Do you remember the excitement of getting new school clothes for a new academic year? I will never forget shopping for new clothes and school supplies. Putting on those new clothes for the first time was a very proud moment. I had grown out of the old clothes; I was ready for something new!

In Ephesians 4:24, the Apostle Paul says we are to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Obviously, Paul is not speaking of literal clothing. He is referring to the new lifestyle of the believer. The word created is also mentioned in Ephesians 2:10. We are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” When we are saved, we become a new creation. Through salvation, God has given us new life (Eph. 2:5). That means we now “put on” a new way of living that reflects His character.

Paul challenges believers to cease doing things that do not honor God and do not reflect who they are created to be in Him. This includes what we do and how we speak. We are to avoid lying (v. 25) and “unwholesome talk” (v. 29). We are to control our anger: “In your anger do not sin” (v. 26). We are to put off unwholesome past behaviors (v. 31) and put on new ones: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (v. 32).

The use of clothing to describe our transformation is an excellent comparison because clothing is usually an outward reflection of who we are and what we do. In the same way, our lifestyle as believers in Christ is a reflection who we are because of what Christ did for us. We ought to be excited to be able to experience a new way of living because of our new life in Christ.

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