White Garments and the Righteousness of Christ
The air was fresh and crisp, and the late morning temperature was barely below freezing. The bright morning sun set the snow aflame with sparkling diamonds of light. The effect was brilliant but blinding, and I needed sunglasses. Seeing the brilliant white snow made it easy to see why snow blindness might be an issue.
The Bible often uses the color white as a metaphor for purity.
We see an example of that on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Mark 9:2-4 ESV
In writing to the church in Sardis, John spoke of the Lord’s promise of white garments.
Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Revelation 3:4-5 ESV
The idea of new garments for old, putting on a new nature, shows up in a beautiful Old Testament prophetic passage. Admittedly it doesn’t mention “white,” but we see a delightful picture of the transformation.
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. Zechariah 3:1-5 ESV
My dear friends, that is what happens to you and me as believers. When we turn to Christ, we exchange our filthy rags of sin for the covering of His righteousness. In glory, when we are free of any taint or possibility of sin and fully righteous, we will have our own white garments. We will be entirely righteous and whole and able to serve, worship and fellowship fully with the Lord of our salvation.
How glorious will that be? I look forward to seeing all of you clothed in robes of white, so brilliant it makes the eyes hurt.
None of us deserve to be covered in the imputed righteousness of Christ, yet in His perfect love and mercy, He makes it possible. It is a gift we cannot earn, but we must humbly accept it in repentant faith.
Be blessed
Kevin
SUMMARY
The blinding brightness of sunlit snow reminded me how Scripture pictures purity in dazzling white garments. Through Christ, we are offered that same white covering as a gift, not something we can earn.
TAKEAWAY
You don’t have to clean yourself up before coming to Christ. Like Joshua the high priest, He removes what’s filthy and clothes you in what’s pure.
The white garments Revelation promises the redeemed picture complete, unstained righteousness, not a reward for good behavior.
This righteousness isn’t something you earn. It’s a gift you receive by turning to Christ in repentant faith.
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