Biblical Precepts of Wedding garment by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly message: Biblical Wedding Garment 

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce 
Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

                    Do you qualify to wear wedding garment in the wedding supper of Lamb?  “Wedding garment” in Chinese says, “婚宴禮服” (Jie ien li fu )  (especially the outer robe): clothing or garment. In Greek says, “γάμος ἔνδυμα” (gamosa éndyma) ; “γάμος” gamosa interprets as wedding, wedding feast (Jh2.1); generally plural wedding festivities, wedding celebration (Mt.22:2). Figuratively, as the inauguration of the messianic kingdom by celebrating the union of Christ and the church at His return from heaven (Rv.19:7). In Matthew 22: 11 mention about the wedding garment is typified by the embroidered garment in the Psalm45:14 and is signified by the fine linen in Rev.19:8. In Psalm45:13-14 the queen has two garments: one corresponds with the objective righteousness, which is for our salvation and the other with the subjective righteousness, which are for our victory. The second garment is equivalent to the wedding garment in Mattt.22:11-12 qualified believers to come to the wedding feast. This is the surpassing righteousness of the overcoming believers mentioned in Matt.5:20. The man not clothed with a wedding garment is saved, because he has come to the wedding feast. He has received Christ as his righteousness that he might be justified before God (1Cor.1:30). However, he has not lived Christ out as his subjective righteousness (Phil.3:9) that he might participate in the enjoyment of the kingdom of the heavens. He has been called to salvation, but he has not been chosen for the enjoyment of the kingdom of the heavens, which is for the overcomers only.

The indwelling Christ lived out of us as our righteousness that we may live in the reality of the kingdom today and enter into its manifestation in the future. This righteousness of the kingdom people which is according to the new law of the kingdom surpasses that of the Pharisees which is according to the old law, the righteousness of letters which they practiced by their own life according to the old law of letters. This righteousness, which is likened to the wedding garment (Rev.22:11-12) can be produced only by a higher life, the resurrection life of Christ, qualifies us to participate in the wedding of the Lamb (Rev.19:7-8) and inherit the kingdom of the heavens in its manifestation that is to enter into the kingdom of the heavens in the millennium.

 Jesus used parable in the Matt22:1-14, the New Testament is likened to a wedding feast, with the focus mainly on the matter of enjoyment under grace. It’s different with the parable the Old Testament was likened to a vineyard in Chapter 21 the focus mainly on the matter of labor under the law.  The servants in v.3 are the first group of New Testament apostles.  In v.4 these are the apostles sent later by the Lord. The oxen and the fatted cattle refer to Christ, who was killed so that God’s chosen people could enjoy Him as a feast. It portrays that Jesus as Lamb of God who was slain so salvation reaches to people, Christ, as their righteousness so that they might be justified before God. And this is the first garment of righteous that they received for their salvation. The righteousness received for their salvation is objective and enables them to meet the requirement of the righteous God. In v. 7-9 “he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” these were the Roman troops who, under the leadership of Titus, destroyed Jerusalem in A.D.70. The rejection by the Jews made them unworthy to enjoy the New Testament (Acts.13:46). Because of the rejection by the Jews, the preaching of the New Testament turned to the Gentiles (Acts.13:46; Rom.11:11)    

  In the Matt.22:2 the wedding feast is the marriage supper of the Lamb in Rev.19:9. It will be a reward to the overcoming believers. Only the overcomers will be called to it, not all the saved ones will participate in it. The foolish virgins in Matt.25:8-13 will miss it. However, after being dealt with by the Lord in the kingdom age, they will participate in the New Jerusalem of eternity. Hence to be call to the marriage dinner of Christ, which will usher the overcoming believers into the enjoyment of the millennium, is to be blessed. The overcoming believers, who will be called to the marriage supper of Lamb, will also be the Bride of the Lamb.   

In the millennium the overcoming believers will be with Christ in the bright glory of the kingdom whereas the defeated believers will suffer discipline in outer darkness to be cast out into the outer darkness, is not to perish, it is to be dealt with dispensational to be disqualified from participating in the enjoyment of the kingdom during the millennium for not having lived by Christ an overcoming life. “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”(Matt.22:14)  “ἐκλεκτός”( ek-lek-tos') means, “select”; by implication, favorite: chosen, elect. To obtain salvation through Christ, hence Christians are called to receive salvation, whereas to be chosen is to receive a reward. All believers have been called but few will be chosen to receive a reward.

Application

 My friends, are you interested in this Wedding supper of Lamb? Do you qualify to wear wedding garment in the wedding supper of Lamb? Do you walk away from the invitation of Wedding feast? When you participate the wedding feast, you need to wear wedding garment. To wear the wedding garment, you need to be saved by accepting and believe Jesus Christ as your savior, receive Christ’s righteousness as your righteousness so you might be justified before God this is first garment. Then, living for Christ- “the resurrection life of Christ” each new day, and work on your salvation as Apostle Paul “pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called him upward.” (Phil3:14). This is second garment. Christians are called to receive salvation; however, to be chosen to receive a reward, we need to work hard to run this race in order to gain the reward.  May each one of us are qualified to participate the Wedding Supper of Lamb and put on the Wedding garment in that day.  

       

Bibliography,

 Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3^rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press,2000.

Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.