October 7

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.—Romans 13:14.

ALL that the soul needs is found in Christ. Sick, he is our physician; poor, he is our riches: guilty and condemned, he is our surety; and naked, he is our garment. Naturally, we have at best but the rags of shame upon us. In the day of conversion, we are stripped from all these, and we put on Christ, and are clothed in the righteousness obtained by faith in his name. Then the Lord is made unto us righteousness, and we appear holy and acceptable before God. This he becomes to us—the white robe, the wedding garment, that which alone makes us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. This garment is complete, it covers the soul all over; every part of the man God views with complacency and delight. This garment is also a lasting one; time and wear, do not impair it. It never loses its beauty and freshness, and will endure for ever and ever. Then this garment is an exceedingly precious and costly one. Not costly to us, for we obtain it without money and without price, but costly to the Saviour; it cost him poverty, shame, sorrow even unto death, and at last death itself. Hence we must know the worth of Christ's precious blood, before we can estimate its real value. This garment must be put on. Christ only is precious to them that believe. We must receive him in all his benefits, and then only is he our garment of salvation. He must be put on publicly, and our profession must be exhibited before men and before angels. In baptism this is beautifully realised, after exercising faith in Christ, the soul becomes dead to the world and sin, and as such, the old man is laid aside, and being buried with Christ in baptism, the believer then arises, having put on the Lord Jesus Christ. This garment must be worn. We must never appear without it. In the world, in the church, in the closet, in all places and at all times, Christ must be exhibited. This garment will be indispensable to our entrance into the holy regions of the paradise above.