I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

Every year many kids and adults dress up in costume for Halloween. They put on masks, make-up, costumes, and accessories to make them appear to be their favorite movie or television character, monster, celebrity, or some other non-human category. As I answer the door to the cries of “trick-or-treat” I find myself laughing, groaning, or feeling a slight of fright.

As a Christian, and as one who spent most of my life involved with the Christian bookstore industry, I am well aware of the controversy and different opinions over this American tradition. And I don’t wish to step into that discussion here. Rather, my reflection and analogous thoughts today stem from a moment of meditation from the Apostle Paul’s counsel to young Timothy. He writes:

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. (2 Timothy 3:1-4)

It is as if Paul is taking Timothy to one of those Halloween stores and lifting up the various costumes that we will see knocking at his door in these last days before Jesus’ return. Take note of the “costumes” he picks up off the shelf and shows us:

• lovers of themselves
• lovers of their money
• prideful and boastful
• God-mockers
• disobedient, ungrateful, irreverent
• vamp-haters
• grudgies (think of mummies)
• Franken-liars
• slanderers, gossipers, and traitors
• and ghostly-friends (those who say they are your friend but then disappear and betray you)

In our daily lives we open our door and wonder which of these we will encounter in our communities, our schools, our politics, and even our churches. If you have ever stood across from one of these costumes you know how they are all truly frightful, are actually terrorizing as well as they are horrific.

Paul warns Timothy – STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE LIKE THAT! (2 Timothy 3:5b)

Growing up there were very few occasions we would be watching a “scary” movie. However, whenever we did see some kind of scary thriller my dad would always say, “Kids, if you’re ever around a house with a monster in it don’t go looking for it. Don’t try to understand what it is or try to negotiate with it. Just get out and leave.”

Yet consider now that each of us at times have also put on such costumes. We too have behaved as those frightful people that Paul warns Timothy about. What should we do when we are in those scary costumes? Are we to stay away from ourselves? How would that happen? Perhaps this is exactly the meaning of Paul when he tells us that we must “die to ourselves” and live in Christ. (see Romans 6:1-11, 1 Corinthians 15:31). Consider further Colossians 3:3: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

And here is where we dare not miss the most important “costume” that Paul holds up to Timothy; the righteousness of Christ. This costume is the one that is also held out to each of us.

Isaiah 61:10 spoke of Christ when the prophet wrote:
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.

This “costume” of Christ’s Righteousness is a real winner for ‘Best Costume’. We dare not miss it.

The only trick here is the one played on the death we deserve. The real treat here is we receive eternal life.

Prayer
Dear Jesus, there are so many things that we dress up into that are sinful and wrong, the costumes cause fright to others that we are around. And Lord, they are not the costumes that You have in mind for us. Instead, You call us to don the beautiful costume. The true costume of Christ righteousness.

And you dress us in that through the salvation and the forgiveness of all of our sins. Help us as we consider those that we are coming into contact with, that we would truly reflect the righteousness of our Savior, Jesus. Be with us. And thank You for the special treat of salvation and that salvation that we live out today.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.