Gutsy Forgiveness

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Eph 4:32).

Forgiveness takes guts.  Just reading that short sentence seems a little goofy, isn’t it?  We don’t think of forgiveness as something tough guys do.  Through movies and TV, our culture has told us that when we get mad, we should get even.  Think Jack Bauer in “24.”  Not exactly the model of mercy.  But Paul tells us something completely different.  “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (v32).  A closer look at the original language lets us know that forgiveness isn’t for wimps.  

Forgiveness takes guts.

The folks in the Ephesian church know that to be a fact firsthand.  Paul busted his tail for three years in the big port city telling folks about Jesus (Acts 20:31).  And those three years were no Caribbean cruise.  Dr. Luke devotes an entire chapter to those crazy days in his sequel (Acts 19).  When certain Jewish leaders failed to accept Jesus as Messiah, the apostle moved down the street to Tyrannus Hall where he began teaching not just Jews but Gentiles for the next two years.  The Gospel spread like wildfire, not just in Ephesus, but throughout the entire region.  God used Paul to turn the city upside down.  There were wild exorcisms, bonfires of black magic books and eventually a huge riot.  Local businessmen turned on the followers of Jesus.  Citizens had stopped buying locally made idols when they started turning to Jesus.  It was bad for business.  A mob beat the daylights out of a couple members of Paul’s posse, Gaius and Aristarchus.  Local believers smuggled the apostle out of town to avoid being a target.  And Paul knows all about the forgiveness found in Jesus.  As he sits in a Roman slammer, he never throws his accusers under the bus.  He forgives.

So the Ephesians know that forgiveness isn’t for wimps.  When you have to live side-by-side with folks who want to beat the snot out of you and your fellow believers, you need forgiveness.  Big time forgiveness.  Gutsy forgiveness.  That’s the context of this verse.  Paul’s describing what life looks like once God has them “alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:5).  Once Jesus gets ahold of us, we toss off the “old self” and pull on the “new self” (Eph 4:22-24).  The old self would get mad and get even.  The new self in Jesus does something that’s a lot tougher.  The new self forgives just as Jesus forgives.

From his Roman prison cell, the former Pharisee commands his readers to “be kind to one another” (v32).  He uses the Greek word chrestos, which means excellent, superior, good, gracious, pleasant, benevolent and kind.  Hmm.  Just how kind am I supposed to be?  Like God.  Jesus told a big crowd that His Dad “is kind (Gr. chrestos) to the grateful and the evil” (Lk 6:35).  Just in case you’re keeping score, that includes you and me!!  And why has He been so good to us?  “God’s kindness (Gr. chrestos) is meant to lead you to repentance” (Rom 2:4).  Notice that He didn’t use threats of punishment and the eternal fires of hell to scare us into following Him.  He was kind.  He is kind.  And that’s the kind of kindness we’re to pass along to those around us.  God’s kindness.

Paul then tells us to be “tenderhearted” (v32).  Here’s where it gets interesting.  This is the Greek term eusplagchnos.  It’s translated as compassionate and kind.  But it’s actually a medical term describing healthy bowels.  Good (eu-) intestines (-splagchnos).  It literally means having strong bowels.  You see, in the ancient world folks believed their guts were the source of their most intense passions like anger and love.  You feel it in your belly.  You feel it in your gut.  Kinda makes sense once you think about it.  The Apostle Pete dropped the same word in one of his letters.  “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart (Gr. eusplagchnos), and a humble mind” (1Pet 3:8).  Being tenderhearted takes guts.  And it takes a lot of guts to forgive.  When someone hurts you deeply, it feels like you’ve been punched in the gut.  The natural, “pre-Jesus” reaction is to punch back.  The new you does something completely different.  A follower of Jesus forgives.  

Forgiveness takes guts.

We’re to be “forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (v32).  Let’s take a closer look at the word “forgive.”  It’s the Greek verb charizomai, which just happens to be cousin to “grace” (Gr. charis).  So the idea of forgiveness means to give, grant a favor, be generous and do something pleasant for someone.  Literally it means to do grace.  God is a giving God.  He gives.  And He gives.  And He gives.  It’s “by grace that you have been saved” (Eph 2:5).  We bring nothing to the party.  “This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).  He saves us because He gives.  And one of those very important things He gives is forgiveness.  Paul talks a ton about what that looks like in his letter to the folks over in Colossae.  “God made us alive together with Him, having forgiven (Gr. charizomai) us all our trespasses” (Col 2:13).  A little later the apostle says that when we live life with others, we need to continually stay in a state of forgiveness.  “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving (Gr. charizomai) each other; as the Lord has forgiven (Gr. charizomai) you, so you also must forgive” (Col 3:13).  God is the ultimate example of gutsy forgiveness.

Forgiveness is one of Jesus’ mega-themes in the Gospels.  “Pay attention to yourselves!  If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him” (Lk 17:3-4).  And there’s a symbiotic relationship between my forgiveness of others and God’s forgiveness of my sin.  “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Mt 6:14).  If you’re in the middle of a fight with someone, stop praying immediately and forgive them “so that your Father who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mk 11:26).  And remember that my level of forgiveness is going to determine God’s amount of forgiveness headed my way.  “Forgive, and you will be forgiven...For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Lk 6:37-38).

That’s the whole point of Jesus’ Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35).  Christ told Pete that forgiving seven times isn’t enough.  Make that “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22).  That’s first century talk for forgive and keep on forgiving.  Don’t stop.  Forgiveness is an ongoing process.  Chances are, you’re going to have to get over an offense more than once.  And chances are, that person is going to need your forgiveness again in the future.  Forgive.  And keep on forgiving.  In the story, Jesus tells about a dude who was forgiven a multi-million dollar debt but refuses to forgive a buddy who owed him a couple of hundred bucks.  When his boss hears about it, he drops the hammer on his hard-hearted employee.  “‘You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’” (Mt 18:33).  That’s gutless unforgiveness!

No one will ever accuse Almighty God of being soft.  Yet He forgives.  That’s because those who forgive are tough.  And there’s no one tougher than God.  He calls us to do the same.  Forgive.  Just as He forgives us.  

Forgiveness takes guts.

So what do you think?  Agree?  Disagree?  Would love to hear from you.  Post a comment below.

Trash Talk

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice (Eph 4:31).

Paul continues to let his friends in Ephesus know what this new life of following Jesus looks like.  Big changes happen when God miraculously transforms us from the Walking Dead to now being “alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:1, 5).  He explains what it means to take off our nasty old wardrobe of sin and raid Jesus’ closet of righteousness (Eph 4:22-24).  He specifically drills down on how we stop letting our mouths be rotten sewers of “corrupt talk” (Eph 4:29).  The apostle tells us in no uncertain terms the kind of stuff we must stop saying.  “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (v31).  In other words, stop the hate speech.  End the trash talk.  Stop the smack.

The apostle begins by closing loopholes.  “Let ALL bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with ALL malice” (v31, emphasis added).  “All.”  “All” means “all” and that’s “all” that all means.  Every last bit of it.  Not some of it.  Not a hint of it.  All of it.  Now that we know there’s a zero tolerance for it, what exactly is Paul talking about?  

We’ll get to that but let’s back up just a second.  Earlier, Paul said that it’s OK to be angry over what angers God but we must NOT sin (Eph 4:26).  Clearly you can be angry and not bitter.  It’s when I stoke the fires of my anger instead of putting it out before the end of the day that I get myself in big trouble.  If not, this is the result.  Bitterness.  Wrath.  Anger.  Clamor.  Slander.  Malice.

Smack.  Hate speech.  Trash talk.  

First in the list is “bitterness” (v31).  This is the Greek noun pikria, which describes a hostile attitude, a state of sharp and intense resentment or hate.  It’s a smoldering sentiment that explodes in a quick temper.  An attitude of trouble making.  This word originally meant a plant that produces poisonous fruit.  A bitter root that produces bitter fruit.  This is not a bad mood from having a bad day.  This is deep.  This goes down to the very core of who we are.  The writer of Hebrews warns us to quickly yank out any “root of bitterness” that grows up between friends before it produces bitter fruit (Heb 12:15).  Each one of us is a producer of bitter fruit before Jesus gets ahold of us (Rom 3:14; Ps 107).

Do I harbor bitterness?  Is there something smoldering under the surface?  Is there a root of bitterness growing deep inside me?  Am I always cranky?   Am I continually in a bad mood?  Am I always on the edge?  That’s bitterness.  Yank it out.

Batting second is “wrath” (v31).  This is thumos.  The root of the term is all about heat.  A burning passion.  A boiling anger.  A hot temper.  This is fierceness, rage, angry outburst, fury or a sudden ferocity.  It’s a hair trigger passion in the moment.  An explosion.  Folks in Nazareth’s synagogue hit the roof when Jesus announced He was the long-awaited Messiah (Lk 4:28).  It can also describe what happens when our “slow to anger” God ultimately runs out of His supernatural patience.  Folks who reject Christ and His Gospel will be the target of God’s ferocity (Rom 2:8).

Do I lose my cool quickly?  Do I have a quick trigger?  Do I reach my boiling point in just a few seconds?  Do I explode at the slightest problem?  That would be wrath.  Toss it in the trash.

Next up in the list is “anger” (v31) or orge.  This describes a violent emotion and wrath with the point of vengeance.  Retribution.  Revenge.  The Godfather of Soul called it “The Big Payback.”  I’m gonna get my way and I don’t care who’s gonna get hurt.  But there’s one problem.  “The anger (Gr. orge) of man does not produce the righteous of God” (James 1:20).  And Paul told his buddy Tim that you can’t pray effectively when you’re angry at someone (1Tim 2:8).

Am I consumed with revenge?  Is paying back someone for hurting me at the top of my “to do” list?  Then I’ve got a problem.  Then I’m dealing with anger.  Not good.  Not good at all.  Once Jesus transforms me, I can let Him handle it.  That’s His job, not mine (Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30).

Batting cleanup is “clamor” (v31).  This doesn’t show up quietly.  The Greek noun krauge is all about yelling with a loud voice to get everyone’s attention.  This is screaming, shrieking and shouting.  When Aunt Lizzie realized her niece Mary was pregnant with God’s Son, she yelled for everyone to know (Lk 1:42).  When Jesus makes His big comeback, He’ll wipe away every tear and there will be no reason to scream for help (Rev 21:4).

Do I constantly shout for attention?  Am I continually yelling for the spotlight?  Do I have a deep need for everyone to pay attention to me and my wants?  That would be clamor.  God is transforming me into the image of His Son (Rom 8:28).  And when He was in His darkest hour, He kept quiet (Mt 26:62-63; 27:12-14; Jn 19:9; Acts 8:32).  Through the power of God’s Spirit living in me, I can keep quiet.

Next we read that we must put an end to “slander” (v31).  This is blasphemia.  Yup, that’s exactly what it means.  Evil speaking, abusive speech, profanity or insult.  This is speech meant to hurt another and ruin someone’s good name.  Defamation of character.  Talking trash.  Speaking smack.  About someone.  To someone.  Paul told Titus to teach the congregation in Crete not to trash anyone’s character and “to speak evil (Gr. blasphemia) of no one” (Titus 3:2).  It’s also the slandering God’s holy name (Rom 2:24).  Let’s face it.  If anyone doesn’t deserve to be thrown under the bus, it’s completely righteous and perfect God.  Despite that, hecklers trash talked Jesus on the cross as He suffered (Mt 27:39).

And just in case he missed something, Paul closes all the loopholes.  On top of everything else, put a stop to “all malice” (v31).  The apostle uses kakia.  This is pure evil.  It’s the desire to injure, hostility, wickedness and hatefulness.  An attitude that is not ashamed to break the law in order to bring the pain.  This seems to be a junk drawer term that covers everything you might think is not covered in the previous list.  Just in case you thought you escaped the earlier sins, this one leaves no doubt.  Paul admits that he was just like everyone else before meeting Jesus.  “We  ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice (Gr. kakia) and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 3:3).  Jesus’ little brother Jim also made sure his readers disposed of this rank junk.  “Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness (Gr. kakia) and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save souls” (James 1:21).

In the companion letter to the Colossian church, Paul used many of these very same words to give a very similar command.  “But now you must put them away: anger (Gr. orge), wrath (Gr. thumos), malice (Gr. kakia), slander (Gr. blasphemia) and obscene talk from your mouth” (Col 3:8).  Because of what Jesus has done for us and is doing in us, we can stop the smack talk.  Why?  Because this kind of trash talk will “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph 4:30).  And it builds no one up.  It only tears down.  It tears down their reputation.  It tears down their spirit.  

Stop the smack.  Stuff a sock in the hate speech.  Can the trash talk.

As always, I would love your thoughts, comments and input.  It's pretty darn easy.  Just post something below!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30).

Sports contracts are not exactly rock solid agreements.  A star athlete holds out for more money.  A team gives a player the old heave ho when he doesn’t deliver.  They’re not worth the paper they’re written on.  According to Paul, that’s NOT how God rolls.  When He makes a deal, He sticks with it.  He’s good for it.  “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (v30).  As a follower of Jesus, I may have the ability to disappoint God’s Spirit but not the power to break His promise to me.

Signed.  Sealed.  Delivered.

While I might not be able to nullify God’s promise, that doesn’t mean I can’t disappoint Him.  The apostle tells his friends back in Ephesus that they must “not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (v30).  This is the Greek verb  lupeo.  It means to hurt, induce pain, injure, cause distress, make sad, induce sorrow, offend or vex.  Paul used the same word when he mentioned to the Corinthians about a very tough letter he wrote their church that really punched them in the gut (2Cor 2:2-5; 7:8-11).  They took it personally.  And the Apostle Pete told his readers that unbelievable good stuff is ahead in Jesus but first it is necessary to be “grieved (Gr. lupeo) by various trials” (1Pet 1:6).

That means that we have the ability to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (v30).  This is the Third Person of the Trinity.  Read that again.  Notice that He’s a Person.  And just like the Father and Son, He’s fully God.  God’s Spirit is a Who not a What.  Not the Force from Star Wars.  Not some sort of unseen impersonal power.  Not an it.  The Spirit is a Person.  And because the Spirit is a Person, He can be grieved.  Only people can be hurt or injured.  Just check out how the folks in the Bible refer to the Holy Spirit.  Jesus talks about His good Friend using personal pronouns (Jn 14:17; 16:13).  Our personal Savior promised that His Spirit would personally care for us (Jn 14:16).  The Spirit will personally teach us (Jn 14:26).  He personally guides us (Jn 16:13; Acts 16:6-7).  He personally tells us about Jesus (Jn 15:26).  He personally runs Jesus’ PR campaign (Jn 16:14).  He has personal knowledge of what’s on God’s mind (1Cor 2:11).  He speaks as a person (Acts 13:2).  He personally convicts us about our sin (Jn 16:8).  He personally helps us when we don’t know what to pray (Rom 8:26).  He personally translates our moans and groans into effective prayers.

So just how do I “grieve the Holy Spirit” (v30)?  Just look back at the previous verses and see what Paul has to say.  I grieve Him when I fail to “put off the old self” and “put off the new” (Eph 4:22-24).  I grieve Him when I keep on lying and pretend to be somebody I’m not (Eph 4:25).  I grieve Him when I let my anger get the best of me and I open the front door of my life to Satan (Eph 4:26-27).  I grieve Him when I take what doesn’t belong to me, fail to work and fail to give (Eph 4:28).  I grieve Him when my speech tears other people down instead of building them up (Eph 4:29).  Sadly, I do a lot of grieving.  I mean a LOT!  Good grief.

The Spirit is grieved because of God’s great love for you and me.  He wants His best for us.  That’s why He gave His followers His commands.  He’s a Father who truly knows best.  Remember when your parents wouldn’t let you play in the street?  That sure seemed like a buzz kill when you were five.  You didn’t understand the danger of being hit by a car.  They did.  They wanted the best for you.  Same way with God and His commands for you and me.  It breaks God’s heart when I fail to do what’s best for me.  It’s very hard for me to believe it a lot of the time.  But doing what God tells me to do is the surest path to real joy.  Lasting joy.  True joy.  It’s not only good for me, but it will not grieve God’s Spirit.

But Paul wants us to know there’s good news here.  REALLY Good News.  We might be able to disappoint God’s Spirit but He’ll never let us go.  That’s because it’s through His Spirit that “you were sealed for the day of redemption” (v30).  This is the verb sphragizo, which means to mark with a seal, confirm and authenticate.  It describes something that’s been certified.  It’s proof of ownership.  Ever have a notary public put their stamp of approval on an official document?  This is actually a first century business term indicating that a transaction has been properly completed. Kings and other bigwigs would press a signet ring into wax to let folks know they approved a document.  Pilate actually put his stamp of approval on Jesus’ tomb (Mt 27:66).  God’s Spirit is our supernatural seal of God’s approval.  He’s our spiritual ID.  Because I’m “in Christ” (an idea that Paul uses at least 28 times in this letter), the Father sees Jesus when He sees me.  The term also describes that something has been delivered safely to its destination.  I can be sure that in the end, God ensures I’ll make it.  I’m signed, sealed, delivered.  I’m God’s!

Flip back to the first chapter of Paul’s letter for more cool stuff about the certainty of God’s work in my life and how His Spirit seals the deal.  God gives us His Spirit as a personal down payment and guarantee of what He’s going to do in the future (Eph 1:13-14).  The apostle told the folks in Corinth the same thing (2Cor 1:22).  Our heavenly Dad gives me His “Spirit as a guarantee” (2Cor 5:5). The Spirit is already doing His thing in my life before that awesome day of Jesus’ big comeback.  But I don’t have to wait until then to see results from the Spirit’s presence.  I’m already experiencing  “the firstfruits” of His work on this side of eternity (Rom 8:23).  And that fruit is seen in my “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).

Because God seals us as His with the Holy Spirit, nothing we can do can unseal us from Him.  While we can certainly offend His Spirit through our sin and disobedience, there’s no chance we can drive Him away.  Once Jesus makes us His own, we’re His.  That’s because He’s faithful.  We can’t do anything to break the promise He’s made to us.  He’s not going to punk out.  He’s not going to ditch us.  Thankfully, Jesus isn’t dependent on  my faith and obedience.  That would not end well for me.  On the contrary, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2Tim 2:13).  And being sealed by His Spirit is one very important sign of His unending, unbending love for you and me. 

Signed.  Sealed.  Delivered.

As always, I would love your thoughts, comments and input.  It's pretty darn easy.  Just post something below!

Can't You Smell That Smell?

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it might give grace to those who hear (Eph 4:29).

Whew!  Do you smell that?  Way too often, the stuff that comes out of my mouth is just downright nasty.  Putrid.  Rotten.  I’m not talking about bad breath.  I’m talking about disgusting talk.  Sarcastic.  Snarky.  Critical.  Cutting.  Rather than building folks up at just the right time, I look for the perfect chance to cut them down.  But Paul picks up the spiritual two-by-four here to get my attention.  “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it might give grace to those who hear” (v29).  Instead of sick smell of death, it should have the sweet aroma of life.

Can’t you smell that smell?

From his cell in a Roman slammer, Paul writes to his buddies back in Ephesus, a massive port city on the west coast of modern day Turkey.  He’s letting them know what life looks like once God transforms you from being a member of the Walking Dead into being “alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:1, 4).  He’s describing how differently we look once we’ve taken off the filthy old life of sin and pulled on that brand new wardrobe of righteousness from Jesus’ closet (Eph 4:22, 24).  This is more than simply behavior modification and a “do better” gospel of self-help.  He does for us what we could never do for ourselves (Eph 2:5-8).  Christ does the dirty work and changes us from the inside out (Eph 3:16, 4:23).  We’re no longer out there trying to do it on our own.  We’re “in Christ,” a phrase that the apostle uses in this letter in some form or the other at least 28 times.

My speech is a huge indicator of what Jesus is doing in my life.  The radical Rabbi/Carpenter said so Himself.  “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Mt 12:34).  What’s inside is eventually coming out.  If my heart is rotten, my speech stinks.  Paul has already warned the Ephesian believers that lying has to stop and truth needs to start (Eph 4:25).  Now he goes on to write that it’s time to put a cork in our self-centered snark.  “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths” (v29).  That’s step one.  The apostle uses the word sapros, which can certainly mean bad, unwholesome, unprofitable and poor quality.  But it’s worse than that.  It reeks.  Talk that’s rotten, putrid, decayed and diseased.  Stinks like a rotting corpse.  Gangrene.  Decomposing flesh.  Pretty nasty description, right?  Well, that’s because it is.  Way too often my speech smells like something has died.  Just like a rotten apple causes other fruit to decay, so does my mouth.

Every time biblical authors use this Greek term, it’s kinda nasty.  Downright disgusting.  Jesus tells His crew that while good trees provide sweet and delicious produce, “the diseased (Gr. sapros) tree bears bad fruit” (Mt 7:17).  There are few things that smell worse than rotting fruit.  One thing that does stink more is dead fish.  In his rather aromatic description of the Parable of the Net, Christ paints a picture of a fisherman sorting through his net full of fish.  The angler hung on to the keepers but “threw away the bad (Gr. sapros)” (Mt 13:48).  

Go ahead, stick your nose in there.  PHEW!!!  That’s what my speech smells like to others once they get a whiff.  Here’s the deal.  When you’re around stuff the stinks, you get used to it.  You no longer notice it.  It’s like bad breath.  The person who has it can’t smell it.  They’re used to it.  Your language may stink to high heaven but you have no idea.  Allow the Holy Spirit to examine your speech.  Is it harmful?  Do you default to sarcasm and snark?  Do you ever thank anyone?  Do you ever encourage anyone?  Is your speech harmful or helpful?  While those around are painfully aware of the sewer that is my mouth, I probably can’t smell that smell all by myself.  

Paul gives me a few helpful hints to know if my mouth smells like a clogged toilet.  Over in his note to the folks in Colossae, he says to toss in the trash every bit of “anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk from your mouth” (Col 3:8).  Like a loving dad, Solomon told his son the very same thing.  “Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you” (Prov 4:24).  Later in this letter to the church in Ephesus, the apostle warns against letting my sense of rumor get out of control.  “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Eph 5:4).  But we can’t do it alone.  Without God’s help, we don’t stand a chance.  That’s why David sang, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Ps 141:3).

Once God has allowed us to get a whiff of rotten language, it’s time for step two.  Once we stop the stank, we should saying things that are “good for building up” (v29).  My words should be instructive.  My words should be encouraging.  My words should be uplifting (even when correcting).  My words should be well-timed (Prov 15:23; 25:11; 24:26).  Earlier, Paul describes how church leaders and teachers build up members of the church so they can be useful in ministry, not demolish them and make them useless (Eph 4:12).  Put down the wrecking ball.  Drop the sledgehammer.  Stop tearing down.  Start building up.  The folks over in Thessalonica were doing it.  “Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1Th 5:11).  Start doing it.  Keep doing it.

The apostle makes it clear that the “when” of my words are almost as important as the “what.”  My language needs to be appropriate, “as fits the occasion” (v29).  Just as in comedy, timing is everything.  Let’s face it.  The key to humor is dropping that punchline at the perfect moment.  I’m not saying that encouragement must be dry and without a smile.  As a matter of fact, I think Jesus was probably one of the funniest guys to ever walk the planet.  What I am saying is to apply some of the same discernment and timing to encourage as you do to deliver a zinger.  It’s just as important to say the proper words at the right time as it is to say the right words.  Timing is everything.

Finally, Paul tells me that my speech should drip with God’s goodness and that “it might give grace” (v29)  It ALWAYS comes back to grace.  It ALWAYS comes back to getting good stuff that we don’t deserve.  Since Jesus blasted me with His fire hose of grace, saved me by His grace (Eph 2:5-8), keeps saving me by His grace, I should drip with His grace.  That means speaking with grace each and every chance I get.  Just like Jesus did (Lk 4:22).  Eugene Peterson paraphrases Paul’s command this way: “Watch the way you talk.  Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth.  Say only what helps, each word a gift” (Eph 4:29 The Message).

Can’t you smell that smell?

As always, I would love your thoughts, comments and input.  It's pretty darn easy.  Just post something below!

Sticky Fingers and Open Hands

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need (Eph 4:28).

Paul continues to let us know what it looks like after God transforms us from the walking dead to being “alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:1,5).  Because of who Jesus is and what He’s done for us, we’re able to make a major wardrobe change.  “Put off your old self” and then “put on the new self” (Eph 4:22-24).  Without the mind-bending blessings of God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves (Eph 1:3-14), following the commands in the last half of this letter is pointless and frustrating.  But through the strength of His Spirit living in each of us (Eph 3:16), we have the power to do what God commands.  And in this case, Paul couldn’t be any more blunt.  “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (v28).  God has the power to transform us from having sticky fingers to open hands.

Stop taking.  Start working.  Start giving. 

The apostle begins by telling the Ephesian believers to stop stealing.  Apparently there are thieves who are members of the church.  This congregation is not be made up of the best and brightest of the city’s society.  These early followers of Jesus aren’t well scrubbed, buttoned down and have their stuff in one bag.  Some of the folks that heard the Gospel from Paul during his three-year stay in Ephesus are thieves (Acts 19).  Since the city was a major commercial center and seaport, it makes perfect sense that stealing was prevalent.  The apostle acknowledges that Jesus has gotten His hands on folks with sticky fingers.  Yeah, that’s right, criminals.  And once He does, their lives change.  They just don’t change overnight.  It’s a process.  A huge part of that process for these crooks is to stop stealing.

In describing the Ephesian thieves and what they do, Paul uses the same word twice.  Literally, “the one who steals must no longer steal.”  This is the Greek verb klepto.  Looks familiar, right?  Yeah, thought so.  It means to steal, take by theft, take secretly without the owner’s permission.  Thieves must stop thieving.  Stealers must stop stealing.  Kleptos must stop klepting.  Step one: stop taking.

Ripping off others is such a big deal to God that He included in His Top Ten.  “You shall not steal” (Ex 20:15).  It made it to number eight on the countdown.  So it’s a pretty big deal.  Don’t take what doesn’t belong to you.  Paul wants us to see God as our gracious Provider.  When I steal, I’m telling Jesus that what He’s given me isn’t enough.  It’s really the result of idolatry.  That’s when I make something I don’t have so important that I’m willing to commit a crime rather than following Jesus.  If it doesn’t belong to you, don’t take it.  Here’s where this gets a little dicey.  God’s not just talking about hot wiring your neighbor’s Benz or pulling off a big bank job.  The size of the crime doesn’t matter.  Theft is theft.  A little something from the supply closet at work to use at home.  Fudging your expense report a little here or there.  Running a personal errand on company time.  Yeah, that’s stealing.  You’ve got sticky fingers.  Stop it.  

Step one: stop taking.

Paul tells us that once we stop stealing, it’s time to start working.  “Rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands” (v28).  The word for “labor” here describes becoming absolutely exhausted and physically spent when you work.  In other words, stop taking the easy way out and simply taking what’s not yours to get what you want.  Before He ever went on His three-year tour of healing and preaching, Jesus swung a hammer as a carpenter for at least 10 years, probably longer.  Our Lord knew what it meant to put in an honest day’s work.  

That does NOT mean that any sort of job that doesn’t have a blue collar isn’t godly.  The apostle is emphasizing effort here.  Do you give your employer everything you’ve got?  Are you a hard worker?  Do you roll up your sleeves and maximize your time and energy to honor Jesus in the workplace?  Paul certainly knows what a day’s work looks like.  He and the boys busted their butts 24-7 when they were in Thessalonia (1Th 2:9).  One reason was to not be a burden to their hosts.  The second reason was to be an example to them (2Th 3:8-9).  Stop stealing.  Stop slacking.  Start working.  We’re to “admonish the idle” (1Th 5:14) and avoid slackers (2Th 3:6).

Step two: start working.

Once we get to work, we can earn a paycheck.  Dave Ramsey says his grandmother always told him there’s a great place to go when you need money.  To work!  An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.  Jesus is transforming us from takers to makers.  Paul has some tough talk for folks who fail to bring home the bacon for their families.  “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1Tim 5:8).  Come on, dude.  Don’t be a slacker.  Stop stealing.  Start working.  Start earning.  By the way, if you’re a boss and have folks working for you, pay your employees well.  They’ll be less likely to steal.  From you.

Step three: start earning.

Then Paul gets to his BIG point.  The reason we’re to stop stealing, start working and start earning is so that we can start giving.  We’re to “have something to share with anyone in need” (v28).  A HUGE part of what God is doing in our lives is turning us into givers.  God blesses us so that we can bless others.  Don’t be stingy with His grace.  Let it flow through you to those around you in need.  Or in the words of those great philosophers the Red Hot Chili Peppers, give it away, give it away, give it away now!  In a personal meeting with the top dogs in the Ephesian church, Paul strongly encouraged them to remember to reach out to those who don’t have much.  He drops a quote from Jesus in the process.  “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).  God blesses my socks off when I give to those who are struggling to make it.  And there’s a good chance that by giving to them, these folks won’t have to resort to stealing to live.  Here’s the deal.  We give because God gives.  He’s remaking us in the image of His Son (Rom 8:29).  Since God is a generous Giver (Jn 3:16), He’s making us into givers too.  And He thinks that’s hilarious (2Cor 9:7).

Jesus is turning my sticky fingers into open hands.

As always, I would love your thoughts, comments and input.  It's pretty darn easy.  Just post something below!

The Prevent Defense

Give no opportunity to the devil (Eph 4:27).

I hate the so-called “prevent defense.”  If you’re not a football fan, that’s when one team protects its lead by focusing all its attention on keeping the opponent out of the end zone.  Sounds good, doesn’t it?  Seems like a keen strategy, right?  Wrong.  This strategy allows the opposition to make big gains while the defense is backpedaling to defend the end zone.  Big Mo changes jerseys.  The team that once had no momentum has all of it.  Too many times, the only thing the “prevent defense” does is prevent you from winning the game!  Here, Paul tells us to “give no opportunity to the devil” (v27).  Don’t get soft.  Don’t give him an inch.  Don’t give him a yard.  Don’t give him a first down.  Don’t go to the “prevent defense.”

The point of this verse goes hand-in-hand with what the apostle just wrote in the previous verse.  “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Eph 4:26).  When I blow my stack (even over things that anger God) and stay angry, I’m opening the front door for that demonic man-eating lion (1Pet 5:8).  I don’t know about you, but I tend to not let critters like lions, tigers and bears in my house.  But that’s what happens when I get angry and stay angry.  Anger isn’t a sin.  Staying angry and stoking the fires is VERY dangerous.  Consider it a signal fire for the enemy.  Put out that fire before the sun goes down.

Paul makes it clear that the devil doesn’t bust my front door down in some sort of supernatural home invasion.  No, quite the opposite.  I let him in!  What a doofus!  When he writes “give no opportunity,” the apostle uses the Greek verb didomi.  It means to grant, allow, permit, supply, furnish, yield, entrust or give away.  When I stoke the fires of anger, I’m inviting the devil to come on in.  I might as well give him my La-Z-Boy and a cold glass of sweet tea.  He doesn’t break in.  I allow him in.  All because of my hot head. 

Like a defensive coordinator telling his D to stay aggressive, the man from Tarsus tells us to not give Lucifer an inch, much less a first down.  Paul uses the word topos, which means place, location, region, spot or territory.  That’s where the translators of the NIV come up with the idea of a satanic “foothold.”  Phillips sees a military picture here of a beachhead.  If an invading enemy is able to wedge out a small place of operation on the beach, they are much harder to defeat.  The Nazis found that out the hard way on D-Day.  Use everything you have to keep Satan from gaining a beachhead.  Don’t give him a place.  Don’t give him a spot.  Don’t give him an inch.  Don’t go to the “prevent defense.”

This is probably a good place to take a look at the scouting report of our enemy.  Satan.  Here, the apostle calls him  “the devil” (Gr. diabolos).  The Greek term means slanderer, false accuser and defamer.  It literally means the overthrower, dia- (over or through) -bolos (one who throws).  The devil is an demonic rebel from the inner courts of God’s kingdom.  El Diablo is an ex-angel who became jealous of the worship and praise directed at God.  The prophet Isaiah gives us glimpse of this satanic civil war.  The self-centered Lucifer did everything he could to climb onto God’s throne.  “I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the throne of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Is 14:13-14).  As you might imagine, this did not end well for Satan and his toadies.  Yahweh tossed his sorry satanic carcass right out of heaven (Is 14:15-16).  This former angel who earned the nickname of “Day Star, son of Dawn” (Is 14:12) then turned his attention on God’s people.

The devil is a powerful and tricky enemy.  He’s continually trying to stir the pot against us in the heaven (Job 1-2).  Satan often “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2Cor 11:14).  Just as he seduced Eve to pick and eat the forbidden fruit, he seduced King David into calling for a census (1Chron 21:1).  One of his favorite tactics is to throw accusations against Jesus’ followers.  We see in in the OT (Zech 3:1-2) as well as the NT (Rev 12:10).  I must remember that there is NO condemnation or accusation for those who are in Jesus (Rom 8:1)!  The bottom line: Don’t give the devil an inch!  He doesn’t need your help.  Don’t go to the “prevent defense!”

When I get angry and stay angry, I’m basically handing over the keys of the city to the number one enemy of God and His kingdom.  When I stoke the fires of hatred, it’s an invitation to Satan to come on in and make himself at home.  When he does, the  false accusations begin.  When he does, the slander begins.  When he does, the defamation begins.  My sustained anger allows the devil to drive a wedge between me and other followers of Jesus.  And once he gets me alone, now I’m in big trouble.  I become an easy target.  A stray.  A loner.  An easy mark.

Don’t give the devil a foothold.  Don’t give him a first down.  Don’t give him a yard.  Instead, fight him with everything you’ve got!  When you do, he’ll turn tail and beat feet (James 4:7).  Specifically, the best way to defeat the devil is by getting over your anger quickly.  Before the day is over.  

Whatever you do, don’t go to the “prevent defense!”

As always, I would love your thoughts, comments and input.  It's pretty darn easy.  Just post something below!

Don't Stoke the Fire

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger (Eph 4:26).

I love a roaring fire on a chilly night.  Crackling.  Popping.  As long as it stays fireplace, I’m cozy and warm.  But once that fire leaves the hearth, I’m in big trouble.  Then it’s out of control.  Then it’s deadly.  And before I head upstairs for the night, I make sure the fire’s almost out.  The last thing I should do is stoke the fire before going to bed.  That’s a recipe for disaster.  Here in his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul warns his readers that playing with anger is like playing with fire.  "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger" (v26).  It’s OK to be angry.  Just don’t stay that way.  And whatever you do, do NOT stoke the fire!

Let’s back up a bit and get a little perspective at what’s going on here.  From his prison cell in a Roman slammer, Paul is describing what it looks like to follow Jesus.  First, God has brought us back from the walking dead (Eph 2:1, 4-5).  He tell us what it looks like to "put on the new self" as a follower of Jesus (Eph 4:24).  That’s a HUGE point.  The apostle spends the first part of this letter describing the truth of who Jesus is and what He’s done.  Paul wants God’s Tsunami of Blessing to absolutely consume us (Eph 1:3-14).  We didn’t do a dad-blamed thing.  This salvation is completely a masterwork of God’s grace by God in our lives.  As a matter of fact, the man from Tarsus makes it perfectly clear that “this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).  I need to stop puffing out my chest.  As the Puritans would say, the only thing I brought to my salvation is the sin that makes it necessary.  

In other words, Paul carefully sets the table with the truth about Jesus and who we are in Him before he tells us what to do.  Without that truth, the commands that follow are just legalism.  Works righteousness.  A do-it-yourself gospel.  A self-salvation project.  Outward performance without an inward change.  Without the truth of who Jesus is, I could brag and boast about what a great job I’m doing (even though I would be a lying dog!).  The indicative truth must proceed the imperative commands.  And what is that truth?  Glad you asked.  Jesus lived the perfect life that I completely failed to live.  He died the brutal death for my sin that I should have died.  He rose to a glorious new life that I certainly don’t deserve.  I place my trust in what He’s done for me that I could never do.  As a result, He gives me His Spirit to empower me to follow and obey Him.  That includes dealing with my anger in a godly way.  Ah yes, my anger.

So Paul gives us the command to “be angry and do not sin” (v26).  He’s actually quoting a lyric from one of David’s hit songs (Ps 4:4).  Later the king will drop the same idea using different words in another tune: “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!” (Ps 37:8).  The apostle uses the Greek verb orgizomai.  No, he’s not looking for us to fold paper into the shape of a swan (Get it?  Origami?  Yeah, I know.  Pretty weak.)  This word means to be furious, enraged, irritated, lose your temper and to be exasperated to the point of anger.  Is this a command to blow my top?  If so, I’ve got this one nailed!!  Sadly, no.  Robertson describes this as being what he calls the permissive imperative.  That’s a fancy schmancy way of say this is not a command to be angry but a warning about staying angry.  It's OK to be angry.  Just don't stay angry.

So is anger a bad thing?  What’s the deal?  No, anger in and of itself is not a sin.  As a matter of fact, even God gets angry.  The Bible consistently describes Him as “slow to anger” (Ex 34:6; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15...there’s a LOT more to list, but I think you get the point).  Our holy God has a supernaturally long fuse but He will eventually run out.  A classic example of God’s anger is seen when Jesus cleaned house in the temple courts, not once but twice (Jn 2:13-17; Mk 11:15-17).  God gets angry over sin and its effect on His creation.  Some call it righteous indignation.  That’s a sanitize way of saying God’s furious.  Since we’re made in God’s image, He’s given us His same emotions.  That includes anger.  The problem is that our sin nature corrupts our expression of it.  It’s easy to lose control and begin to sin when I blow my stack.

So when is OK to get mad?  When we see sin.  When we see evil.  When we see injustice.  As a matter of fact, King Sol goes so far as to say, “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil” (Prov 8:13).  Just like Jesus, these things should get us fired up.  Sadly, I’m not mad enough at the sin I see in the world.  Sometimes I don’t even bat an eye.  More importantly, I’m not mad enough at the sin I see in my own life.  Over in his letter to the folks in Colossae, Paul says we need to hate our sin to the point that we put a hit on it (Col 3:5).  Kill it.  Rub it out.  Assassinate it.  Are you angry about your sin?  I’m pretty sure God is good with THAT kind of anger.

So the apostle tells us that when we do get fired up, we need to be VERY, VERY careful.  “Be angry and do not sin” (v26).  Anger is a slippery slope.  Jesus warned that anyone who gets mad and stays mad at their brother is in danger of taking a really hot swim for a really long time (Mt 5:22).  I think I’ll pass.  And Solomon finds just about every way possible to warn against having a quick temper (Prov 15:1; 15:18; 29:22).  It's alright to lose your cool over things that upset God but don't stoke the fire.

Be careful.  When you get angry, get over it.  Don’t stoke the fire.

It's Time to Get Real

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another (Eph 4:25).

"Image is everything."  We've swallowed that lie hook, line and sinker.  America is the land of image.  The land of pretend.  The land of make believe.  We continually put up a front and pretend to be something we're not.  We put on the mask of health, wealth and happiness to fool folks into thinking we've got our stuff in one little bag with a twist tie.  But the truth is, we're horribly jacked up.  Behind the image, there's pain.  Behind the image, there's loneliness.  Behind the image, there's brokenness.  If you think this is some sort of 21st century phenomenon, you've got another thing coming.  

Paul pleaded with his friends in Ephesus to stop managing their image and start being honest.  "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another" (v25).  As followers of Jesus, it's time to take off the mask.  As followers of Jesus, it's time to tell the truth.  Or in the words of one famous TV psychologist, it's time to get real.  Stop pretending.  Stop playing a role.  Stop putting up a false front.  Lying divides.  Truth unites.

It’s time to get real.

Paul begins with the assumption that folks who follow Jesus have already "put away falsehood" (v25).  This should be a done deal.  Do we really need to go over this again?  He uses the same verb (Gr. apotithemi) as he did before when telling us to "put off our old self" (Eph 4:22).  Throw away falsehood.  Throw it as far away as  you can.  Chuck it.  Give it the old heave ho.  "Falsehood" is the Greek noun pseudos.  Look familiar?  It describes a lie, an untruth, an imitation or something fake.  The apostle's not talking about unintentionally saying something that's untrue.  This is a conscious effort to dupe someone.  Deceit.  You're selling pseudo-truth.  You're peddling half-truth.  Throw that mess in the garbage.  Get rid of it.  All of it.  Pseudo-truth has absolutely no place among God's people.

It’s time to get real.

From his Roman prison cell, Paul wrote to the people in Colossae at the same time he wrote to the Ephesians.  And, no surprise, the two notes share a lot of the same themes.  Check this out for instance.  "Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices" (Col 3:9).  Yeah, I told you these epistles are a lot alike.  But God has made it VERY clear from the beginning that lying is a sin.  Hey, it made the Top Ten that He handed to Moses (Ex 20:16).  It’s right up there with murder, idolatry and stealing.  Why did lying crack the Top Ten?  Well, consider who's the big daddy of deception.  Satan is not only just any liar but the father of lies (Jn 8:44).  And it will not end well for him or those who keep lying.  Eventually they take a nasty swim in a lake of fire (Rev 21:8).  Stop lying.  Stop pretending.

It’s time to get real.

Lying is SO much more than intentionally saying something wrong.  Stop exaggerating.  Stop cheating.  Stop making promises you can't keep.  Stop betraying each other's confidence.  Stop making excuses.  Stop pretending to be someone or something you're not.  Take off the mask.  Get naked.  Admit who you are.  Confess your sin.  When you bring that crap out into the light, it loses its power.  And I think you'll be surprised to find out that you're not alone.  

It’s time to get real.

Paul now moves from the negative to the positive.  Once we have "put away falsehood" and taken off the mask, it's time to "let each one of you speak the truth" (v25).  He's actually dropping a quote from Zech 8:16.  The Greek word for truth (Gr. aletheia) also means what's real.  Speak reality.  Once the mask comes off, it's time to get real.  Don't just stop lying, start telling the truth.  Just up the page, the apostle encourages us to "speak truth in love" (Eph 4:15).  Unvarnished truth without love can do a ton of damage.  Speaking the truth in love is like using a velvet hammer.

Speaking reality to one another includes telling each other the truth about THE Truth (Jn 14:6).  Jesus.  We live in a society that preaches "you have your truth and I have my truth and everything is just unicorns and rainbows."  There's just one problem with that so-called truth.  IT'S NOT TRUE!!!  Speaking truth means telling each other the truth about Jesus and our need for Him.  The truth is that we need the One who is "Faithful and True" (Rev 19:11).  That’s Truth with a capital "T."  That's Jesus with a capital "J."

We need to stop lying and get real because "we are members of one another" (v25).  In Christ, we now belong to each other like members of His body (Rom 12:5).  Lying cuts us off from one another.  Lying amputates.  Lying dismembers.  Lying separates.  Lying divides.  Truth heals.  Truth reconciles.  Truth unites.  Jesus is bringing everyone together into His body.  He's calling us to a supernatural unity in Him (Eph 4:3-4).  One body of Christ.  One faith in Him.  One baptism of the Spirit.  One heavenly Father.  Jesus' goal is for us to be united in our faith in Him (Eph 4:13), eventually so interdependent upon Him and each other that we move as one (Eph 4:15-16).  Lying tears all of that apart.  Truth brings us together.

It’s time to get real.

So what do we do with this truth?  How do we put the rubber to the road in real life?  The best way is by being a member of a small group in your bigger church.  Only in these smaller communities can you truly take off the mask.  Only in these small groups can you truly speak the truth in love.  Your small group needs to be a safe place where you can be the real you.  Where I can be the real me.  Where we can stop pretending.  Where we can lovingly speak the truth to each other.  Where we can stop managing our image.

It’s time to get real.

Raiding Jesus' Closet

...to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4:24).

First Paul told his readers to get naked by taking off their disgusting and sinful "old self" (Eph 4:22).  He then refers to the mind transplant God does in His followers, changing us from the inside out (Eph 4:23).  Now it's time to get dressed.  And Christ has some rockin' new duds for us.  Jesus hasn't just popped tags at a thrift shop.  He's brought you and me the absolute finest threads we've ever seen.  Designer stuff.  Custom crafted.  We're talking Saville Row suits.  It's time "to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (v24).  Our new clothes are flawless.  Our new clothes are spotless.  Our new clothes are perfect.

Paul's big point here is to realize just what Jesus has done for us and to put that truth into practice.  Don't just admire your new gear hanging in the closet.  Get it out.  Take off the tags.  Put it on.  Live your life in light of who He is and and what He's done for you.  Christ lived the perfect life that we failed to live.  He died the brutal and bloody death for our sin that we should have died.  And He rose to a glorious new life that we certainly don't deserve.  We trust what He's done for us that we could never do in a gazillion years.  And in exchange, He lets us raid His closet.  He gives us His spotless righteousness.  He hands us His glorious holiness.

Go ahead.  Put it on.

This is gonna be huge for the folks in the Ephesian church.  There's a heresy that's headed their way that has duped other believers into thinking we're responsible for our own wardrobe.  It's up to us to make your own clothes.  It's up to us to keep'em clean.  Just 100 miles down the road in Colossae, a team of spiritual hucksters have fooled Jesus' followers into falling for a works righteousness.  What's the lie they're selling?  Christ may have gotten us into God's kingdom, but it's up to us to stay in.  And the only way to do that is by carefully following a complicated list of religious rules (Col 2:16-23).  After firing off a letter to get the Colossians back on track, Paul sends another one to the church in nearby Ephesus.  The best prevention against these false teachers is to "put on the new self" (v24).  Put on the righteousness and holiness that can only come from Jesus.

The apostle encourages the Ephesians to "put on" their new holy wardrobe.  He uses the Greek verb enduo.  While it means to wear, dress or put on clothes, the term literally means to sink or plunge into something.  Here's your new duds.  Dive in!  Dr. Luke used the same word when the faithful dad tells his employees to dress his long lost boy in the best robe (Lk 15:22).  And later, the resurrected Jesus instructs His followers to hang out in Jerusalem "until you are clothed (Gr. enduo) with power from on high" (Lk 24:49).

Go ahead.  Put it on.

The important thing is that these aren't some kind of holy hand-me-downs.  This is "the new self" (v24).  The language describes something unused.  Something of new quality.  In other words, it still has the tags on it.  In that Colossian letter, Paul said something VERY similar.  "Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator" (Col 3:10).  When we place our trust in Jesus, something radical happens.  The old sinful me disappears.  The new holy me appears.  Don't believe me?  Would you believe Paul?  He only wrote most of the New Testament.  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold the new has come" (2Cor 5:17).  If anyone knows about this new creation business, it's the former Pharisee.  Jesus radically transformed this killer of Christians into His greatest missionary.  Talk about a new creation.  Paul knows what it means to put it on.

So, go ahead.  Put it on.

What exactly do our new duds look like?  What are we putting on?  God personally tailored this new outfit just for you.  And it features "true righteousness and holiness" (v24).  This righteousness is what theological brainiacs call "alien righteousness."  It's not mine.  It's not yours.  We didn't come in wearing it.  We get it from somewhere else.  Or should I say, we get it from Someone else.  And that Someone would be Jesus.  "For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God" (2Cor 5:21).  Luther calls this the Great Exchange.  I would call it Greater that Great!!!

Same deal with the holiness.  It's not ours.  It's an alien holiness.  This is not an achieved perfection.  Just like our new and undeserved righteousness, our holiness is a gracious gift of God.  The only chance I can ever "be holy and blameless in His sight" (Eph 1:4) is if someone does it for me.  That's EXACTLY what Christ has done.  My only hope of holiness is by trusting in "the Holy One of God" (Mk 1:24) and His Holy Spirit living in me (Rom 8:9-11).

Paul gives the Colossians a little more detailed description of the spectacular our new wardrobe.  "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must also forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony" (Col 3:12-14).  Compassion.  Kindness.  Humility.  Meekness.  Patience.  Forgiveness.  Love.  All features of our Lord Jesus.  All features of our new clothes.

Jesus invites us to raid His closet.  Go ahead.  Put it on.