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The Youth’s Instructor

236/477

October 21, 1897

Have You the Wedding Garment?

Part 1.

EGW

The Lord Jesus has sent a most solemn message to the Laodicean church. He says: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” YI October 21, 1897, par. 1

In the counsel of the True Witness, he urges upon his people the necessity of being clothed in the white garment of his righteousness. Every guest accepted for the marriage supper of the Lamb will be arrayed in this spotless robe. But Satan is determined that those who have been sinners shall not wear this spotless garment, and he is seeking to obtain unlimited power over them. The controversy over those who have been purchased by the blood of Christ is pictured by the prophet. He says: “And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” Joshua represents those who are making a penitent plea at the throne of grace, and Satan stands as their adversary to accuse them before Christ. The prophet continues: “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those who stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head. So they set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” YI October 21, 1897, par. 2

The wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ, and represents the character of those who will be accepted as guests for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Those who have transgressed the law, who have committed sin, can find no saving quality in the law which condemns them, but Christ has become the sin-bearer for the whole world. John says: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Those who receive Christ as their personal Saviour, yield up their way to his will and his way. They cast their sins upon him, and receive and rejoice in the imputed righteousness of Christ. They know what it means to have a change of raiment. “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.... And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” YI October 21, 1897, par. 3

Mrs. E. G. White