I have several items of clothing, hats, caps, etc that hold special value to me. I treasure these items because of the person who had them before me. Today’s note concerns some clothing that should have been priceless to those who possessed them but attached no lasting value to them.
The practice of taking the clothes of the condemned was common in Jesus’ day. As Jesus was crucified, John records, “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” Think for a moment…
Each man took an item of clothing belonging to the Son of God. One lucky soldier took home a fine single woven tunic. These items were likely taken home and worn by these men or someone in their families. Whatever happened to the clothing, those four men likely never gave their original owner a second thought. As tragic as this seems, every day more serious and eternally dangerous tragedies occur in the lives of those who claim to be God’s children. Consider…
Some take Jesus’ name and never give it another thought. A “Christian” is one who belongs to Christ, as one joined in marriage, “And the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Yet some take on the name “Christian” and never seem to give it another thought, carrying His name into places of wickedness.
Some take on the blood of Jesus and never give it another thought. When one is immersed in water and into Christ, he is washed from every sin by the blood of Jesus (Rev 1:5). But when one intentionally absents himself from the assemblies, he sins willfully and there remains no more sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:26).
Finally, Galatians 3:26-27 speaks of the Christian as putting on or being clothed with Christ. Let us be sober and mindful of our great responsibility to faithfully represent our Lord.
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