Epictetus said, "Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly." As Christians, the Bible helps us to know who we are:

We are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17); We are salt and light (Matt. 5:13-14); We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20); We are God's workmanship, created for good works (Eph. 2:10); We are children of God (Romans 8:16); We are forgiven (Col. 1:13-14); We are justified (Romans 5:1); We are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4); We are redeemed from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13); We are delivered from the powers of darkness (Col. 1:13); We are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14); We are sons of God (Romans 8:14); We are strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Eph. 6:10); We are able to do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13); We are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17); We are heirs to the blessings of Abraham (Gal. 3:13-14); We are heirs of eternal life (I John 5:11-12); We are healed (I Peter 2:24); We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37); We are establishing God's Word on the earth (Matt 16:19); We are daily overcoming the devil (I John 4:4); We are walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7); We are casting down vain imaginings (II Cor. 10:4-5); We are bringing every thought into captivity (II Cor. 10:5); We are being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2); We are laborers with God (I Cor. 5:21); We are set free by the law of the Spirit of Life from the law of sin and death (Ro. 8:2); We are called for His purpose (Ro. 8:28); We are able ministers (II Cor. 3:6); We are kings and priests (I Peter 2:9, Rev. 5:10); We are overcomers by the Blood of the lamb and the word of our testimonies (Re. 12:11). That's what the Bible says about us! Amen!

So, did you know there's a dress code for that? Sure is, and we need to follow protocol. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Col. 3:12-14).

We can claim all these things. We can dress in whatever way we choose. If the outside doesn't match the inside, we are nothing but hypocrites. Albert Einstein said, "If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes . . . let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies . . . It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside." Jesus put it this way: "You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. . . First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean" (Matt. 23:25b-26). Too many of us pay more attention to our "church face" than we do to our "Christ likeness." Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love--we know who we are; let us adorn ourselves accordingly. Amen