Do you remember “streaking”? The fad, that is, not actually
“streaking.” I’m just SURE that none of you ever participated in such a thing…
(“Streaking,” in case you are wondering, was a silly fad in
the 1970s of running around naked. Yep. Naked.)
Along with just being creepy, those participating in the fad
had a very distinctive view of the role and purpose of clothing. For most of
us, clothing is simply a way to accomplish two necessary goals at once—to keep
warm and to cover up certain parts of our bodies. Some people are more
conscious of fashion and such, and consequently do the clothing-thing much
better than others; but overall, clothing is a necessity against the cold and
against the eyes of others.
Of course, there is a minor strain that argues that “the
clothes make the man,” that somehow what you wear helps define you and/or shape
you. I suspect everyone has had the experience of “feelin’ good” when dressed
up. To “dress the part” actually makes some sense.
The Scriptures too speak of clothing—actually, probably more
than you have realized. Most of the time, the description of clothing is a tip-off
of what is coming. Samuel is first described as wearing a linen ephod—the dress
of a priest. Saul wears armor (as a warrior) or a robe (as a king). Elijah
passes on his cloak to his disciple, Elisha, so he too might carry on the work
of the Lord. The people of Nineveh wore sackcloth to express their repentance. Clothing
so frequently in the Bible is used as a literary device to tell us more about
the person than what is explicitly stated.
But, occasionally, the biblical authors use clothing as
something more. Sometimes, the clothing really does make the man. God often
uses clothing, not simply as an indicator of one’s job, but actually as conveying
status. The robe the father puts on his prodigal son is not an indicator that
he is somehow worthy of blessing; rather, the father declares, through the
robe, that his son will be treated as the prodigal no more. As Adam and Eve are
exiled from the Garden of Eden—surely a powerful judgement on their sin—God
nevertheless clothes them. This is not simply an act of kindness, keeping them
warm. Rather, God is marking them as His own. When Ruth asks Boaz to cover her
with his cloak, she is asking that he would claim her as his own. On the cross,
our Lord is stripped bare, reflecting His separation from the Father. In these
and other examples, one’s clothing identifies you as you really are.
In Colossians 3:12, Paul commands that we “put on…
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” The verb he
uses here, “to put on”, can also be translated as “to clothe yourself.” Paul is
exhorting us to dress according to what we really are. If we have been redeemed
by Christ, if we are His and His alone, then we must wear appropriate clothing.
We must “look the part”, for we have been claimed by Him; and so we must look
like Him—demonstrating His compassion, His kindness and humility.
In short, our “outside” should look like our “inside”. If
Christ is in your heart, if you have been united with Him in His death and
resurrection, then let us clothe ourselves with His likeness, so that all may
see and know of our incomparable Christ!
Questions to ponder in Colossians 3:1-14 in preparation for
this coming Sunday:
1. Verse 5 begins with a “therefore”. What is it there
for?
2. The list of bad things at the end of verse 5 looks pretty
intimidating. But, assuming that God intends for this text to speak to you as
well as to mass-murders, how might each description speak of your own sin?
3. Note verse 7. Does this mean that we all were all those
bad things listed in verse 5? Really?
4. In verses 8, 9, and 10, Paul uses that language of
clothing we have been talking about. Notice the implications of all he says
here—we are clothed!
5. How does verse 11 fit? If we all are clothed in Christ,
how does that affect us in how we view one another?
6. We are to put off five things in verse 5, and five things
in verse 8. How do the five virtues of verse 12 connect?
7. Before Paul commands us to “dress”, he calls us “God’s
chosen ones, holy and beloved”. Why do you think he does that? What does each
communicate to you?
