“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Revelation 19:7-8
One of my greatest concerns as a bond slave of Christ is to be a beautiful bride for Him at His second coming. As I read it will be given to me to be dressed in fine white linen bright and clean I am delighted as one of my favorite colors is the purity of a bright white. Then I read on to understand the fine white linen is made up of the righteous acts of the saints.
What a sobering revelation! I began to prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit what constitutes a righteous act? I immediately was taken to Jesus knowing all His acts were righteous. He was a man without sin.
Listen to His words in John 8:28
“So Jesus said, ” When you lift up the Son of Man, then you know that I Am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.”
Again in John 12:49-50:
“For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the thing I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
1 Samuel 15:22 reveals an essential truth for righteous acts before God also:
“Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of lambs.”
I surmise by these few of the many verses in the Bible that reveal the only righteous acts performed are those performed out of obedience to the Holy Spirit, initiated by His leading. Anything else is defined as a dead work in scripture. (Hebrews 6:1; 9:14)
The definition of a bond slave is a believer who voluntarily takes a position of a slave to Christ and has no will or right of His own. He does always and only the will of His Master. Christ was the ultimate bond slave to God the Father as He exemplified perfectly while on this earth. Now we are all extended the same invitation to become bond slaves of Christ.
I see the reward we receive in Revelation 19 for making that choice. I find it more than worthy to try to fulfill the vow. When I fail, as I so often do, I have the cleansing blood of Jesus to restore me to righteousness through Him.
We all become a slave to someone or something just by being alive. Who or what are you enslaved to today? Who or what could possibly be more worthy than God the Father and His Son who can promise and be found trustworthy for eternal rewards? We all have a free will, and our daily choices define our eternity. Choose well, my beloved friends, knowing there will be a second coming as Christ returns for His bride. Consider your adornment!
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
One of my running sessions this week landed me on top of Fisher’s Peak off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The higher elevations rewarded us with all kinds of icy delights, serenity, and the gorgeous panoramic view from the top!
