Heavenly Wardrobe

February 21, 2012

 

Matthew 22:1-14

 

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’  The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.‘ For many are invited, but few are chosen

I grew up the youngest of eight. I have three sisters with all of us having very different personalities. Our food preferences, work-out regimens, taste in décor and wardrobe choices cover pretty much, the entire pendulum between the four of us. Especially our wardrobe choices. I like to dress with frills and accessories, while one sister is extremely simple and the other two hit somewhere in between. Now you may be thinking, where is she going with this? I have a point, I promise. Here on earth our clothing choices help define our exterior image. Some choose to blend in..some, like me, want to have a little flair and be different.  However, to be accepted into heaven we must all be wearing the SAME “wardrobe”!

Romans 13:14 “But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” . When we accepted Christ as our savior we were baptized into Christ and so we were all “clothed” with Christ. This clothing has nothing to do with dresses, jeans and blouses. God’s concern is with our spiritual garment. He offers a heavenly robe that only heaven can see and only heaven can give!

What does it mean to be “in Christ”?  The clothing illustration helps us understand. Why do we wear clothes? Because there are parts of our body we want to hide, right? The same can be true with our spiritual lives. Do we want God to see everything about us? I don’t think so, but the comfort comes in that He already sees our flaws despite our attempts to hide them and still calls to us. The wonderful gift God gives through salvation is Christ’s robe of righteousness. He took away my sin stained garments at the point of my belief and surrender and replaced them with his spotless robe of Grace.

 

There was a hymn I grew up singing that goes like this. “Are you garments spotless, are they white as snow, are you washed in the blood of the lamb?”. None of us want to be like the wedding guest in Matthew, who was rejected and thrown into darkness, where  there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. I know based on the authority of Scripture that I have been clothed in Christ. Beyond my salvation from my past sin stained garments, I desire to continue to walk in His truth, dying to my flesh and living in the Spirit. I don’t want to be ashamed but want to live fully and freely in Him, clothed as Isaiah says in 61:10 “ in a coat of goodness” . Does that mean I’m never going to mess up anymore? No, it means that my sins are covered when I ask forgiveness through Christ. It means they are blotted out and my Father is able to look upon me.

 

Let’s make sure we’re wearing the “right clothes” when our Bridegroom comes.

By: Brenda McMullen