Get dressed
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." (Romans 13:14)
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning..." (Luke 12:35)
October 8, 2025
Dear friends,
As I was growing up, there were many mornings when I would hear my mother say, "Time to get up and get dressed." If it was a school day, I needed to get up and get dressed for school. If it was a weekend, it often meant that it was time for chores, and time to put on work clothes. The activity determined the attire.
In a recent Bible study, we read these words from the Apostle Paul: "The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." (Romans 13:12-14)
In the Bible the image of "putting on" and "putting off" (or "laying aside") meant to respond to a call (or identity) and to prepare oneself appropriately for that role or activity. It wasn't about exterior adornment primarily, it was about taking on a task or calling, being dressed suitably (pun intended) for the occasion. So, if you are in a wedding, for example, or a soldier on duty, or a member of a sports team, or a policeman, or a surgeon, you should dress the part in order to fulfill your role.
This imagery, of being clothed for action, describes the Lord himself...
"He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him.
He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak." (Isaiah 59:16-17)
This language was echoed in Ephesians 6:10-20, which describes how Christians are to be dressed for spiritual conflict in this world. Paul calls this "the armor of light" (Rom 13:12). We are dressing not only for the spiritual battle at hand, but we are also dressing ourselves as befits citizens of the kingdom of light. "The night is far gone; the day is at hand." Jesus said, "Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning..." (Luke 12:35)
For us, it's a twofold action, this "putting off" and "putting on". As followers of Jesus, we are told both to put off “the old self" and to put on “the new self" (Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:5-14). We lay aside soiled clothing and put on new clothes. This transfer of identity and behavior began at our conversion, but the call to "put off...and put on..." is ongoing. Daily, we continue to embrace our calling and identity in Christ, all the while laying aside the practices of our old life. It's intentional and specific -- it involves renouncing ungodly habits and growing in Christlike character. It's a transformation of lifestyle that comes from God: "There can be no renunciation of the sinful self unless there be first set up in us a purer, higher self which will plead in us the cause of God." (Geerhardus Vos)
Which brings me to that wonderful command, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Rom 13:14) How do you put on a Person? The Lord Jesus is our Savior, and he is (himself) our Salvation. We "put on" the Lord Jesus when we appropriate his promises, his provision, his sacrifice, his power, and his life for us. Further, we clothe ourselves with his very character: his love, patience, purity, kindness, humility, joy, truthfulness, endurance, and obedience to the Father, and more. He is the Image into which we are being transformed. He is our sufficiency, and he is our model for living. The Apostle Peter wrote, "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21)
Every day, I need to remind myself of who I am in Christ, and how I'm clothed. Whose interests am I serving, what kingdom am I representing, what should be laid aside, and whose character will I show forth? I need to be dressed and ready for action as a servant of Christ. The Message paraphrases Romans 13:14 this way: "Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!"
IN OTHER READING.
-- "Pick it up, read it...” How Romans 13:14 sparked Augustine's conversion.
-- Helpful storyline on Israel as a nation, here or here.
-- Do not forget October 7, 2023: over 5,500 terrorists infiltrated Israel, murdering over 1,200 and taking 251 as hostages. 48 still remain in captivity today.
--"Maintaining the Sanctity of Life: Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Capital Punishment."
-- I marvel at the beauty of this song, "In his love, and in his pity", based on Isaiah 63:9.
FINAL QUOTE. "The gospel is the good news that God has accomplished our salvation for us through Christ in order to bring us into a right relationship with him and eventually to destroy all the results of sin in the world." (Tim Keller, Shaped by the Gospel)
That’s all for this week!
Sandy
Afterwords is an occasional newsletter on topics of interest to me (Sandy Young) since my retirement from full-time pastoral ministry. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.