Matthew 22:12

THE WEDDING GARMENT

‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’

Matthew 22:12

What does this wedding garment mean? Every student of the Word of God knows that it is another term for the Lord Jesus Christ. St. Paul says, ‘Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,’ that is the wedding garment, and without it there is no sitting down at the wedding feast. Observe the points about this garment.

I. The garment of grace.—In John 1 we read ‘He’ was full of grace and truth. If I put Him on then I have a very graceful garment; if I live Christ, what greater grace can possibly be seen in my whole life?

II. The garment of atonement.—You cannot be a Christian without recognising the Atonement of Christ. You are one with God through faith in Him.

III. The garment of righteousness.—Righteousness is rightness, that which is right. Christ’s righteousness is His rightness, so that if I am clothed with Him I am all right. Whatever rightness belongs to Him belongs to every person who trusts Him.

IV. The garment of mediation.—See 1 Timothy 2:5. Trusting in Him, resting on His mediation, we are accepted, we are perfect.

V. The garment of emancipation.—There is no power to break from any sin in any man or woman. The power lies in Christ. He is the Emancipator of this world, and those who are set free by Him are set free indeed. If I put Him on, if He is mine by simple faith, I am delivered by His power from the power of sin.

VI. The garment of truth.—Not merely the truth of His appearances and sayings, not merely the truth that He was the interpretation of all Old Testament times, but was Himself the Truth, all truth being embodied in Him, and no truth apart from Him.

VII. How it may be obtained.—If I would have this wedding garment I must earnestly accept it and definitely decide on it.

The Rev. W. R. Mowll.