Tuesday, July 15, 2025

The Bride's Two Garments of Righteousness

 

The Bride's Two Garments of Righteousness

Rev 19:7 Let us rejoice and exult and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.

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

Rev 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments: and I will by no means blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

 

Item

First Garment

 (Objective Righteousness)

Second Garment

 (Subjective Righteousness)

Basic Definition

Christ as the righteousness of believers, enabling them to be justified objectively before God when they repent and believe in Christ

Christ as the righteousness of believers, lived out from them as God's manifestation, enabling them to be justified subjectively by God

Essential Characteristics

Outward covering, objective justification, one-time

Inward supply, subjective justification, continuous

Mode of Operation

Putting on Christ as outward righteousness

Christ entering within as life supply, lived out from us

Temporal Nature

One-time, obtained at the moment of believing

Continuous, daily preparation needed

Purpose

Salvation, justification

Victory, approval

Biblical Types

Luke 15

Best robe - replaces prodigal's rags, makes him look good outwardly

Fatted calf - supplies life needs, causes facial transformation

Psalm 45

Garment woven with gold thread - gold signifies God's nature, enables us to come before God

Embroidered garment - embroidery signifies the Spirit's transforming work

Revelation Applications

Revelation 19

Bright and clean fine linen - wedding garment given by God

Righteousnesses of the saints - righteous acts as Christ gradually grows and lives out from us

Revelation 3:4-5

Basic salvation

White garments - overcomers who have not defiled their garments walk with the Lord in white

Revelation 3:18

Already possessed salvation position

White garments to buy - necessity to cover naked shame

The Spirit's Work

Nature of Work

Regenerating work, causing us to put on Christ

Embroidering work, transforming work

Mode of Work

One-time bestowal

Continuous transformation, daily pricking and changing

Work Result

Makes Christ our righteousness

The Spirit does embroidering work on us, producing transformation

Believer's Cooperation

How to Obtain

Repent and believe, receive Christ

Submit to the Spirit, let Christ grow and live out

Daily Practice

Already put on Christ, have righteous position

Daily walk according to the Spirit of life, live the Spirit's life

Feeding Method

One-time receiving of Christ

Continually eating and drinking Christ, let Christ grow within us

Characteristics & Materials

Outward Features

Covering, beautifying appearance

Bright, shining, pure

Material Symbolism

Woven with gold thread - God's nature

Embroidery - the Spirit's transforming work

Composition

Christ as God's beauty given to us as our clothing

Christ as righteousness wrought into us, becoming our constitution

Function & Results

Justification Aspect

Justified before God

Approved before Christ's judgment seat

Position & Living

Righteous position

Righteous living

Salvation & Victory

Enables salvation, ability to come before God

Enables victory, qualification to participate in the Lamb's wedding

Covering & Transformation

Covers sin, accepted by God

Inward transformation, living out God

Important Scriptures

Justification Verses

Rom 3:22; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9; Isa 61:10

Rom 8:4; Gal 5:16; Phil 2:13; Matt 5:20

Typical Verses

Luke 15:22; Psa 45:13

Luke 15:23; Psa 45:14

Revelation Verses

Rev 19:8a "And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and clean"

Rev 19:8b "for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints"; Rev 3:4-5; Rev 3:18

Warning Verses

Without this garment, cannot be saved

Matt 22:11-12 - without wedding garment, cast out of wedding

Mode of Production

God's Work

God's gift, given once

God's gift, requires our cooperation to produce

Transformation Process

Immediate putting on

Gradual growing and living out

Mode of Experience

Justified by faith

Approved by works

Significance for the Bride

Nature of Bride

Redeemed people

Redeemed, transformed tripartite people

Preparation Level

Basic salvation preparation

Complete wedding preparation

Beauty Level

Basic covering

Bride's beauty, bright and clean fine linen

Solemn Warnings

Consequences of Lacking

Cannot be saved

Will miss the wedding

Biblical Emphasis

Foundation of the gospel

Revelation especially emphasizes the second garment

Qualification for Selection

Basic condition for salvation

Only those wearing embroidered garments will be selected to participate in the Lamb's wedding

Practical Application

At Salvation

Believe in Christ, obtain Christ as righteousness, justified before God

Christ enters believers as life and life supply

Daily Life

Already put on Christ, have righteous position

Need to daily, monthly, yearly live the life in the Spirit

Wedding Preparation

Christ as God's beauty given to us to wear

Daily prepare bright fine linen to cover ourselves

Ultimate Goal

Not condemned

When the Lord comes, wearing bright and clean wedding garment, not found naked

Distinctions & Connections

Nature Distinctions

Objective vs subjective, outward vs inward, one-time vs continuous

Both are Christ as our righteousness, neither can be lacking

Function Distinctions

Justification vs sanctification, covering vs transformation, position vs living

First position, then living; first justification, then sanctification

Preparation Distinctions

Given by God, no preparation needed

Daily preparation and continuous practice needed

Result Distinctions

Salvation, accepted before God

Victory, participation in the bride when Christ comes

 

Conclusion and Exhortation:

The Complete Truth of Two Garments of Righteousness:

  • First Garment: Gold-woven garment, best robeObjective righteousness enabling salvation and justification
  • Second Garment: Embroidered garment, bright and clean fine linen, white garmentsSubjective righteousness enabling victory and approval

Solemn Warnings:

  • Without the first garment, cannot be saved
  • Without the second garment, will miss the wedding
  • Revelation especially emphasizes the importance of the second garment

Practical Exercise:

1.      Receive Christ as objective righteousness (first garment)

2.      Let Christ be subjective righteousness (second garment)

3.      Daily walk according to the Spirit of life

4.      Continually eat and drink Christ, let Christ grow

5.      Be transformed under the Spirit's embroidering work

6.      Daily prepare bright fine linen

May we all put on these two garments, both saved and victorious, both justified and approved, becoming His glorious bride when the Lord comes!

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Memorial Day Blending Conference. General Topic: Preparation of the Bride. Chapter 5: Righteousness of the Bride.

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