Rags to Robes

In his book, The Cross and the Switchblade, pastor David Wilkerson writes about the incredible miracles he witnessed the Lord perform while he ministered among the street gangs of New York City during the 1950s & 60s. One of the wayward kids that Wilkerson reached out to was Nicky Cruz, who was the worst of the worst. Cruz was the leader of the brutal Mau Mau gang, a position he gained by being the most violent and feared knife-fighter on the streets.

When Wilkerson showed up and started preaching to the gangs, Cruz reacted hatefully by spitting at the preacher and telling him if he came back, he would kill him. Wilkerson replied, “You could cut me up into a thousand pieces and lay them in the street. Every piece will still love you.” Those words haunted Cruz until he showed up again at one of Wilkerson’s youth rallies.

David Wilkerson and Nicky Cruz

Upon hearing the Gospel and the love of God, Cruz amazingly gave his life to Christ. His transformation was radical. He traded his switchblade for a Bible. He got rid of his gang garb, removing the “MM” patch from his jacket that labeled his membership in the gang. Almost immediately, Cruz felt a calling to become a preacher (which he did) and attend Bible college.

Cruz talked about one particular moment soon after his conversion in which he realized that Jesus had dramatically changed him: “While walking down the street one day, a rival gang member confronted me and said, ‘Is it true you don’t carry weapons anymore?’ I told him it was true and he pulled out a ten-inch knife and went for my chest. I threw up my hands and caught the blade between my palms. I don’t know why but the other guy ran, and I stood there looking at the blood coming from my hand. I remembered how the sight of blood would make me go crazy with rage, but it didn’t that day. Words came into my mind that I’d read from my Bible—“The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin.”[1]  

In Colossians 3 Paul writes about the believer’s salvation and sanctification by using the analogy of a wardrobe change. When we come to Christ, we take off the old rags of the sinful life and put on the new robes of Christ-like character. “8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self . . . 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience . . . 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Col. 3:8-9, 12, 14).

Nicky Cruz took off his gang clothes and put on Jesus Christ. The spiritual wardrobe that Jesus offers, changes us from the inside out. Though we come to the cross dressed in sin, we leave the cross dressed in the righteousness of Christ. As the old hymn says, “Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin and be washed in the blood of the lamb.” But this isn’t just a one-time action. We must daily shed the garments of the old life and put on the character of Christ. -DM

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[1] David Wilkerson, The Cross and the Switchblade (New York: Jove Books, 1962), 91.