THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - CHRISTMAS X

LESSON: COLOSSIANS 3:12-17

Put on Christ. Galatians 3:27

What is meant by “putting on Christ”? The unbelievers have a ready answer here. They say it means following Christ and measuring up to His example. But in this way I could also put on St. Peter, Paul, and other saints, and putting on Christ would have no special significance at all. Therefore we let faith speak here, which Paul delightfully describes under the idea of “putting on.”

It is obvious that those baptized have not previously followed Christ, but begin to follow Christ in baptism. Therefore Christ must be “put on” before one follows Him. “Putting on Christ” must be something quite different from following Him.

“Putting on Christ” is a spiritual matter. It comes to pass when the soul puts on Christ and all His righteousness, takes confidence in and relies upon that righteousness. This is just as though the soul itself had achieved all this and merited it. It is just like a man putting on his clothes. Such a putting on of Christ is a spiritual matter.

SL.XII.266,52
AE 76,20

PRAYER: We thank you, Lord, for your wonderful means of grace, and especially that you accepted us as your dear children in baptism, in which we have put on Christ and all that He is and means to us as our Savior. Amen.