Stripping Off Grave Clothes

 "...for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices,

 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it."

                ---Colossians 3: 9-10 Amplified Classic

What does it mean to "strip off"?

More specifically what does it mean to "strip off the old self" and to instead "clothe yourself with the new self"?

Simply put, the Apostle Paul is referring to grave clothes.

Wait...what?!? 

Grave clothes?

That's it...

Stay with me...

Eight months ago when my husband died, I had to decide what clothes I would take to the funeral home for him. At first, since he had chosen cremation, I was looking to select a decent looking shirt along with a pair of shorts. And then I got to thinking; my husband had been a hospital chaplain, an accomplishment he was incredibly proud of. I remember when he first told me his decision to take on this title; he was excited yet humbled at the same time. He had come to the conclusion, because of the plethora of issues he had dealt with, he was in a perfect position to reach out and minister to people facing similar circumstances. I also remember his first time going into the hospital; clean-shaven, every hair in place, white dress shirt, grey tweed suit jacket with pants to match, a Special Olympics pin on each collar. He went in all smiles and ready to do his job. With that. I reached into the closet, took out his suit, and away it went with me to the funeral home. He could look as a chaplain one last time. Even for cremation.

Now, had he chosen burial, the process would have been a bit different. Obviously I still would have chosen his chaplain's suit but that's where the similarities stop. His body would have been embalmed, a means of preservation for the viewing and/or service. His hair would have been brushed and styled in a manner similar to how he wore it when he was alive. He would have been dressed in his suit. A makeup artist would have come in and, within the best of his/her abilities, make him up to look as "natural" as possible. Instead of the ivory colored urn his dust rests in now, he would have been placed in an exquisitely intricate, possibly satin lined, casket where ultimately family and friends would pass by, single file, look at him one last time, maybe touch his hands or face, even kiss his forehead (that's what I would have done anyway).

The scenario would have looked a lot different during Jesus' time. In those days embalming was nonexistent. Instead the bodies wore anointed with precious oils and spices to offset the smell of inevitable rot and decay. Arms, legs, feet, hands, torsos, faces, heads were wrapped in strips of cloth. Unlike our culture where, in most cases, funerals/memorial services are held anywhere from 3-5 days after someone's death, when someone in biblical times passed they were buried immediately. Their bodies were placed in a cave-like tomb with a huge stone rolled in front of the tomb's doorway. This was done for two reasons; the first was to discourage grave robbers (yes, that was a thing even then) and the second was to prevent the stench of the decomposing body to permeate the rest of the surroundings. 

Still with me? Yeah? Whew! Good! Let's keep going..

Walk with me, if you will, to a place called Bethany. I've written about this before in earlier posts but we're simply here for a visit. Jesus and His disciples have arrived in Bethany, having been given the news that His dear friend Lazarus was gravely ill to the point of death. Now, Jesus didn't drop everything and go when He heard this; instead, He seemed to be, as we say it, taking His sweet old time getting there. Upon arrival, He and His disciples learn that Lazarus has died. They are greeted by Lazarus' sister, Martha, who begins her greeting with this: 

 "Martha then said to Jesus, Master, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." (v. 21) 

Ah! Don't miss this! She follows it up by saying:

"And even now I know that whatever You ask from God, He will grant it to You..." (v.22) 

Wow!!! 

Fast forward a bit and walk with me now to the tomb of Lazarus. Jesus has said for the stone to be rolled away. Good old Martha! What is her response? "But Lord, by this time he [is decaying and] throws off an offensive odor, for he has been dead four days!" (v. 39b)

In all fairness, Martha wasn't wrong. Remember earlier I said that in those days embalming was nonexistent but rather, according to custom, precious oils and spices were used. Couple that with the type of temperatures in that part of the world a body would begin to decay rather quickly, giving off a rather, shall we say, pungent aroma. This did not deter Jesus however. He offers a prayer of thanks to His Father in Heaven and, when finished, calls out, "Lazarus! Come forth!" (v. 43) 

And he does!

Now try to visualize Lazarus walking, or should I say waddling, out of the tomb. Remember he was wrapped in strips of cloth from head to toe and those strips were not wrapped around him loosely. Just the opposite. When I was younger I figured he just simply got up after hearing Jesus' call and walked out of the tomb. Maybe he walked out mummy style or maybe he walked out like he did when he was alive but that's how I always pictured it. The idea of Lazarus doing a sort of shuffle out of the tomb is, quite honestly, a tad bit amusing. 

Watch what happens next. As Lazarus is emerging from the tomb Jesus says something. "Jesus said to them, Free him of the burial wrappings and let him go." (v. 44b)

Free him of the burial wrappings...

Another translation says "Loose him." 

Yet another says, "Unbind him." 

I could list them all but it all comes down to the same thing: "Take off the grave clothes."

Take off the grave clothes...

Can you imagine what it would have been like had Lazarus remained in those grave clothes? The smell, the lingering scent of death and decay even though he was alive? 

Sadly, that's the state of a lot of us bearing the title "Christian."

Outward appearances would show someone in ministry of some sort..a leader of sorts. They would show people in their Sunday best, smiles painted on their faces as they go through the motions of another Sunday service. They clap, sing, shout, dance. They're seen serving in soup kitchens, shelters, various ministries here, there, and everywhere. They do all the "right" things, say all the "right" things, know all the "right" people. They're put together beautifully on the outside. The inside, on the other hand...

That's another story....

Jesus had a name for this condition. In fact He used it on the Pharisees who were the "religious elite" of His day. Are you ready? Brace yourself! 

Here it is....

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything impure."

                                    --Matthew 23:27 Amplified Classic

He doesn't mince words, does He?

Jesus said a lot of things we wouldn't hear today in our little "Christian circles." The sad reality is, we need to hear these things. 

How many of us who call ourselves "Christians" are walking through life in grave clothes? How many of us dress ourselves up and are bright and shiny on the outside while on the inside we're rotting? How many of us are walking through life fully alive and yet at the same time dead, decaying, and giving off an offensive odor?

Way too many of us...

 "...for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices,

 And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it."

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Colossae while he was in prison around 53-54 AD but his message is as relevant now as it was when this letter was written. He wrote the letter to Colossae as a means of warning, telling them to watch out for the false teachings that were being promoted and as a way of encouraging them to hold fast to their faith in God. He is reminding them that because they are made new in Christ, they are to live their lives accordingly, to put Him first above everything else, and to remove anything (including people) that may cause or tempt them to go back to their old ways of living.

In other words, take off the grave clothes..

Take a look around at the world we're living in..

What do you see?

Is it people living the truth of God and making His name known? 

Is God kept first? Can you look at someone and know by looking at them they've spent time with Him?

Is a stand being taken for God, that regardless of what the rest of the world says or does, as far as so-and-so is concerned it's God and God alone?

Is the Word of God their standard for living?

Or do you see just the opposite?

Do you see dead men walking though they live?

Are they all prettied up externally but internally there's rot, decay, and an offensive order lthat lingers?

Is this you?

Is this me?

It's time to take off the grave clothes...