The Wedding Garment

Mat. 22:1 -  14

Foreword:

"Come, make ready, put on your wedding garments; clothe yourselves with meekness, humility, and truth, and have yourselves clad in the righteousness of Christ, that you may be able to appear before Him, and enter into the guest chamber with those who shall sit with Me at the wedding of My Son."  {1SAT 5.4}  

All must be clothed with the wedding garment in order to be accepted, lest we be found speechless.  {1SAT 6.1}

Mat 22:1 - 14

Mat 22:1  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

Mat 22:2  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

Mat 22:3  And sent forth his servants* to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Mat 22:4  Again, he sent forth other servants**, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Mat 22:5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

Mat 22:6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them*.

Mat 22:7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Mat 22:8  Then saith he to his servants***, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Mat 22:9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

Mat 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:*

Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Our blessed hope and the conditions:

….He who loved us so much as to die for us hath builded for us a city. The New Jerusalem is our place of rest. There will be no sadness  in the City of God. No wail of sorrow, no dirge of crushed hopes and buried affections, will evermore be heard. Soon the garments of heaviness will be changed for the wedding garment. Soon we shall witness the coronation of our King.

 Those whose lives have been hidden with Christ, those who on this earth have fought the good fight of faith, will shine forth with the Redeemer's glory in the kingdom of God.  {AH 542.3}  

Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

….He who loved us so much as to die for us hath builded for us a city. The New Jerusalem is our place of rest. There will be no sadness  in the City of God. No wail of sorrow, no dirge of crushed hopes and buried affections, will evermore be heard. Soon the garments of heaviness will be changed for the wedding garment. Soon we shall witness the coronation of our King.

 Those whose lives have been hidden with Christ, those who on this earth have fought the good fight of faith, will shine forth with the Redeemer's glory in the kingdom of God.  {AH 542.3}  

The parable of the wedding: 

 Marriage is represented the union of humanity with divinity;

Wedding garment represents the character which all must possess who shall be accounted fit guests for the wedding  {COL 307.1} 

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." Revelation 19:8; Ephesians 5:27. {COL 310.3} 

The fine linen, says the Scripture,…. 

"is the righteousness of saints." Revelation 19:8. 

It is the righteousness of Christ, 

His own unblemished character, 

that through faith is imparted to all 

who receive Him as their personal Saviour.  {COL 310.3} 

For every repenting, believing soul:

Only the covering which Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God's presence. 

This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul. 

"I counsel thee," He says, "to buy of Me . . . white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." Revelation 3:18.  {COL 311.3}  

2 Parables: wedding garment and great supper illustrate the following:

1. The gospel invitation – 

a. Provided with guests;

b. Preparation is needed by all who attend the feast;

c. Those who neglect this preparation are cast out  {COL 308.1} 

2. Rejection by the Jewish people – brings deeper insult and dreadful punishment

a. King’s authority is despised, unappreciated;

b. Invitation was regarded with indifference**;

c. Kin is met with insult and murder (his servants were treated with scorn, and slayed them).

3. Call of mercy to the Gentiles

The guests {COL 310.1} 

those who profess to serve God;

those whose names are written in the book of life;

Those who are truly converted*;

BUT not all who profess to be Christians are true disciples.

the sign of the cross of Calvary

….The intelligent mind has seen the sign of the cross of Calvary in the Lord's adopted sons and daughters. 

The sin of the transgression of the law of God is taken away. 

They have on the wedding garment, and are obedient and faithful to all God's commands (Letter 126, 1898).  {7BC 968.13} 

The judgment of the living:

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." Revelation 22:12. 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.  {COL 310.1}  

not one thread of human devising:

This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us.

 "All our righteousness are as filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6. Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. {COL 311.4} 

to be clothed with the garment:

When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness.

his requirements:

The guests at the marriage feast were inspected by the king. Only those were accepted who had obeyed his requirements and put on the wedding garment. So it is with the guests at the gospel feast. All must pass the scrutiny of the great King, and only those are received who have put on the robe of Christ's righteousness.  {COL 312.1}

those without a wedding garment:

The man who came to the feast without a wedding garment represents the condition of many in our world today. 

They profess to be Christians, and lay claim to the blessings and privileges of the gospel**; 

yet they feel no need of a transformation of character. 

They have never felt true repentance for sin. {COL 315.2} 

They do not realize their need of Christ or exercise faith in Him. 

They have not overcome their hereditary** or cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. 

Yet they think that they are good enough in themselves, and they rest upon their own merits instead of trusting in Christ. 

Hearers of the word, they come to the banquet, but they have not put on the robe of Christ's righteousness.  {COL 315.2}  

Many who call themselves Christians are mere human moralists. 

They have refused the gift which alone could enable them to honor Christ by representing Him to the world. 

The work of the Holy Spirit is to them a strange work. 

They are not doers of the word. 

The heavenly principles that distinguish those who are one with Christ from those who are one with the world have become almost indistinguishable. {COL 315.3} 

The professed followers of Christ are no longer a separate and peculiar people. 

The line of demarcation is indistinct. 

The people are subordinating themselves to the world, to its practices, its customs, its selfishness. 

The church has gone over to the world in transgression of the law*, when the world should have come over to the church in obedience to the law. 

Daily the church is being converted to the world.  {COL 315.3} 

no excuse in the defects of character

Those who reject the gift of Christ's righteousness are 

rejecting the attributes of character which would constitute them the sons and daughters of God. They are rejecting that which alone could give them a fitness for a place at the marriage feast.  {COL 316.4}  

     In the parable, when the king inquired, "How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?" the man was speechless. So it will be in the great judgment day. Men may now excuse their defects of character, but in that day they will offer no excuse.  {COL 317.1}  

Those who are truly converted {COL 318.1} :

Memory quickened of the love of God expressed in Jesus. 

Eyes attracted to the cross of Christ. 

Hearts deeply moved by a sense of the sin that crucified the Son of God. 

Hearts were convicted. 

Saw the steps to be taken in conversion; 

Felt the power of the gospel; 

Hearts were made tender as they saw the sweetness of the love of God. 

Beheld the beauty of the character of Christ. 

Those who are lost:

But with the many it was all in vain:

 They would not surrender their own habits and character. 

They would not put off the garments of earth in order to be clothed with the robe of heaven. 

Their hearts were given to covetousness. 

They loved the associations of the world more than they loved their God.  {COL 318.1}  

the books were opened

"I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, …and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:11, 12.  {COL 318.2}  

     …..Men will then see that the righteousness they despised is alone of value. They will see that they have fashioned their characters under the deceptive allurements of Satan. The garments they have chosen are the badge of their allegiance to the first great apostate… .{COL 318.3}  

     ……. It is in this life that we are to put on the robe of Christ's righteousness. This is our only opportunity to form characters for the home which Christ has made ready for those who obey His commandments.  {COL 319.1}  

Blessed is he that watcheth:

"In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." Matthew 24:44; Revelation 16:15.  {COL 319.3}  

God has a people upon the earth who in faith and holy hope are tracing down the roll of fast-fulfilling prophecy, and are seeking to purify their souls by obeying the truth, that they may not be found without the wedding garment when Christ shall appear.--Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 307.  {ChS 46.1}

To deny self is To have the wedding garment 

Christ declares, "He that will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." 

Those who have on the wedding garment, the robe of Christ's righteousness, will not question whether they should lift the cross, and follow in the footsteps of the Saviour. 

Willingly and cheerfully they will obey His commands. -- R. & H., Sept. 19, 1899.  {CS 227.1}

Flesh can do nothing:

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.  {AG 24.4}  

investigative Judgment (examination of character) is to take place before the marriage

…Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, [Matthew 22:11.]—to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. [Revelation 7:14.] 

He who is found wanting is cast out, but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on, are accepted of God, and accounted worthy of a share in his kingdom and a seat upon his throne.  {GC88 428.1} 

Wedding garment: a gift from the king

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."  {LHU 344.2}  

We can hide nothing from our Maker

That garment will never cover deceit, impurity, corruption, or hypocrisy. 

The eye of God is upon you.... We may conceal our sins from the eyes of men, but we can hide nothing from our Maker.  {Mar 79.4}  

It is impossible for man to save himself

... He may deceive himself in regard to this matter, but he cannot save himself. 

Christ's righteousness alone can avail for his salvation, and this is the gift of God. This is the wedding garment in which you may appear as a welcome guest at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Let faith take hold of Christ without delay, and you will be a new creature in Jesus, a light to the world.  {1SM 331.1}  

Need of Repentance {6T 297.1}

It is now high time that we repent. 

All the people of God should interest themselves in the work of doing good. 

They should unite heart and soul in earnest endeavor to uplift and enlighten their fellow men. 

They should put on the wedding garment that Christ has provided, that they may be prepared to work in His lines. 

They should not receive the grace of God in vain. With humble, devoted reverence they should labor on the right hand and on the left, consecrating to God their entire service and all their capabilities.  

The call: Be ye clean {TM 444.1}

I call upon ministers who have been handling the word of God, "Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord." I ask the people who have listened to the truths from the pulpit, What are your feelings in anticipation of that great day? 

In that day you have each an individual, personal interest. Be assured, God will not be mocked with pretensions*. Have you the wedding garment on?  

…..you go forth to act any part in the cause of my Master. Now is your time to seek a preparation and readiness for the fearful test which is before us--that holiness without which no man shall see God. Let none say, My way is hid from the Lord; God taketh no knowledge of my ways. Now it may be it is not too late. Now it may be you can repent. But even if pardon is written against your names, you will sustain terrible loss; for the scars you have made upon your souls will remain.  {TM 447.1}  

2Ti_3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the TRUTH

2Ti_3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the POWER thereof: from such turn away.

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works*; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

REPENTANCE: A GIFT FROM GOD

Act_20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and FAITH  toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom_2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

2Pe_3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Be not like the 5 foolish virgins:

Let none follow the example of the foolish virgins and think that it will be safe to wait until the crisis comes before gaining a preparation of character to stand in that time. It will be too late to seek for the righteousness of Christ when the guests are called in and examined. 

Now is the time to put on the righteousness of Christ --the wedding garment that will fit you to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. 

{TMK 350.2}

Be prepared: develop Jesus character 

In the parable, the foolish virgins are represented as begging for oil and failing to receive it at their request. This is symbolic of those who have not prepared themselves by developing a character to stand in a time of crisis. It is as if they should go to their neighbors and say, Give me your character or I shall be lost. Those that were wise could not impart their oil to the flickering lamps of the foolish virgins. {TMK 350.2}  

Character is not transferable

It is not to be bought or sold; it is to be acquired. The Lord has given to every  individual an opportunity to obtain a righteous character . . ., but He has not provided a way by which one human agent may impart to another the character which he has developed.*** . . .  {TMK 350.2}  

Now is the time:

Now is the time to put on the righteousness of Christ – the wedding garment that will fit you to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb.

{TMK 350.2} 

May we find mercy and grace before the LORD.

Amen!

God bless us all.