Chapter 8 of The Vision of the Tabernacle contains the following portion: “This shows us that our first function is to preach the gospel to people. We have the words and the ministry of reconciliation to compel people to be reconciled to God in the first stage. After that, our work continues as we lead people to know the Lord in the Holy Place and in the Holy of Holies. When we preach the gospel we are offering people the possibility of taking the first step to become overcomers. Today we need to preach the gospel to those who do not believe and we must help those who believe to continue to be reconciled in order to participate in the wedding feast in Matthew 22.”
I cannot agree with that interpretation because if participation in the wedding feast of Matthew 22 requires believers to “continue to be reconciled” it requires work and effort and human merit to attain to such! But if that be the case, the wedding garment the author supposes is actually “as filthy rags” as Isaiah 64:6 teaches is the condition of our works of righteousness!
But Revelation 19:8 tells us what the garment is. It is not “Christian maturity” but the righteousness of saints. “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” This is certainly not self-righteousness achieved by “continuing to be reconciled” but rather the righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer. Romans 4:5, 6 “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works”.
I absolutely agree that without the righteousness of Christ imputed to us when we believe into Him, we cannot please God. Even the best that we can do, our most righteous deeds, are tainted with self and sin. If anyone attempts to come to God through any means other than believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and His redeeming death on the cross, he will be rejected (John 14:6). But have you ever noticed that the Greek word used most often for righteousness, “dikaiosune” (including in Rom. 4:5-6), is different than the word “dikaioma” translated righteousness in the King James Version in Rev. 19:8? Most translations render “dikaioma” in Rev. 19:8 as “righteous acts” which put into the rest of the clause would read “for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” This changes the sense of this verse entirely.
But what kind of act could ever be considered righteous by God? Apart from Christ, nothing we can do can be approved by Him (John 15:5), but once we believe into Christ, we no longer need to live and act apart from Him. He lives in us (2 Cor. 13:5) and desires that we abide in Him (John 15:5). Whatever is produced by the life of the vine flowing through us is the fruit God desires and this is the work He approves. Whatever is produced from merely our own effort is counted as nothing by God and will be rejected by Him. So for instance, it is not only a question of whether we love our neighbor, but whether that love springs from the life of the vine flowing in us or from our natural goodness. An act of love that springs from God’s love filling us is a righteous act in God’s eyes that will bear fruit to Him. The same outward act done from a sense of duty by one’s own strength will be rejected. It is not the act itself but God working in and through the act that makes it righteous. So it is not that anything of our own merit will be approved by God, but as believers in Christ, we can let God live and work in us and through us. This kind of life will gain the reward at the Lord’s return and is our wedding garment, our qualification for enjoying the wedding feast with Him.
First Corinthians 3:15 says, “If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” The loss here is not the loss of salvation because it clearly says, “he himself will be saved.” It must be the loss of the reward, including the loss of the enjoyment of the wedding feast.