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Jan 01, 2026 06:00am

From Play Clothes to Righteous Robes: A Story of Spiritual Growth

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As a kid, we had clothes that were nice—the kind we wore to church or special school events—and then we had everyday play clothes. These were shirts and shorts, or in my case, sweatpants or wind-suit pants. They were fine to play in, and it wasn’t a big deal if they got dirty. That’s just what you expected kids to wear. Most of mine were little matching short-and-top sets we had gotten from Walmart or the Family Dollar store that used to be on Main Street.

But there came a day when we traded in our play clothes for something new. We put off the old childhood ways and stepped into a new season marked by growth and maturity.

In the 90s, that meant owning your own pair of Z. Cavaricci jeans.

Galatians 3:26-29
“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.”

In Roman society, there was also a pivotal moment in a young person’s life. When they reached a certain age, they left behind childhood garments and put on a new toga. This represented a new role in their life—one marked by growth, responsibility, and maturity. They were now recognized as adult citizens, and that status came with both rights and responsibilities.

As Paul speaks to the Galatians, he uses this cultural reality as a comparison for their new relationship with Christ.

He begins by declaring that they are children of God by faith. That is where the relationship starts. Then, through baptism, they publicly declared they were leaving the old life behind and stepping into a new one—a life marked by growth, maturity, and obedience. As followers of Christ, they now carried responsibilities within the faith.

They no longer needed those old play clothes. They were now clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Faith in Jesus = salvation
Baptism = a public declaration of new life in Christ
Walking in newness of life = a commitment to live as a disciple of Jesus

And this invitation is open to all—Jew and Gentile, male and female—regardless of race, background, social status, or gender. God’s love, forgiveness, and salvation are available to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord.

Have you done that?

If you want to learn more about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, visit follow.lifeword.org and explore this free resource designed to help you grow deeper in your faith.

You’ll begin with four introductory videos. After completing them, you can choose to connect with a local church to continue your discipleship, or you can continue learning more about Jesus through an additional ten videos focused on becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ.

Use it for yourself—or share it with someone else who wants to know how to follow Jesus.

If you have been saved, you are a child of God. You now wear a new robe of righteousness. Walk in it today.