When we were last together I revealed the identity of the reward that Jesus brings with Him the day He returns...Rev. 22:12. In the next few blogs we will delve into the scriptures to see what they say about His reward - the Robe of Righteousness...Is. 61:10. There is another garment mentioned in this reference: Garment(s) of Salvation.
Most mainstream denominations do not differentiate between these garments. Since Isaiah reveals two different garments, I had to find out if Jesus said anything about them. If you want to know what Jesus says about this subject, come along with me to see what my 40 years of research into the scriptures revealed about this vey important subject. Did you ever hear a sermon preached about a Wedding Garment ( Robe of Righteousness)? Sadly, I didn't either. But I am excited to share with you my findings.
Jesus left us with many prophetic parables which describe how important it is, when believers stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ, for us to be wearing two garments: (1) Garment of Salvation (2) Robe of Righteousness - called a Wedding Garment in the New Testament. While this is a future event, Jesus delineated in clear words - no interpretation needed - to His disciples how important it is for them to be wearing a Wedding Garment on that Day.
The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matt. 22:1-14) begins with the appearance of Jesus Christ to Israel to the end of the world when the wedding of His Son to His Church takes place - Marriage of the Lamb...Rev. 19:7. Let's keep in mind that Marriage of the Lamb is metaphorical language. When we hear the word marriage, we get an instant thought of an earthy marriage with all its trappings. What does Marriage of the Lamb mean?
Just before Jesus was captured and crucified He prayed an intense prayer regarding His apostles, and all generations that follow them...John 17:6-26. In verse 21, Jesus reveals how He was sent to spiritually unite His followers to God ,the Father, when He prayed...that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. Jesus is inviting all who desire Him, to be spiritually united with Him and His Father in a union of Us. This is why the sacred union of an earthy marriage is metaphorically used to help us understand the holiness of this spiritual event.
The kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come...again, he sent out other servants, saying, tell those who are invited, see, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready...come to the wedding...but they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business...and the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them...but when the king heard about it, he was furious, and he sent his armies, destroyed those murders, and burned up their city...verses 2-7 of the Parable of the Wedding Feast.
This portion of the prophetic parable describes the arrival of Jesus in Israel where He personally witnessed to the Jewish people that He was the Messiah promised to them by the prophets - they were not willing to accept Him. Then He sent His followers to witness to them, but Israel rejected them also and killed them. Then God sent armies to destroy them and burn their city - war of 70 A.D.
Then he said to his servants...the wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy...therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding...so those servants went out into the highways and gathered all who were found, both bad and good...and the wedding hall was filled with guests...but when the king came to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment...verses 8-11 of the Parable of the Wedding Feast.
In this portion of the prophetic parable the followers of Jesus were sent to the Gentiles, because the first ones to be invited to the Wedding - the Chosen Ones - rejected His offer. All people of the earth were now invited to the Wedding - both good and bad. The next scene is the end of the world depicted by the king - God - coming to see the guests who have filled Wedding Hall - those who have been received into Heaven and are prepared for the Marriage of the Lamb - His Son.
When God arrived to check on His guests, He spotted a man who stood out among the rest of His guests. Why did this man stand out from the rest of the guests? This man didn't have on a Wedding Garment! We know this man was in Heaven because he had wandered into the Wedding Hall - so he was a born again believer in Jesus Christ.
So he said to him, "Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?" And he was speechless...the king said to his servants, "Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For many are called, but few are chosen...verses 12-14 of the Parable of the Wedding Feast.
Why was the man speechless when God told him he wasn't properly attired to be in the Wedding Hall? The word speechless means to muzzle: he was incapable of verbally expressing his shock at this question from the Lord. Didn't a pastor or Bible teacher tell him he needed a Wedding Garment? Why didn't this man read this prophetic parable, you may be asking?
What will happen to the man who is not attired properly, and must leave the Wedding Hall? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
In blog #10 of this series, I asked two questions: (1) where is outer darkness and what is the reward that Jesus brings with Him when He returns...behold I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work...Rev. 22:12. We can see that His reward is inextricably connected to our work(s) on the earth. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad...II Cor. 5:10.
In blog #11, I explained where in Heaven we will find a place called Outer Darkness. Today we will begin to find out what the scriptures reveal about the reward Jesus brings with Him, and what His prophetic parables say about the loss a believer will experience if Jesus is unable to give His reward to him. Light will be shed upon this important topic.
The Apostle Paul said regarding the foundation of salvation built by Jesus Christ...if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward...if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:1-15. Again, we can see clearly that our work(s) on the earth is connected to His reward. Paul is explaining to born again believer's that the work(s) they do on the earth for the Lord will be judged at the Great White Throne on the day He returns.
In order to prevent our house from burning up at the Judgment Seat of Christ, there are two garments that must be worn by a born again believer. Prophetically, the prophet Isaiah says regarding this Day...I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me in the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels...Is. 61:10.
We can see clearly there is a garment of salvation and a robe of righteousness. If a believer is not adorned with the robe of righteousness on that Day, his house will burn up and he will not receive the very important reward. But...because his sins have been forgiven, he is washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, he is welcomed into Heaven, because he is wearing the garment of salvation.
We must be very clear: sins forgiven by Jesus Christ while we live on the earth, are never to be equated with our works being judged on that Day. Sadly, denominational doctrines of men have done just that, creating confusion and perplexity in the minds of believer's. Because of this, many believer's will not be prepared on that Day, so their house will burn up and they will experience great loss - causing sobbing and wailing with grief and sorrow...weeping and gnashing of teeth...Matt. 22:13. My passion is to prevent this horrific loss.
It will take more than today's blog to provide all the prophetic scriptures that pertain to His reward, and the subsequent loss, but let us at least begin today. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready...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. 19:7-8.
I believe this scripture is very clear, no interpretation needed. The righteous acts - works - of a believer weave a fine linen garment that is given to him on that Day, by Jesus Christ. During this series I have carefully revealed scripture that describes the works of a believer - good and bad - righteous and unrighteous. The day Jesus returns, the reward He brings with Him is a fine linen garment - robe of righteous - woven by the righteous acts of each believer.
This is why the garment He brings with Him is called a robe of righteousness - righteous acts of the saints - because the unrighteous works of the saints burned up on that Day. Only saints who built their house from righteous acts - treasures stored in Heaven - will be prepared for the Day - will be able to receive the reward of the Lord.
If anything we accomplish on the earth can burn up at the fiery end of the world, these same works will also burn up when they are judged by the fire of the glory of God on that day. Only treasures that we have stored in Heaven - righteous acts - will survive His judgment when our books are opened for us to see what has been recorded...Rev. 20:12.
Humility, love, patience, kindness, peace, longsuffering, faithfulness, self-control, forgiveness - feed the hungry, water for the thirsty, clothe the naked, compassion on the sick, visit those in prison , help the widows and the orphans, will produce treasures in Heaven - no fire can burn them up. All these attributes of Christ, among others, will weave your robe of righteousness - the reward Jesus brings with Him on that Day.
What does Jesus say about a Wedding Garment - Robe of Righteousness - in His prophetic Parable of the Wedding Feast? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
Did you see a report released a few days ago regarding an extensive survey, revealing that only one in four people in America believe that the Bible is the pure Word of God? Three-fourths believe it is either comprised of some truth, or is mostly myths and fables.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God...I Cor. 1:18. As a young person I tried to read the Bible, but could not understand it, other than...God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life...John 3:16. Oh, how I believed this scripture, but didn't think it applied to me - I was a hopeless failure, because my Dad told me so when I was age 13.
After considering myself a failure for so many years, one night I found myself with a gun in my hand, struggling to get the bullets out of the box, to end my misery. Before I could get a bullet in the chamber I heard the audible voice of God, which shocked me - and stopped me. That night Jesus Christ became my Savior and Lord, and my eyes were finally opened to spiritual things - the cross was no longer foolishness to me.
As I began my search of the Word of God I was filled with joy, which I had never experienced. Then I found a text that was so sobering that my heart was grieved - how could this be? Jesus said in His own words...enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it...because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it...Matt. 7:13-14.
I fell to my knees and cried out to God, "How could this be? If they ever really knew Jesus personally, like I do now, how could they ever choose the wide road to destruction? I determined that I would witness the saving, healing and delivering power of my Savior to anyone that would listen, so they won't choose the wide road to destruction. But now, 45 years later, I read this most discouraging survey that reveals the accuracy of this scripture - so I am grieved in my spirit once again.
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened...and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books...Rev. 20:11-12. Apparently every Christian has a book where all the works they accomplished on the earth are written - both good and bad. If the works found in his book glorified and honored Jesus Christ the house he built on the earth will not burn up. If his works glorified and honored himself or the world, his house will burn up.
When we were last together Christians are standing at the Judgment Seat of Christ, where the one-talent - unprofitable servant - finds that the house he built while he lived on the earth burns up...but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:15. This means he is wearing the Garment of Salvation - free gift from God - so he can enter Heaven but...he will suffer loss...I Cor. 3:16.
What is the loss? While this believer is saved by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and will be welcomed into Heaven, Jesus will not be able to give this Christian His reward. Instead, He must...cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness...there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...Matt. 25:30.
All three references to outer darkness are found in the gospel of Matthew: 8:12; 22:13; 25:30. Every Bible teacher I studied under said this means Hell - but does it? If this believer is saved and can enter Heaven, but is sent to a place in Heaven called outer darkness, how could outer darkness be Hell? My readers know that I ask a lot of questions, and must find scriptural answers to the questions, even if the answer contradicts the doctrines of men.
The word darkness in the original Greek language is skotos meaning: obscurity; shadiness-darkness of error; adumbration - outline/sketch. The word outer is exoteros meaning: exterior. Outer darkness is where believers will dwell in Heaven, whose defiled houses burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If they lived very close to the Throne of God, where the light of Jesus Christ reveals all things, they could not bear His brightness, so must live further away - exterior of Heaven...there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...Matt. 25:30.
Why will there be weeping and gnashing of teeth? Aren't these believers in Heaven? So many people have told me over the years that all they care about is getting into Heaven to see Jesus. When I would ask if they wanted the reward He brings at His return, they said they didn't care about it at all. In those early days of my Bible research I didn't know what the reward was either, but I did know that I wanted all that Jesus was willing to give me, so I went on a search to find out what was the reward that was so important, that He brings it the day He returns for His people.
Did anyone, besides the scriptures, ever tell you there could be loss in Heaven? What does weeping and gnashing of teeth mean? It means to grate the teeth in pain and rage, while sobbing and wailing with grief and sorrow. Does this horrific description of emotional and spiritual grief, stimulate your curiosity enough to find out what in the world could you lose, if your house burns up at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question
In this series, the Judgment Seat of Christ, we are studying the prophetic parables of Jesus Christ where He clearly explained to us how to be prepared for this Day, as well as what the apostles wrote about this subject. His great desire is to give to each born again believer the reward He brings when He returns...and behold, I am come quickly and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work...Rev. 22:12.
We can see by this text that His reward will be given according to the work of each believer. Past blogs in this series have revealed that the work of a believer that will be judged on that Day is the house - temple - he built for the Lord, while he lived on the earth. Remember, the Apostle Paul said...for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad...II Cor. 5:10.
Paul also said...if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is...if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward...if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:13-16.
When we were last together we were studying the prophetic Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) - see blog #9. When Jesus returns He will open books where is recorded the works of every believer. When our works are weighed in the balances of God's plan for our lives, will we be found wanting? In the parable, Jesus gave some people two talents, others five talents, and some only one. The word talent means: balance; weights and measures.
Each one will be weighed in the balances only according to what we did with the talent given - how many talents is not the measure. This reminds me of a story I read. A man was born deaf and mute. He was locked in a closet most of his early childhood, thought to be an idiot. He was treated with disdain, by those who were suppose to love and help him find success in life. The man was angry and full of hate, lashing out in despicable ways to harm others.
One day a Bible teacher was visiting Heaven and found this man, whom he knew on the earth, sitting in the Throne Room of Heaven right next to Jesus. Jesus explained how one day the angry man saw a tract on the ground with the gospel message. With many tears he repented of his sins and accepted Jesus into his heart with joy. One day his homeless friend was found dying on the street. The new Christian shared the gospel tract with the dying friend and he received Christ, dying in his arms. Jesus said he had received evil from this world his whole life, and was given only one talent, but used it to witness for Jesus.
What is important on that Day is what materials we used to build our house - temple - on the foundation of salvation. Did we build our house with silver, gold or precious stones or did we build our house with wood, hay or straw? Were we obedient to God's plan or did we do our own thing - this will be the assessment on that Day. Only what's done for Christ - to honor Him - will endure the judgment without burning - and will receive His reward.
At the Great White Throne judgment Jesus will open the books where He will find recorded what each believer did with the talents he was given. The parable explains that the believer's who were given two and five talents, not only used their talents to glorify the Lord, but they multiplied their talents. They will not be found wanting on that Day - the scales will balance. Jesus will say to them...well done, good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of your Lord...Matt. 25:21 & 23.
Their houses did not burn up so they would be allowed in the Wedding Hall for the marriage of the Lamb. But the one talent Christian would be a different story. The one talent Christian did nothing to develop the talent that God had given to him - he buried it. The one talent Christian was sure the Lord was a harsh task-master, requiring more of him than He had given, so he hid his talent, rather than blessing others and honoring his Lord...Matt. 25:24-27.
He didn't want to suffer the persecution and deprivation, through trials and tribulations, that comes to all believers, so chose to keep his talent hidden from other human beings. This prevented him from building a house for the Lord - that honors and glorifies Him alone. He had received the gift of salvation. If he had only shared with one other person how to find Jesus as his Savior, he would have doubled his talent like the two & five talent Christians did - but he chose not to. This believer's house - temple - will burn up on that Day - he will suffer loss. What loss will he suffer?
The last verse of this prophetic parable tells us clearly with no ambiguity, that Jesus will have no choice but to say...cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness...there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth...Matt. 25:30. Remember, the one talent Christian is a blood-bought born again believer in Christ. He never denied His Lord - he simply did nothing with the talent that God had given him at conception. He received the gift of salvation - but he didn't share the gift with anyone else...Eph. 2:8. So his name is preserved in the Book of Life by a blood sacrifice for his sins.
The Christian who hid (buried) his talent describes a Christian whose house burns up on that Day...but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:15. Prophecy of scripture is very clear: this Christian will suffer loss when his house burns up - but he will be saved. This means that since he is wearing the Garment of Salvation he will be allowed to enter Heaven, but since the house he built out of wood, hay & straw burns up during the fire of judgment, he will not receive the reward of the Lord. This is the loss he will suffer - no reward from the Lord. He must live in outer darkness.
Hopefully, so far in this series, I have provoked a little bit of curiosity in my readers to desire to know how to be prepared for the Judgment Seat of Christ with confidence. Today our study leaves us with two very important questions for which we will find scriptural answers: (1) where is outer darkness (2) what is the reward the Lord brings when He returns? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
