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The sweltering summer heat got me thinking about this intriguing "no sweat" message in the Bible. Can you relate? WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT A LITTLE SWEAT? If you live anywhere in the northern hemisphere, you’ve probably been dealing with sweltering temperatures in recent weeks. Here in the Carolinas, we’ve had several days near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and my Pakistani friends have had it even worse. There has been abundant heat and lots of perspiration this summer! Against this current backdrop, I was stunned by an intriguing Old Testament passage about the priests who would minister in the temple: “When they enter the gates of the inner court they are to wear linen garments; they must not have on them anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court and within it. They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists” (Ezekiel 44:17-18). Hmmm… So, what’s the big deal about wearing linen instead of wool? The passage continues with this explanation: “They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat.” This may seem like an insignificant difference to you, but it’s not. We all sweat, so perspiration is an inevitable part of our physical lives. But sweat in this passage is emblematic of something much deeper—God’s curse pronounced after Adam sinned: “You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground” (Genesis 3:17-19). This was a profound change from the life Adam and Eve originally had in the Garden of Eden. The Lord had lovingly placed them in a garden already abounding in food and other necessities (Genesis 2:8-9). No work on Adam’s part was necessary. All he had to do was partake of God’s gracious, unmerited gift. It was a wonderful life, and no sweat was required! The temple priests in Ezekiel’s day were supposed to model this same reality: salvation and provision based on grace rather than striving. In contrast, “wool” would have been symbolic of human effort and religious works—the very opposite of what Jesus later revealed in the gospel. When we see the marriage supper of the Lamb at the end of time, it shouldn’t surprise us how the bride will be dressed: “She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure” (Revelation 19:7-8). Notice that her wedding dress was a GIFT, something she was “given.” Personal Application I find myself quite challenged by this “no sweat” message. Those of us who “work for God” often perspire far too much. Instead of relying upon the power of the Holy Spirit, we exert our own fleshly effort. Rather than trusting in the Lord, we lean on our own expertise and ingenuity (Proverbs 3:5-7). Jesus taught that fleshly effort is unfruitful in bringing about eternal fruit (John 15:5, 15:16). Even worse, the thing it does produce is SWEAT. And although I don’t want to be too graphic, what does our sweat inevitably produce: BODY ODOR! Are you getting a clearer picture of why God’s holy priesthood should be clothed in “linen” garments instead of wool? Religion always ends up stinking! Let’s be brutally honest here. The world is tired of breathing the fumes of our religious perspiration. Instead, they’re craving a much different fragrance: the sweet aroma of Christ: “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Thanks be to God, indeed. This amazing supernatural transformation will impact our own lives and everyone around us. Yes, the Bible teaches that God’s grace will motivates us to work hard (1 Corinthians 15:10). However, the secret to the Christian life is not hard work but “Christ in us” (Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27). That’s the only way we can experience victorious, no-sweat Christianity. Some of us are due for a refreshing shower of God’s love to remove the stench. And let’s not forget to ditch the stinky religious attire infused with our sweat. Praise God, fresh linen garments are our future! www.JimBuchan.com