But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:14)
When God saves us, when we trust in Him as our Lord and Savior because of the love He demonstrated to us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, is that the end of the Christian walk? Because God takes our sin and brokenness and declares us righteous when we turn to Him in faith, can we go on doing whatever we want? Paul has made it clear that that is not the case at all! “What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)
In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul writes, “For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ” (Gal. 3:27). And yet, he commands those who are in Christ to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. Fighting sin is a daily struggle, so every day, clothe yourself with Christ, so that Christ completely overshadows your fleshly desire to sin and pursue what is right in the eyes of the world.
Put on Christ by immersing yourself in God’s Word, looking for truth, wisdom, conviction, and encouragement, desiring to be more like Christ. If this is a struggle (and it is!), ask God to give you a greater love for His Word! Put on Christ by considering Christ’s perfect life—where He faced the same kinds of temptations we face daily but never sinned—and realizing that we have a God that can empathize with us, give us strength, and intercede for us while we are tempted. Come to Him daily in prayer, before you are tempted and when you think you might give in, for victory during the struggle.
Every morning, we get dressed, and that sets the tone for our day and impacts our interactions with others. Clothe yourself with Christ, so that your friends and family may see Christ in you, and when you face temptation, you can triumph in Christ!