What Is Your Attire?

Most if not all of us realize the value of proper attire. I can remember that schools, the work force required neat, decent and well kept clothing to be worn by its employees especially in dealing with the public. If someone was going for an interview for a job, they were expected to be well groomed and neatly dressed. When worship time came men and women alike dressed modestly and becoming of Christian demeanor. I read that upon the surrender of Robert E. Lee at the Appomattox Court house, he was dressed in immaculate attired. He appeared to surrender his army attired in a new uniform with a sword of great value hanging by his side. Grant on the other hand appeared in a shirt and pants of a private, without a sword and no coat. Grant wrote in his memoirs “I must have contrasted very strangely.” He further wrote, “a man so handsomely dressed, six feet high, and of faultless form.” This occasion came to be one of Grants greatest regrets. Now days, we have seen the attire become sloppy, unkept, and immodest regardless of public exposure, job interview, funerals or worship. This is certainly not true of everyone, but it is certainly true of some. There
is something we all can put on that will always present us acceptable in public, neat, modest and well-groomed in life! It cannot be bought at Belk, Dillard’s or any other department store. It does not cost fifty dollars, a hundred dollars or a thousand dollars, it is free yet costs you everything. The attire of which I speak is not a garment but a person, a special person. 

You read of him in Galatians chapter three and verse twenty-seven, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” The word “put on” literally means “to sink into a garment, to invest with clothing.” In the text under consideration it is obviously used in a figurative sense to denote to be invested with Christ or clothed with Christ. When this occurs in a person’s life, it will make all the difference in how he appears in public. The idea of putting on Christ in Galatians chapter three and verse twenty-seven seems to be equivalent to the phrase “Christ lives in me” in Galatians chapter two and verse twenty, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” If a person is clothed with Christ or Christ lives in him or her, it will make a world of difference in every facet of their lives. They will be a people whose focus is on heavenly and godly things, Colossians chapter three and verses one through three, rather than the worldly things, First John chapter two and verses fifteen through seventeen.

It will make a difference in the way a person thinks. Solomon reveals to us that as a person thinks in his heart so is he, Proverbs chapter twenty-three and verse seven. One translation says “as he thinks within himself.” A person who has put on Christ must strive to have the mind of Christ, Philippians chapter two and verse five. He will strive to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, Second Corinthians chapter ten and verse five. One must train himself to think differently than the world. A person often reveals what is in his mind (heart) by his expressed actions. What was in the minds of those who falsely accused Jesus of being a blasphemer, a deceiver, wine bibber and  gluttonous. What kind of mind did those on Pentecost that mocked and said these men are full of new wine have, Acts chapter two and verse thirteen? In contrast ask yourself what kind of mind did those who gladly received Peter’s word in Acts chapter two and verse forty-0ne have? One can see by casual reading of the bible from Genesis to Revelation that what a person thinks in his heart will determine his ultimate actions. In further consideration if Christ lives within a person his thinking will be all together different. A person clothed with Christ will think cautiously, Romans chapter twelve and verse three, He will not think of himself more highly than he ought to think. First Corinthians chapter ten and verse twelve, a person will take heed to himself to prevent falling from God’s favor. He will seek to think on pure things, Philippians chapter four and verse eight. He will strive to think no evil, First Corinthians thirteen and verse five. One rendering is “does not take into account a wrong suffered”. Among other things the person in whom Christ lives will also strive to think properly on many other things, knowing that being clothed with Christ will determine his  thinking and his thinking will determine his actions.

Truly being clothed with Christ so that what people see when they look at your conduct is Christ, will cause the one displaying Christ to be extremely mindful on the following: One, the way they think, Philippians chapter four and verse eight, the way they talk, Colossians chapter four and verse six, the way they live Philippians chapter one and verse twenty-seven, the way they worship, they will be steadfast Acts chapter two and verse forty-two, the way they dress in public and at worship services, First Timothy chapter two and verse eight, the way they study and pray, Second Timothy chapter two and verse fifteen and Luke chapter eighteen and verse one, the interest in the souls of others, Matthew twenty-eight and verses nineteen and twenty, and finally the way he treats his family and others, Ephesians chapter five and twenty-five, Ephesians chapter six and verse four and Ephesians chapter four and verse thirty-two.

Ask yourself the question, am I really clothed with Christ? When people see my actions, do they really see Jesus in me? Do my actions and thinking really show that Christ is living in me? A genuine Christian is not one who tries to put Christ on on Sundays and then disrobes him on Monday, but he is one who puts him on in baptism and strives never to put him off by allowing Christ to live in him or her.

Bill Cantrell