man could leave his house wearing only a T-shirt and his whitey-tidy
underwear. He would be embarrassed. Someone could poorly clothe himself
before a winter ice storm, and he would not only be cold, but could be in
danger. But even more, to have our souls poorly clothed is far more disastrous
and dangerous.
Main Body
In the Garden of delights, where our first parents lived, Adam and Eve wore a
garment of light and glory. There they wore no physical clothes. They were
“naked” and yet “without shame.” For Adam and Eve were clothed with the glory
of God. They shone as His image, and were radiant in the Holy Spirit. The
grace of God and every virtue adorned the entire being.
Our first parents then lived in perfect harmony with God and with each other.
They lived in love, intercommunion, and glory. The presence of God Himself
beautified their body, soul, and spirit. They didn’t need physical clothing.
There was no shame to hide. There was nothing harmful or dangerous they needed
to be sheltered from. All of creation moved in blessing.
It was only after the Fall into sin that we knew of nakedness, guilt, and
shame. It was only after the Fall that humanity and creation lacked harmony.
It was only after the Fall that the sun could burn us, the cold could freeze
us, and the earth could cut us.
God then gave Adam and Eve animal skins to protect them and cover their shame.
Yes, so soon after the Fall, death entered the world; animals had to give their
lives that Adam and Eve could live. Indeed, Man had lost his original garment.
But God came to undo what we had done. God the Holy Spirit eternally restores
this garment of light to us in holy baptism. The Apostle Paul writes, “For as
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
And so you were baptized.
That’s also why parents clothe a child who is being baptized in a white
garment. That’s why our baptismal liturgy says, “Receive this white garment to
show that you have been clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness that
covers all your sin.” Christ is our soul’s true clothing. His glory and light
is the true beauty and adornment of our souls.
Each day we are to rise and put on Christ. It is as our Small Catechism says:
What does such baptizing with water mean?
It means that the Old Adam in us, with all its evil deeds and desires, is to be
drowned and die by daily sorrow and repentance. Day after day, a new man is to
emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
When you wash your face in the morning, let it remind you of needing to return
to your baptism through repentance. When dressing yourself in the morning, let
it remind you of our great fall from glory, to encourage you all the more to
return to your baptism through Holy Spirit-wrought repentance. Do not glory in
what is our shame. Do not fixate about your material clothes! Why should we
pride ourselves in that which is a sign of our sins?
Having put on Christ, having been baptized into His name, we are to adorn our
souls with His every virtue. For virtue is the true adornment of the soul.
St. Paul tells us first to put on “compassion.” We are to shine forth such
sympathy from the depths of our being. Our inner core is to be stirred and
moved by the compassion within. We are to have compassion for the suffering.
We are to have compassion for the sinful, the addicted, and the pitiful.
Compassion demands that we forget about ourselves and, instead, think about
someone else.
As God’s chosen, we are next to put on “kindness.” Kindness involves building
up instead of tearing down. Kindness rejects spite, revenge, and harshness,
and replaces such mean-spiritedness with a heart that encourages and refreshes.
Following kindness, we are to adorn ourselves with “humility.” This means
never forgetting that we are all fallen sinners. It’s choosing to live,
knowing this, moment by moment, keeping this in mind when talking to others.
No hardship distresses the humble that he does not consider warranted in some
way because of his sins. No offense, insult, or neglect can upset the humble
or lead him to revolt and retaliate in bloated pride and arrogance.
“Gentleness” is the next soul garment for the baptized of God. This garment
of gentleness never gloats in power over others in church, home, or at work.
The gentle person refuses to use intimidation, compulsion, brute force, or
revenge. Instead, he returns blessings for curses, and prays for those who
abuse him.
Next is “patience.” The garment of patience protects one from exposure to a
bitter, judgmental attitude from within. Patience doesn’t demand but, instead,
chooses to endure and pray. Having such an inner quality of patience destroys
stress and anxiety, and creates a large reserve of inner strength.
Following patience is “accepting one another and forgiving one another.” This
is simply being Christ to another as Christ is to you. This means rejecting a
life of double standards: one on how we want God to treat us, and another on
how we treat others. Patience is to give to others the mercy that God gives to
us--complete and full forgiveness. It keeps no record of wrongs.
Above all these garments, Paul tells us to put on a coat of love, which binds
everything in perfect harmony. If you want perfect harmony, put on love. Love
is the divine glue that unites us all. Are you lacking harmony? Put on love!
And last, we finish getting spiritually dressed by putting on a hat of
thanksgiving. We sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in
our hearts to God. Whatever we do, in word or deed, we do everything in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
“All right,” you say, “all this is fine and good.” And so dear Christian, how
do you fare? Are you compassionate and kind? Are you humble, gentle, and
patient? Do I even need to go on?
If I were sitting in the pew right now, I would wish the pastor to stop
talking--because all he is doing is showing how poorly my Christian life is
going. He’s depressing me. Of course I want to live as Paul encourages me to
live. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be a Christian! I want to do what Paul
says--and more! But I’m a failure, and so are you.
Ah, and so the truth comes out. We are all a bunch of losers when it comes to
being the Christians God calls us to be. I suppose I should just stop
preaching now and be done with it. But God is not done with you yet--and so I
must go on!
Praise be to God that the traits the Apostle Paul lists are the goals of a
Christian’s life. They’re not the reason you or anyone else is a Christian!
Your standing with God doesn’t depend on your good works. They depend on the
good works of the Child born in Bethlehem and His suffering, death, and
resurrection.
All the traits that you and I flounder at, that the Apostle Paul mentions, they
aren’t what make you a Christian. While Paul was encouraging his readers to
put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, he was--at the
same time!--referring to his readers as holy, as saints! It’s a no brainer,
and when Paul called his readers holy and chosen by God, he showed that.
Obeying God doesn’t cause you to be holy; it’s the result of the holiness given
to you by grace, through faith because of Jesus Christ!
Conclusion
If you want to get more holy, get more Jesus. Get Jesused and you get holy.
The Gospel works faith and the resulting good works. Only with Jesus as the
beginner and completer of your faith can you even begin to clothe yourselves as
you should. Only when your hearts revel in the full glory of God’s grace,
mercy, forgiveness, do you then begin to magnify the Lord in how you live your
life.
Dear saint of God, you are holy; you are loved by God. Dear saint of God, you
“were baptized into Christ [and so] have put on Christ.” That’s what Paul told
the saints before he encouraged them to continue putting on the clothing of the
soul.
You are already holy by God. You are already loved by God. And that is why He
calls you to live the life of faith by, every day, putting on your soul’s
clothing. Amen.
--
Rich Futrell, Pastor
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Kimberling City, MO
Where we are to receive and confess the faith of the Church (in and with the
Augsburg Confession): The faith once delivered to the saints, the faith of
Christ Jesus, His Word of the Gospel, His full forgiveness of sins, His flesh
and blood given and poured out for us, and His gracious gift of life for body,
soul, and spirit.
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