THE LORD JESUS IN CONTROL

We Must Clothe Ourselves with Christ

Galatians 3:27

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Romans 13:14

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Did you discern in reading these two verses that in the first one God declares that the believer has already put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the last one He exhorts—may we put it stronger yet—He commands him to do so? Through the grace, mercy, and love of God, the believer has been unclothed and clothed upon in the new position in Christ to which he has been brought. The snow-white linen of Christ’s righteousness and holiness is his. But God requires the cooperative response of the believer’s love, devotion, and faith in keeping these garments clean and rightly fitted to the believer’s daily walk and warfare.

Dear fellow Christian, perhaps we have come to the second crucial milestone in your spiritual experience. Already, you have accepted Christ as Savior. You faced the choice of your sin or God’s Son, and you chose Christ as your Savior. But have you wandered forty years in the wilderness of defeat, of discouragement, and oftentimes of despair? Are you weary and footsore? Does your heart cry out for the peace, joy, victory, and power you see others enjoying? If so, are you ready just now to take the second step into life on the highest plane by crowning Jesus Christ as Lord over your spirit, soul, and body and by placing your whole being unconditionally under His control? Before you is this choice: self or Christ?

“Oh! the bitter shame and sorrow,
   That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour’s pity
   Plead in vain, and proudly answered—
   ‘All of Self and none of Thee.’

“Yet He found me: I beheld Him
   Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, ‘Forgive them, Father,’
   And my wistful heart said faintly—
   ‘Some of Self and some of Thee.‘

“Day by day His tender mercy,
   Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and oh! so patient,
   Brought me lower while I whispered—
   ‘Less of Self and more of Thee.’

“Higher than the highest heavens,
   Deeper than the deepest sea;
Lord, thy love at last has conquered:
   Grant me now my soul’s petition—
   ‘None of Self and all of Thee.'”

Source: “Life on the Highest Plane” by Ruth Paxson

Lord, I surrender to You and acknowledge that You have made this life of choosing You alone possible. I praise You for the Holy Spirit who enables me to die to my self-life, just as You did when You were here on the earth.