Purple Cloth

I wrote a fiction book called Faded Purple. It was an allegory and it turned out to be harder than I expected because I am a straight shooter. I like to lay the truth out as plain and open as possible. So the allegory, which talked through symbolism, became difficult often. I wrote this story in allegory form because I wanted to hide the identities of those who became characters in this story even though no one character points to a specific individual. In fact each character in the story is a combination of several people but they all had the same problem. Confusion about their identity, a confusion that caused them to stumble through life, led them into much trouble until they encountered truth about who they really were by understanding their relationship to Abba.

A problem with identity seems to be a common dysfunction amongst believers. I have struggled with it also. We cannot seem to grasp a healthy view of who we are, where we are going and why we are here. In Faded Purple each believer is given purple cloth and this cloth represents their connection to Abba. When they sin or fall short of expectations they see the cloth fade, but in reality the cloth never fades. They, due to feelings of guilt, failure, pride or the words of others, lose sight of their identity. Once Abba gets their attention, He leads them into the truth of His relationship with Him and they overcome.

Christ, of course, is our Abba. He places on us Robes of Righteousness (purple cloth). Since this is His righteousness given freely to us, a righteousness that we did not create, maintain, or even deserve, a righteousness that He puts on us, a righteousness we can not lose or tarnish or ruin, it is ours forever regardless. It is part of the gift, it is part of grace, it is part of salvation. Read Romans. Much time is devoted to this righteousness, where it comes from, why we have it and how it is imparted to us.

I am convinced that the enemy of our soul takes each child of God aside often and tries to convince them they fall short of the glory of God, that they are disqualified and can never be acceptable in God's sight because of sins, or background, or thoughts or... you name it.
When this evil goal to steal our identity is put in place, and a believer buys into the lie, they live like a failure.

My goal this morning is to point to the victory Christ's blood bought for you and me. Part of the armor is the breastplate of righteousness. Know it is part of the gift, part of your salvation and you wear robes of righteousness (purple cloth).

2 Cor. 10:4-5; Eph. 6:13-17; Romans