You Must Array Yourself for the Wedding Day

You Must Array Yourself for the Wedding Day

“And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Rev. 19:8.

One could believe that this verse contradicted itself. It says that the fine linen was granted to her, and at the same time it says that it is her righteous acts.

We are not saved by works lest anyone should boast. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:8-10.

Here we see that the works have been prepared beforehand, but we are not qualified to do them. He saves us without works. Salvation is a gift, and so He begins to educate us to do the works which He has beforehand made ready for us—because we are His workmanship.

As we can see, salvation, our education, as well as the works which He has prepared are all gifts. All of it has been granted to us. However, He does not do the works on our behalf. Not at all! They are given to us to do. We read, “To her it was granted to be arrayed . . . .” In other words, she has to array herself. The clean and bright linen in which she arrayed herself were her works. Therefore the works which God has prepared are clean and bright linen which He grants to Jesus’ bride. She arrays herself as she does these works. It has been granted to her to do them.

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ . . . .” Eph. 3:8.

This work cost Paul scourgings, imprisonment, hunger, and cold, but it was granted to Paul to array himself with this fine, bright linen for which he was deeply thankful. Demas did not see it that way. It was also granted to him to be together with Paul in this work, but he left the work and instead loved the present world.

Fine linen is not pleasant for flesh and blood, and those who desire to array themselves in it have to take up their cross and deny themselves. As a result there are many who, like Demas, despise the fine linen which God has granted to them in which to array themselves.

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Col. 3:12-13.

The vain person usually strives for things that make an impressive show in the eyes of man and are considered to be great. But if everything we do is done in Jesus’ name it is bright and fine linen. “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.” Here we have abundant opportunity to array ourselves in this linen. We answer and help and listen with tender mercy, goodness, humility, meekness, etc. If you perform your daily tasks with these virtues then they are this bright, fine linen in which it has been granted to you to be arrayed. And if you are faithful in that which is least (earthly works), you will also be entrusted with things that are worth more, namely, heavenly treasures.

We must not despise the works that God has granted us to do and think of something else. That will not result in fine linen on the wedding day. We must praise God for what He has granted us to do, whether it is earthly or spiritual, no matter how troublesome and inconvenient it is for the flesh. Let us do the works in the virtues of Christ, thanking God. Col. 3:17. Then we array ourselves in fine, bright linen for the wedding day, and it will be said about us: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.” Rev. 19:6-7.