Chapter 16—The Royal Robe
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelation
19:8
.
The parable of the wedding garment [
Matthew 22:1-14
] opens before us a
lesson of the highest consequence.... By the wedding garment in the parable
is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ’s true followers will
possess.... The fine linen, says the Scripture, “is the righteousness of saints.”
It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through
faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour.
The white robe of innocence was worn by our first parents when they
were placed by God in holy Eden. They lived in perfect conformity to the
will of God.... A beautiful soft light, the light of God, enshrouded the holy
pair.... But when sin entered, they severed their connection with God, and
the light that had encircled them departed. Naked and ashamed, they tried to
supply the place of the heavenly garments by sewing together fig leaves for
a covering.
We cannot provide a robe of righteousness for ourselves, for the prophet
says, “All our righteousness are as filthy rags” (
Isaiah 64:6
). There is nothing
in us from which we can clothe the soul so that its nakedness shall not appear.
We are to receive the robe of righteousness woven in the loom of heaven,
even the spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness.
God has made ample provision that we may stand perfect in His grace,
wanting in nothing, waiting for the appearing of our Lord. Are you ready?
Have you the wedding garment on? That garment will never cover deceit,
impurity, corruption, or hypocrisy. The eye of God is upon you. It is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. We may conceal our sins
from the eyes of men, but we can hide nothing from our Maker.
Let the youth and the little children be taught to choose for themselves
that royal robe woven in heaven’s loom—the “fine linen, clean and white,”
which all the holy ones of earth will wear. This robe, Christ’s own spotless
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