THE CLOTHING OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

“’Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of
the saints.)” Rev. 19:7-8

For much of my Christian walk, I saw this passage through the eyes of legalism. Since this passage of Scripture tells us that the bride has made HERSELF ready (as
opposed to someone else making her ready) and it seems to indicate that it is
HER “good works” that accomplish this (“righteous acts of the saints”), it fed
the religious “works” mentality in me.

As the Lord has been delivering me from legalism the past several years, this Scripture has puzzled me. I knew that it couldn’t
possibly be speaking about our own works, as Isaiah 64:6 tells us that all our
righteous acts are as filthy rags, and Romans 3:10 says that there is no one
righteous. Galatians 2:21 also explains
that Christ died for nothing if righteousness could be gained through the
law. So why does it say that she has
made herself ready by her righteous acts (“fine linen”)?

One morning last week, I woke up with this passage of Scripture running through my mind. The Living Word began to speak to me about this passage, bringing forth revelation as to what He is really saying. He began by highlighting the second part of
the verse and the word “given.” The fine
linen was GIVEN to her; therefore, it wasn’t hers to begin with! Who gives her this fine linen? Christ does!
“…filled with the fruit of
righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ…” (Phil. 1:11)

He then highlighted the first part of the verse and showed me that the bride has made herself ready by putting on the “fine linen” that was given to her…by “clothing
herself in Christ!” “…clothe YOURSELVES with the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Rom. 13:14) HIS righteousness is the Bride’s clothing; she
just has to “put it (Him) on!” How does
she put on this fine linen? This fine
linen is put on by FAITH. “This righteousness from God comes through
faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…” (Rom. 3:22) “…By
his [Noah’s] faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness
that comes by faith.” (Heb. 11:7)
Faith is believing the Lord when He tells us that HE is our
righteousness.

The bride makes herself ready by putting on Christ. Christ is righteousness. She puts
on Christ by faith. How freeing to know
that we are not responsible to purchase this fine linen; it was purchased for
us at Calvary by our Bridegroom, Jesus!
Since it’s already been purchased and given to us, we simply choose to
put it (Him) on.

“…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider
them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found IN HIM, NOT HAVING A
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY OWN THAT COMES FROM THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH
FAITH IN CHRIST – THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD AND IS BY FAITH.” (Phil. 3:8-9)

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that IN HIM we might BECOME the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

Other Scriptures: Romans 1:17; 4:3-24; 10:3; I Cor. 1:30