Putting on Christ

At a glance

Relevant Scripture

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Romans 13:14 KJV

UECF.NET summary

Finney reads Paul's command through the lens of the theater, where to 'put on' a character means far more than reciting lines — it means so thoroughly absorbing another person's spirit and aims that one's whole bearing comes to represent them. Applied to Christ, this rules out any casual or partial imitation: putting Him on means renouncing self-gratification as one's governing end, adopting the same single-minded devotion to the good of others and the glory of God that directed His whole life, and cultivating a sympathy with Him deep enough to make imitation natural rather than forced. Finney is careful to note that this does not mean copying Christ's exact outward circumstances — most believers will never share His particular calling or situation — but rather asking, in one's own trade, household, or profession, what He would actually do if He stood there instead. This reframing turns imitation from an abstract ideal into a very concrete, daily question, since it can be asked of a merchant, a physician, a laborer, or a parent just as easily as a minister. The command, in other words, is addressed to the whole of ordinary life, not reserved for its explicitly religious corners.

Turning to what makes this possible, Finney lists conditions that look surprisingly practical for so exalted a subject: sustained, attentive study of Christ's character until His actual aim is clearly grasped; a settled belief that one can, by grace, actually take on that aim, since no one seriously intends what he believes to be impossible; a real, deliberate decision to do it rather than hoping it happens by accident; a willingness to count the cost and sacrifice whatever competes with it; and a habit of immediate, unhurried repentance whenever something has quietly come between the soul and Christ, so that communion is never allowed to grow stale. He is equally direct about the cost of actually doing this — expect misunderstanding, opposition, and the loss of some friendships, since a self-seeking world rarely welcomes a life it cannot decode — but insists the exchange is not a loss: those who put on Christ inherit something of His own peace, joy, and usefulness, while those who merely profess His name without living His aim only deceive themselves and eventually stand exposed. For Finney, the whole force of the chapter lands here: partial devotion is not a milder version of Christianity but a different thing altogether, since a life genuinely aimed at Christ's end cannot be divided between Him and self-interest at the same time.

Main theological themes

• 'Putting on Christ' is total, active imitation of His governing aim — self-forgetful devotion to the good of others and the glory of God — not admiration from a distance or partial conformity.
• The command is universal in aim but particular in application: not copying Christ's exact circumstances, but asking what He would actually do in your own calling.
• Believing that grace makes this possible is itself a condition of attempting it, since no one genuinely intends what he is convinced he cannot do.

Key ideas

• The theatrical image behind 'put on Christ' demands more than outward compliance — it calls for absorbing His actual aim so deeply that one's own bearing comes to represent Him.
• Universal obligation does not mean identical circumstances; every believer asks what Christ would do in their own trade, household, or role, not what He literally did in His.
• Immediate, unhurried repentance whenever something comes between the soul and Christ keeps the 'channel' of communion clear, and neglecting this quietly stalls the whole imitation.
• Partial devotion is not a lesser form of putting on Christ but its opposite, since undivided singleness of aim was the very thing that defined His own life.

Important concepts

• Putting on, as theatrical imitation — Finney's key to the command: as an actor absorbs a character's spirit rather than merely reciting lines, the believer is to internalize Christ's actual aim so fully that daily conduct naturally represents Him.
• Circumstantial vs. principial imitation — The distinction Finney draws between copying Christ's literal historical situation (impossible and unnecessary for most) and asking what principle He would apply if He stood in your own particular calling.
• Keeping the channel clear — Finney's image for immediate, unhurried repentance whenever something comes between the soul and Christ, preventing small unconfessed matters from accumulating into a real breach of communion.

Related Bible references

• Ephesians 4:22-24
• Philippians 2:5-8
• 1 Peter 2:21
• Colossians 3:9-10
• 1 John 2:6

Practical Christian application

• Take your actual calling — your job, your household role, your daily relationships — and write down, honestly, what you think Christ would actually do there this week, then do that one thing.
• Practice 'keeping the channel clear' by confessing and repairing, the same day if possible, whatever small matter has quietly come between you and Christ, rather than letting it accumulate.
• Before excusing a compromise as unavoidable, ask directly whether you actually believe grace makes a fuller obedience possible in that situation, since unbelief here is often the real obstacle.

Questions for study