Putting on Christ
Putting on Christ has a two fold mission; first it is to achieve our salvation. This is
the Father’s desire for mankind, because God doesn’t want any to perish (I Timothy
2:4) says that it is God “who will have all men to be saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth”; and (II Peter 3:9) says “the Lord is not slack concerning His
promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”.
This was God’s plan from the foundation of the world (John 3:15-17) says “that
whosoever believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”.
God wants more than salvation for us, He wants us to grow up into Him and do the
things that He did (Romans 8:29-30) says “for who He did foreknow, He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren. More over, whom He did predestinate, them He
also called, and whom He called them He also justified, and whom He justified, them
He also glorified”.
God knew that we needed help, so He made a way for us. He gave us the free gift
of grace (Ephesians 2:8-10) “for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not
of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, less any man should boast. For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has
before ordained that we should walk in them”. In verse 12-13 it shows us where we
were before Christ; it says “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise,
having no hope, and with God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who
sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ”.
Romans 5:17-19 explains it, it says “for if by one man’s offense (Adam) death
reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift
of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the
offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the
righteousness of One, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. For as
by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One
shall many be made righteous”.
Jesus promised us before He left, that He would send us the Comforter (John 16:
13) says “however, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all
truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, than shall He
speak, and He will show you things to come”.
He gave to us people to help bring us to perfection (Ephesians 4:10-15) which says
“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that
He might fill all things. And He gave some, apostles, and some prophets and some
evangelist and some pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ”. That’s why we are told “forsake not ourselves with the assembly of
others”.
The Bible tells us how to put on Christ (Galatians 3:26-29) says “for you are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew not Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you be Christ’s then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the
promise”.
This is the beginning, and many Christians stop here, there are many people who
have received Christ, and never grow up or ever tell any one about Jesus, but in
Colossians 2:6-10 it shows us how to go on from there, it says “as you have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in Him. Rooted and built up
in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving. Beware, less any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are
complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power”.
Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us “be you therefore followers of God as dear children. And
walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering
and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor”. I John 2:6 says “he that says he
abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked”. This is the same
thing that Jesus said to us (John 14:12) which says “verily, verily, I say to you, he
that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than
these shall he do, because I go to My Father”, and (Mark 16:15-18) says “and He
said to them, go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be
damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe, in My name shall they cast
out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick,
and they shall recover”.
This walk is not one that any of us can walk on our own; Ephesians 6:10-18 shows
us each part of the armor of Christ that we should put on. It says “finally my
brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Wherefore take to you the whole armor of God that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand, therefore, having
your lions girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking
the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”.
Picture this, when you put on the armor of Christ, it is like dressing up as Christ.
When you have the armor of Christ on you, the devil can’t tell the difference of who
you are.
God has commanded the light to shine (Matthew 5:16) Jesus tells us “Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
which is in heaven” and (II Corinthians 4:6) which says “for God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. Remember that we are
the salt and the light.
The devil on the other hand is trying to keep people from coming to Christ (II
Corinthians 4:3-4) says “but if the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In
whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, less
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to
them”. The devil have tricked many people to believing that there are many ways
to the Father, and many are trying to get there without Jesus Christ, but “Jesus said
to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father, but by
Me. If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also and from
hereafter you know Him, and have seen Him” (John 14:6-7).
If the devil can’t keep you from being saved, he will try to keep you from being
effectual, not bearing fruit (winning souls). Paul warns Timothy in I Timothy 4:13-
16) “till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not
the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the
hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things, give yourself wholly to them,
that your profiting may appear to all. Take heed to yourself, and to the doctrine;
continue in them for in doing this you shall both save yourself, and them that hear
you”. This sounds like what Jesus said (John 8:30-32) “as He spoke these words,
many believed in Him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if you
continue in My words, there are you My disciple indeed. And you shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
Since we have established that it is God’s plan for us to conform to the image of His
dear Son, along with providing for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and have
provided us with the Bible, and apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
teachers, let us strive by putting on the whole armor of God, knowing that in Christ
we are complete. Everything that God says you are, you are, everything that God
says you can do, you can do. As we meditate on this, it will get into our hearts, and
Proverb 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Paul says “I can do all
things, through Christ, which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). So let’s stop
thinking of yourself as unrighteous, or unworthy, because God has made you “the
righteousness of Christ Jesus” (II Corinthians 5:21), and He has made you
“accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 9, 2008
Putting on Christ has a two fold mission; first it is to achieve our salvation. This is
the Father’s desire for mankind, because God doesn’t want any to perish (I Timothy
2:4) says that it is God “who will have all men to be saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth”; and (II Peter 3:9) says “the Lord is not slack concerning His
promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing
that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”.
This was God’s plan from the foundation of the world (John 3:15-17) says “that
whosoever believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”.
God wants more than salvation for us, He wants us to grow up into Him and do the
things that He did (Romans 8:29-30) says “for who He did foreknow, He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the
firstborn among many brethren. More over, whom He did predestinate, them He
also called, and whom He called them He also justified, and whom He justified, them
He also glorified”.
God knew that we needed help, so He made a way for us. He gave us the free gift
of grace (Ephesians 2:8-10) “for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not
of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, less any man should boast. For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has
before ordained that we should walk in them”. In verse 12-13 it shows us where we
were before Christ; it says “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise,
having no hope, and with God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who
sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ”.
Romans 5:17-19 explains it, it says “for if by one man’s offense (Adam) death
reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift
of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the
offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the
righteousness of One, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. For as
by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One
shall many be made righteous”.
Jesus promised us before He left, that He would send us the Comforter (John 16:
13) says “however, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all
truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, than shall He
speak, and He will show you things to come”.
He gave to us people to help bring us to perfection (Ephesians 4:10-15) which says
“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that
He might fill all things. And He gave some, apostles, and some prophets and some
evangelist and some pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ”. That’s why we are told “forsake not ourselves with the assembly of
others”.
The Bible tells us how to put on Christ (Galatians 3:26-29) says “for you are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew not Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you be Christ’s then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the
promise”.
This is the beginning, and many Christians stop here, there are many people who
have received Christ, and never grow up or ever tell any one about Jesus, but in
Colossians 2:6-10 it shows us how to go on from there, it says “as you have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in Him. Rooted and built up
in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein
with thanksgiving. Beware, less any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are
complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power”.
Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us “be you therefore followers of God as dear children. And
walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering
and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor”. I John 2:6 says “he that says he
abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked”. This is the same
thing that Jesus said to us (John 14:12) which says “verily, verily, I say to you, he
that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than
these shall he do, because I go to My Father”, and (Mark 16:15-18) says “and He
said to them, go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be
damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe, in My name shall they cast
out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick,
and they shall recover”.
This walk is not one that any of us can walk on our own; Ephesians 6:10-18 shows
us each part of the armor of Christ that we should put on. It says “finally my
brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Wherefore take to you the whole armor of God that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand, therefore, having
your lions girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking
the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints”.
Picture this, when you put on the armor of Christ, it is like dressing up as Christ.
When you have the armor of Christ on you, the devil can’t tell the difference of who
you are.
God has commanded the light to shine (Matthew 5:16) Jesus tells us “Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
which is in heaven” and (II Corinthians 4:6) which says “for God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. Remember that we are
the salt and the light.
The devil on the other hand is trying to keep people from coming to Christ (II
Corinthians 4:3-4) says “but if the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In
whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, less
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to
them”. The devil have tricked many people to believing that there are many ways
to the Father, and many are trying to get there without Jesus Christ, but “Jesus said
to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father, but by
Me. If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also and from
hereafter you know Him, and have seen Him” (John 14:6-7).
If the devil can’t keep you from being saved, he will try to keep you from being
effectual, not bearing fruit (winning souls). Paul warns Timothy in I Timothy 4:13-
16) “till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not
the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the
hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things, give yourself wholly to them,
that your profiting may appear to all. Take heed to yourself, and to the doctrine;
continue in them for in doing this you shall both save yourself, and them that hear
you”. This sounds like what Jesus said (John 8:30-32) “as He spoke these words,
many believed in Him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if you
continue in My words, there are you My disciple indeed. And you shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
Since we have established that it is God’s plan for us to conform to the image of His
dear Son, along with providing for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and have
provided us with the Bible, and apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
teachers, let us strive by putting on the whole armor of God, knowing that in Christ
we are complete. Everything that God says you are, you are, everything that God
says you can do, you can do. As we meditate on this, it will get into our hearts, and
Proverb 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Paul says “I can do all
things, through Christ, which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). So let’s stop
thinking of yourself as unrighteous, or unworthy, because God has made you “the
righteousness of Christ Jesus” (II Corinthians 5:21), and He has made you
“accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 9, 2008
