The Spiritual Garments We Wear
In our previous post about garments we mentioned that we are to put on the Armour of God. Today we will look at the other garments the Bible tells us we should clothe ourselves in.
There are 63 references to ‘garments’ in the Bible and 48 mentions of the word ‘clothed’. This is not the place to look at all of them but you might find it an interesting study to look into over the summer.
Quite often the references are metaphorical. The dictionary definition of a metaphor is ‘a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance’. We saw this in the previous post when we looked at God wearing a robe with a train which filled the temple. We understand the necessity for clothing and find it easier to understand our need of the spiritual necessities through the imagery of clothing.
Garments of Praise
Isaiah 61 is a well-known passage particularly as Jesus reads vv1-2 in the synagogue in Nazareth (see Luke 4:14-21). In v3, Isaiah says that God will provide a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. The image is of exchanging old and damaged clothing for a new robe. It describes how God can minister to our hearts and minds through our joyful worship of him. We are encouraged to worship God, keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, whatever our circumstances.
Robes of Righteousness
Later in verse 10 of the same passage Isaiah speaks of the garments of salvation and robes of righteousness.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10
The imagery here is of putting on something new. We get dressed up, often in new clothes, for celebrations, especially weddings.
Paul writes to the church in Ephesus that they should ‘put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness’ (Ephesians 4:24) and, as we saw last time, to put on the breastplate of righteousness. God takes away our shame and covers us in his righteousness. It is a gift from God which we put on.
Clothed with compassion and kindness
In Pauls’ letter to the Colossians he says:
‘Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’. Colossians 3:12-14
Earlier in the letter, Paul warns them about wrong behaviour and tells them to put off their old ways. They are to replace these by clothing themselves with Christ-like characteristics.
Clothed in humility
1 Peter 5:5 also speaks of being clothed in humility toward one another. Dom recently spoke about Praying with Humility.
Clothed in white
Ecclesiastes 9:8 tells us we should always be dressed in white. White garments, especially in the East, were symbols of joy and purity.
In the Letters to the Churches in Revelation there are references to wearing white clothing.
To the church in Sardis Jesus says:
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Revelation 3:4-5
To the church in Laodicea, Jesus says:
‘I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see’. Revelation 3:18
And finally
Revelation 19:7-8 describes the wedding of the Lamb
‘Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)’
This final picture of the bride in all her finery, pictures us, the children of God, as the Bride of Christ. We will have been made worthy to wear clean, white linen.
What a wedding to look forward to!
