Put On Christ as New Clothes

As Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year, we like to put up new things, for example wearing new clothes. In the 1950’s and 60’s, most people were very poor. During that time, we only bought new clothes just for the Chinese New Year, and not only that, we would keep the new clothes first and only wear them on the first day of Chinese new year.

Our purpose was to create a “new atmosphere”, a sense of newness! We really enjoyed this sense of newness, but after a few days later, it faded for the new year festival was soon over. So we know that “wearing new clothes” does not make people become new, let alone keeping people feeling new for a long time.

We see from the Bible that changes, be it in the human heart, or human life; the change from old to new, is indeed related to clothing. In the first book of the Bible—Genesis, we are told, God first created human—Adam and Eve, they were naked. Adam called Eve the bone of his bones, the flesh of his flesh, and they were naked and not ashamed.

But then, the devil through the snake, came to tempt them to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden them to eat.

Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation. They ate the fruit. They wanted to be independent from God. They wanted to decide what is good or evil without submitting to God’s commandment. They wanted to be their own god. This is sin by nature.

After Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, they immediately were stricken with shame and guilt. They felt there was a distance between them, and between God. They feared to see the glory of God, so they hid themselves.

They also used the leaves of the fig tree to make clothes for themselves. But how can this piece of clothing made of leaves be comfortable to wear? The leaves will soon dry out, crumble, and have to weave another one.

This scenario figuratively speaking, represents that through the ages, people have tried in many ways to come out with some kind of ideology, religion and philosophy to redeem themselves, so as to make their life happy and meaningful, but all the effort failed to materialise.

We see that there are so many people who have expressed their bitterness and sorrow for living a life on earth. People are seeking happiness and meaning of life, and at the same time they know that they are moving toward death. People ask the question, what would happen to me after I die?

After Adam and Eve sinned against God, God came to look for them. God was calling to the man, “Where are you?”

Adam replied, “I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

God knew that Adam and Eve had sinned, fallen, ashamed, and could not live a normal life happily. The clothes made of leaves could not bring them relief, but had become their burden instead. So God sewed new clothes for them with the skins of an animal, to cover their shame.

Using animal skin to make clothes, God first had to kill an animal. The animal is like a sacrifice. From the descendants of Adam onward, all who feared God and worshiped him, offered sacrifices to God at his command.

This sacrifice is not like the traditional Chinese folk religion, as food for the gods to eat, to please them. But rather, this sacrifice is a scapegoat or substitute for sinners who deserve punishment and death. The sacrificed animal die so that the sinner may live.

Adam and Eve were not able to clean up the mess caused by their sins with their works or good behaviour. They can only be saved by the atonement of God's appointed blood sacrifice. So, for thousands of years, the Jews have performed rigorous sacrifices, so that they can be reconciled with God and return to God's presence.

However, this sacrifice of animal is just a “type” which foreshadows a complete salvation to come. About 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ was born! The Bible said that he was the son of God and became flesh to come into this world.

Jesus ministered on earth for three years. He preached everywhere, calling people to repent, for the kingdom of God has come. He performed many miracles as signs to prove that the kingdom of Heaven had indeed come. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the poor, the helpless, forgave sinners, and set free the captives.

In the end, he fulfilled the ultimate mission by becoming the true Redeemer of mankind, a Redeemer who would be sacrificed. He died on the cross as a substitute for sinners so as to save sinners from punishment and destruction.

Three days later, Jesus was resurrected to prove that he was really the son of God, the Holy and righteous one. Jesus raised from the dead and told us that he had overcome death, and that anyone who trusted him will have a new life, and he also would be resurrected after death to inherit the eternal life, a life that is renewed in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus Christ Himself is a new garment of salvation. He gave himself as such a garment to us to put on. Whoever puts on this garment will receive a remission of sins and receive a new life forever. The Bible has two verses alluded to this interestingly：

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."(Galatians 3: 27）

"And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. "(Ephesians 4: 24）

The word “put on” points to the act of wearing clothes. It turned out that Jesus Christ himself wrapped us up like a garment of his own holiness and glory. Till then, the meaning of redemption from “the clothes made of animal skin” for Adam and Eve in Genesis, has completely been fulfilled by Jesus Christ!

The Bible, 2 Corinthians 5: 17 says, " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. "

I wish everyone here a blessed Chinese New Year. This blessing could be obtained by putting a new garment of Jesus, which is to say: accept Jesus as saviour and Lord of our lives and believe that he died on the cross and resurrected from death for us, so that our sins be forgiven and we could have eternal life.

By having faith in Jesus, we will become truly new people who would live on earth now, with hope, joy and meaning of life.