Romans 13:14

This "putting on" is, of course, clothing… and clothing often stands for practical righteousness — always, I believe, for something worked out, as a garment is, thread by thread.

Only we must always remember one thing. The "putting on" in verse 12 and in verse 14 is not taking up something wholly outside ourselves. It is putting on something from within, rather as a bird puts on its feathers.

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ." The context here clearly decides the meaning for us. There is another line of thought altogether in Galatians 3:27: "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." So baptism is the putting on of Christ as an outward profession — publicly taking His Name. But here in Romans 13:14 it is no opening ceremony. It is the putting on of Christ in the practical daily conduct of life… If the Lord Jesus is not seen to be the regulating power of the life, all apparent goodness and morality very soon sink to the level of mere self-righteousness. They are not the armour of light at all.

Nor has he only to purify his way. He is called to put on the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 14). To stop sinful practice and nothing more is to set our souls up as targets for Satan. His temptations do not end until we rest with God. To hide himself in Christ is the only safety of the saint. The flesh will find provision for its lusts wherever the soul is not fully fed on the satisfying portion of the bread of life.

Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ is the positive practical power for good. On the negative side we are told to "make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." How important this is! It is not warfare or contending against the flesh. That would soil me just as effectively as indulging it. But I am not to feed it: make no provision for it whatever. It is there, and all my energy or zeal will never remove it. But let me simply turn away from it. If I do not feed it, it will not thrive; while the spiritual nature, fed with the milk or meat of the Word, will grow and thrive.

Someone has said that it is the "second look" that is sin. He meant that when you walk down the street and see something unclean, a pornographic picture, you cannot help that. But when you stop, or turn to look again, that is deliberate! By turning, or stopping to look again, we are actually making provision for the flesh.

We are not only to have done with the things of darkness. We are also to put on the character of Christ, and so wear the beauty of the One who is coming to reign. Our lives are to show that we walk in subjection to the Lord, and that the graces of Jesus Christ mark us. So we become a witness during the night of His absence to the One who will bring in the day. Instead of taking thought of the flesh and how to gratify its lusts, we are to take thought of Jesus, and seek to shine in His beauty.