Colossians 3:1–17 NLT

Since YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED TO NEW LIFE WITH CHRIST, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. FOR YOU DIED TO THIS LIFE, AND YOUR REAL LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you … PUT ON YOUR NEW NATURE, AND BE RENEWED AS YOU LEARN TO KNOW YOUR CREATOR AND BECOME LIKE HIM. IN THIS NEW LIFE … CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS, AND HE LIVES IN ALL OF US. Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts … Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives … AND WHATEVER YOU DO OR SAY, DO IT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS THROUGH HIM TO GOD THE FATHER.

Colossians 2:6- 20 NLT

And now, just as YOU ACCEPTED CHRIST JESUS AS YOUR LORD, YOU MUST CONTINUE TO FOLLOW HIM. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness … FOR IN CHRIST LIVES ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD IN A HUMAN BODY. SO YOU ALSO ARE COMPLETE THROUGH YOUR UNION WITH CHRIST, who is the head over every ruler and authority. When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. FOR YOU WERE BURIED WITH CHRIST WHEN YOU WERE BAPTIZED. AND WITH HIM YOU WERE RAISED TO NEW LIFE because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead … Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross … YOU HAVE DIED WITH CHRIST, AND HE HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE SPIRITUAL POWERS OF THIS WORLD.

Romans 13:11–14 NLT

THIS IS ALL THE MORE URGENT, FOR YOU KNOW HOW LATE IT IS; TIME IS RUNNING OUT. WAKE UP, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. SO REMOVE YOUR DARK DEEDS LIKE DIRTY CLOTHES, AND PUT ON THE SHINING ARMOR OF RIGHT LIVING. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. INSTEAD, CLOTHE YOURSELF WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Exhortation: Arise and be Clothed with Christ

Arise and Be Clothed with Christ—The Time is Now

“THE SPIRITUAL GARMENT NO CHRISTIAN SHOULD EVER BE WITHOUT IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Putting on Christ means letting the Lord be our armor, embracing Him over and over, and daily trusting Him in faith, thankfulness, and obedience.”
—John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (c. AD 347—407)

It is time for the Church to arise and be clothed with Christ. If not now, then when? In Revelation 16:15 NLT, Jesus warns His Church, “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! BLESSED ARE ALL WHO ARE WATCHING FOR ME, WHO KEEP THEIR CLOTHING READY SO THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO WALK AROUND NAKED AND ASHAMED.” We are on the cusp of Christ’s second coming, which will happen at an hour that no one expects. We will all be surprised at the hour of His coming, but we must not be unprepared. It is time that all sons and daughters of God awake and arise to live in watchfulness for the day of Christ’s return. In preparation, we arise to be always clothed with Jesus Christ. It is not the time to grow weary, discouraged, careless, or fall into slumber. By God’s grace, we must arise to encourage ourselves in the Lord, exercise walking in the Spirit, be armed with the armor of God, and daily purpose in our heart to put off the old self and be clothed with Christ—His person, presence, power, and glory. Even as we are filled with His Holy Spirit, let us be clothed by His Spirit. Romans 13: 11–14 NKJV admonishes the Church, saying,

DO THIS, KNOWING THE TIME, THAT NOW IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP; FOR NOW OUR SALVATION IS NEARER THAN WHEN WE FIRST BELIEVED. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH, TO FULFILL ITS LUSTS.

When we are born-again, Christ’s holy and divine kingdom has come within us as Luke 17:12 NKJV declares, “Nor will they say, ‘See here!’ FOR INDEED THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU.” We are no longer of the kingdom of darkness but of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. As the Eternal Light dwells within us by His Holy Spirit, we have become His lights in this world. The Light who lives within us also shines through us and clothes us. Therefore, we can let our light shine. If the Church is to successfully declare that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and all who believe in Him shall be saved, the Church must live perpetually and fully clothed with Christ.

Be Clothed With Christ as He was Clothed With His Father

As Christ was fully clothed with His Father being One with Him, we are to be clothed with Christ by being one with Him. JESUS WAS ALWAYS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CLOTHED IN HIS FATHER’S PRESENCE, LOVE AND GRACE. Jesus was always thirsting, seeking, loving, and abiding in oneness of love and intimacy with His Father. There was no moment He was not with His Father—abiding, loving, hearing, and obeying. The Son did nothing except what the Father told and showed Him (John 5:20).

In like manner, as we are consumed with Christ, He will overflow and clothe us with His presence, power, and glory. When Christ is the center of all things, being clothed with Him is the outflow. We cannot wear (manifest) Christ outwardly if we are not filled with Him inwardly.

Being clothed with Christ is to be clothed with who He is: the character, virtues, power, and glory of the Almighty God. It is to be attired in the Redeemer, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Living Water, Bread of Life, Holy and Anointed One, Wonderful, Counselor, and the One who sits on the throne forever and ever. When we are fully surrendered to Christ on the inside, we will be fully clothed with Him on the outside. CHRIST MUST BE OUR ALL-IN-ALL. He is the center of our life, the cornerstone of our being, the everlasting well from which we drink, and the Rock upon which we stand. He is also our life’s priority, passion, and pursuit: the Lord we trust, the God we worship, and the Master we obey and serve. Jesus Christ must be the food we eat, the water we drink, and the One we long and pant for.

The Church must remember that Christ has redeemed us. We are born again and made new in His blood. Therefore, we must abide in Christ and live for Christ—Christ our all. As we live in this truth, we are clothed with this truth. Whoever we abide in, we will drink from; whoever we drink from will fill us up from inside out. Whoever fills us from the inside out will inundate us to overflowing, then cover and clothe us all over in His presence, fragrance, and glory. We also live and walk in His grace, power, strength, and anointing. In intimacy with God, we are wrapped in His love and swathed in His presence, fragrance, and oil. We always carry the aroma of the One we have been intimate with, manifesting His character, love, righteousness, virtues, and grace. This is being clothed with Christ. A daily surrender of all within us to all that He is will always keep us overflowing with Him. Moses abided in God constantly. He thirsted for God unceasingly and sought Him relentlessly. All Moses wanted was God’s presence and to see His face. Therefore, he was a man of prayer and fasting who consistently spent days and nights seeking, praying and fasting in the presence of God. In Exodus 34, God called him to come up to Mount Sinai alone. Moses was with God forty days and nights as he prayed and fasted. God appeared in person to Moses and spoke to him face to face. Moses was then clothed in the presence of God so that his face shone and radiated the brilliance of God. Exodus 34:28–30 NLT speaks of this:

Moses remained there on the mountain with the LORD forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate no bread and drank no water. And the LORD wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets. When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, HE WASN’T AWARE THAT HIS FACE HAD BECOME RADIANT BECAUSE HE HAD SPOKEN TO THE LORD. So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.

THE CHURCH MUST ARISE AND BE CLOTHED WITH CHRIST!

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and Make No Provision for the Flesh

Paul urged the church in Rome to awake to the urgency of time concerning Christ’s return and to arise to put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Paul starkly warns in Romans 13:11–14 NLT,

THIS IS ALL THE MORE URGENT, FOR YOU KNOW HOW LATE IT IS; TIME IS RUNNING OUT. WAKE UP, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. SO REMOVE YOUR DARK DEEDS LIKE DIRTY CLOTHES, AND PUT ON THE SHINING ARMOR OF RIGHT LIVING. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. INSTEAD, CLOTHE YOURSELF WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

The Church is to walk in the newness of life we have received from Christ, and our sights are set on the realities of heaven where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Colossians 3 says as believers, we have died to the old life because we have been raised to a new life with Jesus. We belong to the day. AS OUR NEW LIFE IS HIDDEN IN HIM, WE ARE TO PUT ON THE NEW NATURE AND LEARN TO KNOW HIM. WE HAVE DIED TO THE OLD LIFE. WE DO NOT CLOTHE OURSELVES IN ANYTHING THAT IS OF THE PAST, DEAD AND HAD BEEN DEALT WITH BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS. We put off the old life, with its sinful nature and putrefying flesh from which issue all manner of sin, filth, and darkness. They have been crucified with Christ on the cross once and for all time. Colossians 2:12–20 NLT speaks to us testifying to our new life.

FOR YOU WERE BURIED WITH CHRIST WHEN YOU WERE BAPTIZED. AND WITH HIM YOU WERE RAISED TO NEW LIFE because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead … Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross … YOU HAVE DIED WITH CHRIST, AND HE HAS SET YOU FREE FROM THE SPIRITUAL POWERS OF THIS WORLD.

Therefore, whatever we do or say, we do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christ’s followers, we live, walk, and act according to the new life within us. As we have been lifted out of the old life and put into the new, we are to be Christ-centered in sight, focus, vision, and attention. Let the spirit of the new creation within shine through us. We must refuse the old life and the old man who has been crucified and buried with Christ. We are one with Christ in our new life and creation. Therefore,

• KNOW AND LIVE IN OUR IDENTICALNESS WITH CHRIST. The Church is not an organization; it is a gathering of sons and daughters of God who are born again through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. We have been birthed into God’s family and kingdom through the blood of Jesus Christ, making us one family with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Church is united as one with the Holy Trinity. This unity is our identicalness with Christ, and His eternal life in us is supernaturally causing us to change from glory to glory to be more and more identical with Him in person, character, ways, and purpose. The eternal life given to us is working in us to transform us more and more into the image of Christ and taking on His heart, mind, passion, and priorities. This transformation is what it means to be clothed with Christ.
• KNOW AND SURRENDER TO OUR TRANSFORMATION INTO CHRIST’S IMAGE OR CHRISTLIKENESS as the Holy Spirit, the seal of our salvation and dwelling in us, purifies and sanctifies us. We are being transformed daily, and we grow more and more into His likeness, holiness, and righteousness. The Church must embody who Christ is, manifest what Christ has done for the world, and make Christ the Living water available to the thirsting world.
• KNOW AND SUBMIT TO OUR ALIGNMENT WITH CHRIST by the teaching and working of the Holy Spirit in us, bringing everything concerning us into a perfect unity and alignment with Jesus Christ. We lay aside all that is not of Christ and put on Christ, bringing all into alignment with all that is Christ’s.

To arise and be perpetually clothed with Christ, the Church must arise and hunger for Him, seek Him, be filled with Him, and love Him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds.

Finally, How to Be Clothed With Christ Perpetually

Ephesians 4:17–24 LEB — This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the Gentiles walk: in the futility of their mind, being darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, who, becoming callous, gave themselves over to licentiousness, for the pursuit of all uncleanness in greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard about Him, and YOU WERE TAUGHT BY HIM (JUST AS TRUTH IS IN JESUS), THAT YOU TAKE OFF, ACCORDING TO YOUR FORMER WAY OF LIFE, THE OLD MAN, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires, BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND, AND PUT ON THE NEW MAN (IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD), who is created in righteousness and holiness from the truth.

Following Christ and Being Conformed to His Image

Colossians 3:1–10 NLT — Since YOU HAVE BEEN RAISED TO NEW LIFE WITH CHRIST, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. FOR YOU DIED TO THIS LIFE, AND YOUR REAL LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you … PUT ON YOUR NEW NATURE, AND BE RENEWED AS YOU LEARN TO KNOW YOUR CREATOR AND BECOME LIKE HIM.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV — We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are BEING TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Romans 8:29 ESV — For those whom He foreknew HE ALSO PREDESTINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.

We are following Christ and being conformed to His image because we have died to the old life of sin, and now, the new life in Christ is within us and working in us. This new life is the power that enables us to follow Christ and it works in us to conform to Christ’s image. This is the real life hidden with Jesus. With the new life, we put on our new nature and are being renewed in Him daily. We conform to Christ’s nature from the inside out.

Take Off the Night Clothes (Works of Darkness) and Put on the Day Clothes (Armor of Light)

Colossians 2:11–13 NLT — When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—THE CUTTING AWAY OF YOUR SINFUL NATURE. For you were BURIED WITH CHRIST when you were baptized. And WITH HIM YOU WERE RAISED TO NEW LIFE because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead … then GOD MADE YOU ALIVE WITH CHRIST, for He forgave all our sins.

Ephesians 5:8–11 NKJV — For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, but rather expose them.

Romans 13:12–14 NKJV — The night is far spent, the day is at hand. THEREFORE LET US CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS, AND LET US PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND MAKE NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH, TO FULFILL ITS LUSTS.

According to Colossians 2:11 NLT, when Jesus Christ redeemed us, and we are born-again, He “performed a spiritual circumcision—THE CUTTING AWAY OF YOUR SINFUL NATURE.” As the old nature of darkness is cut off from us, we also cast off the works of darkness, the former night clothes, and put on the armor of light. We have died to the old life of sin and darkness and received from Jesus Christ a new life hidden in Him. It is a life of light, righteousness, and freedom. As the power of darkness is broken over us, we shake off all that is connected to darkness. We no longer have any association or fellowship with it. We dress our spirit, mind, and body in Christ Jesus and manifest Him in our being, lives, and walk. We are His light in this world because Christ’s light is in us. We are dressed in the fruit of His Spirit in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. The new life hidden in Christ gives us the grace to put on Christ daily and the power to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. We put to death the sinful, earthly things and put on our new nature as we are being renewed through learning from Christ (Colossians 3:10 NLT).

Be Clothed in the Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10–20 NKJV — 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 do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore TAKE UP 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 girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 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, BEING WATCHFUL TO THIS END WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE AND SUPPLICATION FOR ALL THE SAINTS—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

The Church must not be asleep concerning spiritual warfare. We are not battling against visible and natural forces and aggression. The enemies of the Church are in the unseen realm of the spirit, and these are satanic principalities, powers of evil, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Their chief is satan, once a cherub serving God, but was cast down from heaven like lightning by God because evil had entered his heart as he rebelled against God in an attempt to be greater than Him. In his rebellion, he influenced and infected the hearts of one-third of the angels with his evil, and they followed him in rebellion. This is the army of the devil who now fights against the people of God. The Church cannot fight spiritual forces of darkness in the natural and with natural forces and power. The battle belongs to God, and we, His army, must be garbed in the Lord’s full armor to stand against and withstand the wiles of satan in these evil days and crush and triumph over the devil and his army. We must put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, and the shoes of the gospel. Above all, we must pick up the shield of faith that quenches every devilish and fiery dart and wield the sword of the Spirit—which is His Word—and pray without ceasing.

Nothing on earth or in heaven can defeat the Lord Jesus Christ’s armor. Clothed in the armor of God and using His mighty weapons of warfare, the Church will always prevail against all powers of darkness. It is time we suit up for war as God’s mighty soldiers and be victorious.

Be Clothed in Christ’s Nature, Virtues, and Goodness—His Love, Mercy, Grace, Generosity, Kindness, Compassion, and Humility

Colossians 3:10–17 NLT — PUT ON YOUR NEW NATURE, AND BE RENEWED AS YOU LEARN TO KNOW YOUR CREATOR AND BECOME LIKE HIM. IN THIS NEW LIFE … CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS, AND HE LIVES IN ALL OF US. Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts … Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives … AND WHATEVER YOU DO OR SAY, DO IT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS THROUGH HIM TO GOD THE FATHER.

We must clothe ourselves in Christ’s nature, virtues, and goodness. Christ’s new life in us must flow out of us in streams of love, kindness, mercy, gentleness, and compassion. We must be clothed in all the qualities and virtues that embody Christ. We are His ambassadors, conduits, messengers, and servants of hope, love, and light in this dark, broken, and suffering world that has been so damaged by the forces of evil. As we have received new life in Christ and deliverance from all powers of evil, we can bring others to the same Light as we shine in the darkness, demonstrating all His love, goodness, virtues, and life. The Church can bring mercy to those who need mercy, deliverance to those who are bound, healing to the broken and wounded, freedom to those in captivity, and eternal life through Christ Jesus. We are the conduits of the Blessed and Living Hope to this world.

Be Clothed in Christ’s Servanthood

Matthew 20:24–28 NLT — When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE OTHERS AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.

John 13:15–16 NKJV — FOR I HAVE GIVEN YOU AN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

Jesus Christ was not only the Son of God, but He was also His Father’s Servant sent to be the ransom for the whole world so that whosoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. He was called Servant in many portions of the Bible. Isaiah 49:5 NKJV says, “AND NOW THE LORD SAYS, WHO FORMED ME FROM THE WOMB TO BE HIS SERVANT.” In Matthew 20:28 NLT, Jesus speaks of Himself, saying, “FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE OTHERS AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.”

One of Jesus’ priorities was to be His Father’s Servant sent to serve others by giving His life to redeem many, the Church must also be clothed in the servanthood of Jesus and serve as He served. He served by giving Himself and laying down His life as a sacrifice to give life to all who would call on His name. He served that others may be set free, forgiven, rescued from death, gain eternal life in Him, and be adopted in God’s family. Through His Church, He still serves the poor and the rich, the weak and the strong, the young and the old, and the whole world through His gospel of being the Lamb crucified to be a ransom for many. We cannot win the world with His gospel unless we are willing to be servants as He is.

Be Clothed in Christ’s Glory

Isaiah 60:1–3 ESV — ARISE, SHINE, FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD HAS RISEN UPON YOU. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. And NATIONS SHALL COME TO YOUR LIGHT, AND KINGS TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR RISING.

We are clothed in God’s glory, righteousness and grace through salvation in Christ Jesus. The old life of sin is cut off as Christ puts His new life in us, transforming us into His likeness and image. He clothes us in His glorious presence and grace as His Holy Spirit empowers us to reflect His character, attributes, and virtues. God is eminently, unchangeably, and eternally glorious. He is glory in everything—His nature, attributes, holiness, power, and acts. To be clothed in God’s glory is not in the natural or the merely outward. It is a glory that exudes from our inner man because of Christ’s eternal life in us that we are children of God’s kingdom. Christ’s life is a gift of salvation that indwells and transforms us so that we emanate His character, nature, and attributes, which is the glory of God.

Through His Church, Christ’s glory is shown throughout the earth, giving proof that Jesus Christ is God Almighty, Savior, and the soon-coming King. Believers clothed in Christ’s glory are His servants ministering His saving grace, everlasting love, and kindness to all who would come to Him at His invitation. The glory of God upon His Church is the power that defeats all darkness, bringing hope, love, and life to anyone who would receive Christ as Lord and Savior. Even as darkness intensifies and covers the earth in the last days, the glory of God has arisen upon His people, and His people will shine God’s beauty, radiance, wonder, and power throughout the earth, ushering many towards His glory and into His kingdom.