Armor

Turn please to Ephesians in chapter 6. I want to just try and speak very, very simply to younger believers for a few minutes because they're being raised in a culture that's different from when I was raised and that means of course, I'm just an old fogey. I guess that's what they call them. But I'm not wanting what I was raised to be given to you.

What I want you to try and notice is that we need to see what God says is suitable as a believer for every culture. I want to notice with you from the scriptures how a Christian should dress. That's interesting.

Now, I'm not going to tell you you can't wear a pink shirt and I'm not interested in that type of thing. But the Spirit of God has given to us in his word that which should clothe the believer. And I hope it will just be a help to you as young believers, young men and young ladies.

The world will teach you one way to dress and the Spirit of God in his word will help you with another way that will please him. So we're going to read if you will please in chapter 6 of the Ephesian epistle and verse 14. Stand therefore having your loins and a very interesting translation that I did read of this verse would read this way.

Stand therefore having your shirt on with a vest. That's the two things. Let me just use that in this connection.

Your loins gird about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Now turn back to Proverbs please.

The third chapter of the book of Proverbs. The first thing that we want to notice a little is that passage in verse 14. I want to talk about your shirt and your vest.

And in the book of Proverbs please in chapter 3. And we will read just verse 3. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck. So here's your necktie and here's your scarf.

Write them upon the table of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Now Exodus please.

Chapter 28 of the book of Exodus. And verse 42. God is speaking to men and women or men rather who are going to serve him.

And he says and thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness. As we've been listening to already today. From the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach.

And turn please to the book of Genesis and chapter 41. Verse 14 concerning dear Joseph. He's about to go into the presence of the king.

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. And he shaved himself and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh. I'm not going to talk about your beard.

It's alright. Some men seem to want to think they're professors and they grow a little one down here that they can scratch or something or other. But anyway Joseph shaved himself but he presented himself in garments suitable for the presence of the king.

Now there's one other reading please. I'll ask you to turn to in Titus chapter 2. Book of Titus in the New Testament after Timothy and chapter 2. Verse 10. Not purloining but showing all good fidelity that they may adorn.

Now that's an interesting word. It means cosmetics. That they might have the cosmetics of the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Now you can recognize beloved that what I'm wanting to look at is very very very elementary and simple. But I do want you just to take the application of each of these verses and realize that God is very very interested that we should show society that we are not part of it. Furthermore that we should show to society who we really are.

And in each of these passages I think you will have noticed even from the book of the Proverbs. It's God that's addressing it. It is God that's saying it.

This is what I'd like to see upon you. This is what I would like to see evident in your manner. So we'll just look at it in relation to the clothes that you should wear.

One time having meetings with Mr. McBain many years ago there was a man got saved. He was a total outsider and he came to the gospel meetings well and finally one night he said to us at the door. He said tell me tell me says where do you buy those uniforms? Well isn't the uniform that we want you to wear.

It's not the question of a uniform of being like me. It's a question of looking at the principles that have to do that would govern the manner that you should dress yourself in this world. And particularly when it comes to manifesting the graces of the Lord Jesus.

Notice the first one please in Ephesians chapter 6. I have called it your shirt and your vest. That is the word that we look at in relation to what God is telling us that we're standing on ground in order to defend. We're defending just a maybe three foot piece of ground he's standing on.

But there is that which is against him. There's something that would seek to cause him to lose ground. Get another footing.

Not to stand firm. And when the thing is passed that manner is passed and that onslaught is passed that you're still standing. And he says there's three things for you.

Put on the right shirt brother. When you're coming to the meetings of the assembly of God. Don't forget this shirt.

Truth. Truth. To get a hold of divine things that will temper our thinking even as to how as a believer we should appear before the Lord.

And he says on top of that put a vest on too. And it's as we notice in that passage righteousness and truth. And as we come into the things of God dear younger Christian.

That's what God is wanting you to cultivate. It isn't because the brother says so. It isn't because Smith talked about how you should dress.

It's a question of getting into these to realize that the truth of God and the word of God is going to cultivate within you. A consciousness of being very careful as how you appear as a believer. So this is just the first one that I suggest to you and notice leaving with you regarding your appearance as a believer.

Even with the shirt you wear and the vest that you wear. But in the second one we find in verse 15 it's the shoes you wear. Now I know the dear ladies are very touchy about this.

And you know I'm not talking about six inch heels. I don't know how in the world you ever walk in those things anyway. But that's not my point.

The point here is God is wanting us to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Dear younger believer, it isn't the style that the world has that is going to be the last governing factor of what you choose. The last factor of what you choose is how you will appear as a Christian.

Now my brother has made mention of the fact even looking upon the song sheet sometimes you see the pictures of these individuals. When he said that I was thinking of a picture I saw and it said the walking dead. I thought sure enough the walking dead.

That's what they look like. Young man let me ask you is that what you want to look like? And dear young lady do you want to look like that actress? That's what God is touching on. Don't take your model from the actress.

Take your model from the seriousness and the simplicity of what the word would teach you. That is it's not the excess that the world has. It is the righteousness and the simplicity that we have as believers.

Now please it doesn't mean to say you go around with no buttons. And it doesn't mean to say you go around with just flat footed shoes or something like that. It's the carefulness as a believer as to how you learn as a young person to learn the features of dressing to appear to the world like a Christian.

So your shirt and your vest and your shoes. The third one that we read about was modesty. In the book of Exodus God was very very careful as they would come into his presence to do his service.

That the first thing they put on was that to cover their nakedness. And again I just mention that underline it my beloved brother has handled the divine truth and taught it to us today. Let me underline it dear younger sister and younger brother.

For it's in every one of our hearts by nature. And what God wants you to see is be a testimony of what a Christian should look like. So it is what you expose that is sinful.

It is what you cover that is humility. And that is what modesty is. There's two words used in the New Testament to help you with this.

The one word is really a little bit difficult in its translation in the New Testament. And it's called shamefacedness. God doesn't want you to go around with a shame face.

That's not the idea. It's shamefastness. That's the character of it.

That's the determination that I will not be any type of a manner that would deny the fact of modesty in my experience. And the other word is the word moderation. And that moderation is linked with modesty.

So that is the character of your appearance in the presence of the Lord and before the world. Even in your natural going to school, your natural dressing as a believer. The next thing he mentions, I mentioned is in, I wanted to read it in Colossians chapter 3 where we were.

And that's the overcoat that he mentions. That's a beautiful word. Put on overall.

That's the overcoat of love. And you'll notice the word is charity there. It's a working love.

It's not just I love, talk. It's reality. And that is what you are to be as a believer.

It is to have all your manners. To be over, as it were, with the overcoat. Put on.

And you notice the word that's used in that verse, verse 14. To hold the other together. That's what gives character to truth.

That's what gives meaning and power to righteousness. That is what as well gives real humility to modesty. That love.

Love for the Lord Jesus. Love for his word. To uphold his name.

And put on that overcoat of charity as a believer. And then in Titus chapter 2, I mentioned the word cosmetics. And that's a good one.

Somebody helped us here. Murray was telling us to be very careful how much you spend on perfume. But just a deodorant would be pretty good.

Because we don't want to have the odor of the world about us. We want to be smart and clean. So that they recognize.

And the point being made, of course, is in that passage. There's the doctrine that you're upholding. The doctrine of redemption.

You can adorn that doctrine. That is, the cosmetic of that doctrine is. You will look and act and speak and be occupied as a redeemed one.

Redeemed by precious blood. That forbids that there should be the opposite. That would be found in the world.

A godless world. Language that you use. May I say that very kindly? Please don't misunderstand me.

I'm not telling you to be what I'm saying. I want you to see it in the word. God wants you to be careful.

To have the cosmetic of good language. Don't use those half words. That our next daughter is swearing.

That's not to be in your vocabulary or mine. That is what God is wanting us to adorn. Adorn the doctrine of justification.

I am a sinner that's come into righteousness with God. I have a relationship with heaven. And that is going to be seen.

In the manner in which you dress yourself. And move before the world. In the cosmetics of your life.

If you read the first few verses of Titus chapter 2. It's for ladies. And the next few verses are for men. And they're both adorned.

It's a very interesting thing that in those two passages. There are words that relate to the fact of what they're going to put on. What they're going to put on in there.

Speaks about the aged men. And they're putting on. Putting on sobriety.

Now sobriety doesn't mean sullenness. It means a balance. A balance of maturity.

That's what there is to be. And as we go on the older speaks of the sisters. The older sisters teaching the younger sisters.

In relation to their appearance. And their manners. And their presentation of themselves.

That is the clothing of the believer. And finally let me sit down. And notice with you in chapter 41 of the book of Genesis.

Where we read about dear Joseph. Now I know beloved. That we say well coming into the presence of the Lord Jesus.

Is not coming into the presence of a king. Let me tell you brethren. My blessed Lord is far above all.

All principality. And power. And might.

And dominion. And every name that is named. Not only in this world.

But in that which is to come. And I used to sing when I was in Sunday school. A little song they taught us.

Far above all. Far above all. Jesus my Savior is far above all.

Thrones and dominions before him must bow. For Jesus my Savior is far above all. That's why Joseph shaved.

That's why he changed his garments. He's coming to step into the presence of majesty. And when you take your place.

And your chair in the meeting. Dear younger sister. Dear younger brother.

On Lord's day morning. Remember where two or three are. Gathered together in my name.

There am I. And Darby says there is the I am. Ah the wonder of it. The glory of he is supreme.

And altogether worthy. And with humility of spirit. Don't take on the culture of a Friday day as they say.

And you can wear whatever you want. To work and school and all the rest. No beloved.

There's no Friday days on Sunday. We come on the Lord's day. Into the presence of the Lord of glory.

God grant. That our every day may be marked. With an awareness.

I want to dress like a Christian. I want the world to see I have something better than they have. And the present culture is not going to determine.

My style. My appearance. Or even how I look when I come to the assembly.

I want to come. With truth. Righteousness.

And that necktie or scarf around your neck. That's going to adorn you says God. That's what he's looking for.

Make yourself beautiful. For the eye of your blessed Lord. For his name's sake.