Basic HTML Version
When Christ Comes His Reward is with Him, November 26
Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness.
Psalm 35:24
.
When the king came in to view the guests, the real character of all was revealed.
For every guest at the feast there had been provided a wedding garment. This
garment was a gift from the king. By wearing it the guests showed their respect for
the giver of the feast. But one man was clothed in his common citizen dress. He
had refused to make the preparation required by the king. The garment provided
for him at great cost he disdained to wear. Thus he insulted his lord. To the king’s
demand, “How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?” he could
answer nothing. He was self-condemned. Then the king said, “Bind him hand and
foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.”
By the king’s examination of the guests at the feast is represented a work of
judgment. The guests at the gospel feast are those who profess to serve God, those
whose names are written in the book of life. But not all who profess to be Christians
are true disciples. Before the final reward is given, it must be decided who are fitted
to share the inheritance of the righteous. This decision must be made prior to the
second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven; for when He comes, His reward is
with Him, “to give every man according as his work shall be.” Before His coming,
then, the character of every man’s work will have been determined, and to every one
of Christ’s followers the reward will have been apportioned according to his deeds.
It is while men are still dwelling upon the earth that the work of investigative
judgment takes place in the courts of heaven. The lives of all His professed followers
pass in review before God. All are examined according to the record of the books of
heaven, and according to his deeds the destiny of each is forever fixed.
By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character
which Christ’s true followers will possess. To the church it is given “that she should
be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,” “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing.” 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.... This covering, the
robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul
(
Christ’s Object Lessons, 309-311
).
[345]
349