There is just something about putting on clean clothes. I love when I work outside and get all dirty, and then go in to shower and put on clean clothes. It’s a great feeling. Or, there have been times when I have gotten soaked, and to clean up and put on dry clothes feels amazing.

I think Paul experienced that same feeling at some point because he used clothing as an important metaphor to describe new life in Christ. We see it in Colossians 3.

Take Off Adam’s Clothing

5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:5-11 CSB)

Paul begins by describing all of those who are still in Adam—those who have not trusted in Christ and are still dead in their sin. It’s not a pretty list.

Immorality. Impurity. Lust. Evil desires. Greed.

All of these brings God’s wrath.

But not for us who have trusted in Christ. Don’t miss verse 7. This describes who we were, not who we are. We once walked in these things. We once lived in them. But no longer.

This is why we take off—what “put away” literally means in verse 8—the clothing of Adam. We take that dirty, nasty, smelly clothing off. That attire is not fitting for us any longer.

What does this mean in practice? Notice the list Paul shared with us:

Anger. Wrath. Malice. Slander. Filthy language. Lies.

None of these reflect our new identity in Christ. Rather, when we as believers practice such behavior, we are living as frauds. We are putting clothes from Adam’s closet on ourselves, but there is a better closet at our disposal.

Put On Christ’s Clothing

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17 CSB)

Here we see the wardrobe—the much better one—that we have been given in Christ.

Compassion. Kindness. Humility. Gentleness. Patience. Forgiveness. And above all, love.

What we have to understand is this: these are now our “normal” clothes if we have trusted in Christ. We are no longer in Adam; we are in Christ. When we put on Adam’s clothes, we are frauds. But when we put on Christ’s clothes, we are being true to our identity.

So growing in Christ is not a matter of becoming a better someone than we are. It’s actually living like we truly are. It is letting the Holy Spirit work this fruit—the natural fruit of a believer—in us and through us.

Jesus was right when He told us that His yoke is easy.

Put off the graveclothes of sin and the old life and … put on the ‘grace-clothes’ of holiness and the new life in Christ.” — Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019)

Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Complete (Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook, 1981) [Wordsearch].

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