DRESS UP FOR ETERNITY

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.
 
Colossians 3:5-10
 
I grew up in a life style that required that we dress a certain way to go to church. In my closet hung clothes that were labeled ‘Sunday-go-to-meeting’. That meant they were only worn to church events and a few other very important occasions. The religious significance of this was based on coming into God’s presence … into God’s house … in only your very best. Anything less was considered flippant and disrespectful.
 
1st Samuel 16:7 gives us some incite on God’s thoughts on this idea. “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions.”
 
God is more interested that “…you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature…”
 
By no means do I want to disrespect the teachings and traditions of parents and grandparents or be flippant or disrespectful of God. There is nothing wrong with ‘dressing up’ to go to church. I just think it is most important to God that we ‘dress up’ for eternity by putting off the “old evil nature” and putting on the “brand-new nature” we get through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.