Put On part 5
This is my favorite one, which is why I saved it for last: "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Because this verse tells us HOW to put on the new man that God has already put on us. Because, again, the Bible says we HAVE put on the new man. Already done did. But its the idea of sinking into the garment that has already been put on us. Getting comfortable in it. Breaking it in. And the way we do that... is renewing ourselves in the knowledge of Him who created us. What you see is what you be. You are what you eat. We are Son(s) of God, but we don't know what exactly what that looks like. But we know that when we see Him we will be like Him. Because when we see Him... we see our true selves. Because Jesus IS our true self. Our new (true) identity. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in OUR flesh. Love in OUR body. Its the same way that we are conformed to the image of God, but we are continually transformed (into what we've already been transformed, or conformed into) by the renewing of our mind. The mind of Christ. And we let the mind of Christ (that's already in us) BE in us... by using it. By thinking the thoughts of God. Thoughts of peace and not of evil. Thoughts, really, of love. Its all about love. Love is the Word of God. And He speaks what He thinks. What's inside comes out. It has to. Its too big not to. Or, rather, what you BELIEVE is inside will come out. That's why faith is so important. And faith comes from hearing the Word of God. One more time: Love. When you hear those magic words, "I love you," it does something. And I'm not talking about how people say those words to each other a lot of the time when they really mean, "I want something from you." Or, "I want you." Because love--real, true, sacrificial, agape love--is never about getting. Love doesn't demand its (HIS) own way. Never has, never will. Even on the cross when Jesus was lifted up from the earth and drew all men into Himself, what He did was He GAVE Us His life. Made it available to us without forcing it upon it. Its the way of grace and the walk of faith, right? God made the way and we respond to it with the walk. He put the new man on us, and we put on what HE put on. We receive it. Receive it and release it. Receive it BY releasing it. Release it by receiving it. Let what He's put inside us flow out of us... by knowing and believing its in there. Knowing. Renewed in the knowledge. And I'm not talking about head knowledge. I'm talking about knowledge that passes knowledge. Heart knowledge. Experiential knowledge. Because God always puts His money where His mouth is. He doesn't just sing it. He brings it. Jesus said the greatest love a man can have is to lay down your life for your friends. And then He went to the cross and did just that. And because of that sacrifice, that love, we can love Him back by loving each other. We can be renewed in the knowledge of who we are, as we learn who HE is. Who we are in Christ is who Christ is in us. For the last time today: God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in OUR flesh. Love in OUR body!