Clothed with Salvation

 This sermon is based on various Scripture passages that speak about "putting on the Lord Jesus Christ," "putting on the new man," or being "clothed with the garments of salvation." These Scriptures present the analogy of being clothed as a way to represent the transformation that takes place in those who have been born again and are trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation. A video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was preached can be viewed here.

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 61:10 ^(NKJV) I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Introduction:

I don’t know how many of you ever think about how we preachers decide what messages to preach. I’ve heard some preachers, particularly traveling evangelists, speak as though God audibly tells them what text and what message to give. It does appear as though that might have been the case with many of the biblical prophets. However, in 40+ years of ministry, I can’t say God ever spoke audibly to me with the Scripture text or theme He wanted me to preach on any given Sunday!

For me, the ideas for sermons often come through the things I read, or occasionally, something I hear/watch. I have a file folder that is stuffed with short articles, sermon outlines or quotes from other preachers that I have saved because when I heard it or read it, it struck me as something I might want to develop into a sermon sometime. Every now and then I get that folder and flip through the papers to see if God is leading me to pursue any of the themes. Sometimes I sense, what I believe is the Holy Spirit, impressing me to pursue a series of messages on a particular topic or a series of messages through a book of the Bible. I am telling you this because the idea for today’s sermon came from a recent daily devotional I read by the well-known author, Max Lucado. I started through this devotional book this year after having it in my library for many years.

Allow me to read for you what I read earlier this month:

(These comments were taken from Lucado’s book, When Christ Comes)

“[Does] Jesus care what clothes we wear?

“Apparently so. In fact, the Bible tells us exactly the wardrobe God desires.

“’But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and forget about satisfying your sinful self’ (Rom. 13:14).

“’You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This means that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus’ (Gal. 3:26-27).

“This clothing has nothing to do with dresses and jeans and suits. God’s concern is with our spiritual garment. He offers a heavenly robe that only heaven can see and only heaven can give….”

Lucado also quoted the passage in Isaiah 61 that I read a few minutes ago and was also read in our responsive reading earlier in the service.

With the help of the Holy Spirit (because I know I cannot speak for God without His anointing), I want to speak to you today about being clothed with salvation. I’ll start off by asking the question, “How well dressed are you today?” 

The Bible teaches us that there are several important things we are to “put on” as we walk with Christ and seek to pattern our lives after Him in our Christian lives. Here are some clear principles that need to guide our minds and actions in this regard.

I.          We must first be clothed with salvation.

When I first read verse 10 in Isaiah 61 without considering the context, I figured that the use of the first-person pronoun, “I,” was directly referring to the prophet Isaiah. However, after checking with a few different commentaries, I discovered that more than one believed that the speaker is to be understood as the same one speaking in verses 1-4. If you look at those, you will immediately realize that these are the verses that Jesus read in the Synagogue one Sabbath and specifically applied them to Himself. Commentators say that it is the Servant of Yahweh (Jehovah) who is speaking. It is the same “Servant” that is described in chapters 52:13 – 53:12.

“Salvation” is a term that encompasses many aspects of God’s work in the lives of His people. It generally means deliverance and would include deliverance from anything and everything that keeps one from being like Christ and doing the work of Christ. It also, more specifically, refers to the spiritual transformation from death to life that takes place in the heart and life of everyone who puts faith in the sacrifice of Christ for them. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Anyone who wants to be clothed in a way that pleases God must first of all be clothed with salvation. They must know they have been born again, forgiven of all sin, and walking in obedience to the spiritual light God shines on their life’s pathway. Without a spiritual birth that produces a transformation in us, all of our efforts to conform to a set of rules will be nothing more than a set of clothes that appear quite different than we think.

Isaiah 64:6 ^(NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags….

The Servant of Jehovah in Isaiah 61 declares that this clothing of salvation and righteousness is figuratively like a bride and groom all decked out for their wedding day. Without the clothing of salvation, we appear naked in the eyes of God.

Revelation 3:17 ^(NKJV) Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

II.        The clothing of salvation includes right attitudes.

Colossians 3:12 ^(NKJV) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

The Apostle had just written in the preceding verses (see vv. 8, 9) that there were specific things they were to “put off” or “get rid of” or, to be “stripped off” regarding the previous attitudes and actions prior to their life in Christ. Just as they needed to strip off the things pertaining to the world and deeds of evil, they also needed to “put on” the things that emulated Christ and His attitudes.

v. 12 mentions: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and longsuffering.

These are attitudes and motives of the heart that will, in turn, motivate the actions that are pleasing to the Lord. Rather than anger, hatred, and arrogance, they were to “put on” or become clothed with tender mercies, kindness, humility and love. It truly teaches us that God is not only concerned with outward deeds or performance, but He is ultimately concerned about the inner attitudes and motives of our hearts.

Jesus said… Matthew 15:19 ^(NKJV) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

The heart matters must be changed by the Holy Spirit Himself. We cannot do it on our own. That is why we must be clothed with salvation before we can “put on” any of the other “garments” related to it. The kind of attitudes I portray indicate the kind of “garment” I’m wearing. So, the question is, “Do I portray the garment of salvation or the garment of sin?”

The Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter both bring up the matter of outward clothing and how that should not be a distraction away from the inner attitudes of the heart that ought to be shining through our lives. For example…

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

The structure of this sentence probably doesn’t completely prohibit everything resembling these descriptions, but it is clearly saying that however we dress outwardly, it should not block or distract from the “gentle, quiet spirit” that is inside. If I am known more for the way I dress (or undress) than for my love for Jesus and possession of His attitudes, then I need to “put on Christ.”

If I am known more for anything than my love for Jesus and demonstrating His character, then my life needs new “salvation clothing.” (Mike Reece) “If I am known more for my anger about politics than my love for Jesus, I must revisit [readjust] my priorities.” So, it is a legitimate question to ask myself whether anything in my life, including the way I dress or behave, prevents people from being able to see a spirit and an attitude that glorifies Christ?

III.       The clothing of salvation includes righteous conduct.

The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in all of His letters that having salvation is more than a mere spiritual transaction between God and me, that clears my record of sin and says I now can be admitted to heave. It is something that really has a transforming effect on my life.

A. Verbal conduct

In the Colossians passage we mentioned a few minutes ago, the items Paul urged them to “put off” or “strip off” included verbal conduct such as blasphemy (slander), filthy language, and lying.

Colossians 3:8-9 ^(NKJV) But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

I am troubled by the number of professing Christians I’ve run into over the years that still reveal by their language and speech that they haven’t taken off the old garments of sin. I realize that the transformation isn’t always instantaneous. In some cases, it takes time. But there is no reason for a Christian to simply excuse his/her unholy speech – gossip, slander, filthy language, and lying. God can and will deliver us if we faithfully seek His grace and submit to His Spirit.

B. Physical conduct

Romans 13:12-14 ^(NKJV) … Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The message is clear. Cast off the works of sin and darkness and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Get rid of the clothing of sin and take on the clothing of Christ. What is the foundational reason?

Galatians 3:27 ^(NKJV) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Everyone who has been baptized into Christ has also “put on” Christ or has been clothed with Christ. When we live in the world and people see us, they should see Christ because we are “clothed with Christ.” I don’t know about you but I feel as though I barely know what it really means to be “clothed with Christ.”

Conclusion:

I have been talking about putting off; stripping away; and casting off the garments of sin that are exhibited in all the kinds of attitudes and behaviors described in the words of Jesus and the letters of the Apostles. We have described the need to put on or clothe ourselves with Christ and the garments of salvation that are demonstrated in the kinds of attitudes and actions that are holy and Christlike.

Neither one of these (putting off or putting on) can be done by our own power or ability. We must have the power of the Holy Spirit. We must have God’s Spirit descend upon us and transform us into the image of Christ. That is why I have selected the closing song we have for today. I realize that it is probably a new song for many of us (at least it is for me). But it has an excellent message.

Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart