Sometimes what you wear means the difference between being allowed inside and being denied entrance. Certain restaurants require men to wear a coat and tie (and then charge you a king’s ransom for your meal)!

Does God have a dress code? We could discuss our attire at worship assemblies, but let’s save that for another time. I’m talking about how we’re dressed spiritually. To be acceptable to God and gain access to Heaven, we must put on Christ.

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27). How do you get into Christ? Here and in Romans 6:3 Paul says it is by baptism. Once you have been baptized into Christ, you can accurately say that you are "in Christ." Likewise, when you have "put on" a garment, you can correctly say you are "in" that garment (for example, you can eat in that fancy restaurant because you are "in a coat and tie"). We see, then, that getting "into" Christ and "putting on" Christ are the same thing and happen at the same time.

There is more involved in "putting on Christ," however, than baptism. Paul wrote the book of Romans to people who had already obeyed the gospel Does God have a Dress Code? (Continued From Page One)

(Rom. 6:3, 4); yet he exhorted them to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (13:14).

When an actor on stage puts on a costume, (s)he is supposed to act like the character who would wear such things. If you put on a pirate costume, it would be rather strange for you to come on stage juggling bowling pins like a clown! Likewise, if you put on Christ, you obligate yourself to live in a Christ-like manner. Fulfilling the lusts of the flesh is inconsistent with wearing Christ. Specifically, putting on Christ rules out such behaviors as revelry (loud, rowdy parties), drunkenness, sexual immorality, contentiousness, and jealousy (see Rom. 13:13).

Do you meet God’s dress code? Have you been clothed with Christ (i.e. have you put on Christ in baptism)? Is your behavior consistent with wearing Christ? ?

It Is Hard
Author unknown

To convince your children that the church is the most important thing In the world when you are negligent about attending it's services and supporting it's work.

To convince your children that the church is the greatest institution In the world when you permit them to miss services to go elsewhere.

To convince your children that the church is to be held higher than anything when you insist that they do their homework for public school but permit them to neglect Bible study.

To convince your children that the church is the world's most important institution when you give little to help finance it's work and encourage them to do likewise.

To convince your children that they should respect the church when you continually criticize the leadership, belittle the preacher's work, and appear a habitual faultfinder.

Change Your Directory
Please make the following changes to your directories:

COX, Jeff & Judy

HOWARD, Derek G.

PW Next Week
Please note that the Visitation Group Team “B” will meet NEXT Sunday (23rd) in the annex after AM worship with a light lunch afterwards.

God employs no hirlings: His work is done only by His own children! Aren't you glad to be a part of this divine family and do you part? If we take care of our life---then the Lord will take care of our death.