Putting on Christ

To Christians in the churches of Galatia Paul said, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26-27).

It has been said that you cannot put on a coat unless you first get into it. This is a true statement, and could be said of many things (such as putting on gloves, a pair of pants, etc.). Suppose Paul was talking about blue jeans, and he said, “For you are all jeans wearers. For as many of you as got into jeans have put on jeans.” By this statement, would you have any trouble understanding that you cannot put on a pair of blue jeans without getting into them first? Speaking by the revelation of Christ (Gal. 1:11-12) Paul says that in order to put on Christ we must be baptized into Him. Our faith is proven by our obedience (James 2:22, 26; cf. Heb. 11:7), and that is how we become sons of God “through faith.”

The written work titled, “The Bible Illustrator,” tells of two friends who went for a boat ride. The boat upset, and the river was swift and deep. The man to whom the boat belonged had taken two life jackets along. He said “I put one on, but my friend laid his down beside him. When we were thrown into the river, my life jacket soon brought me to the top, but my friend never came up again.”

Friends, Christ is our Life jacket. If we do not put Him on, we cannot be saved (cf. 1 Pet. 3:20-21; Mk. 16:16). So then, friends, have you put Him on yet?

Aaron Veyon