Fig Leaves or Christ’s Robe?
Quote; “The Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a covering–the robe of His own righteousness– that He will put on every repenting, believing soul who by faith want to receive it. Said John, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Sin is the transgression of the law. Christ died to make it possible for every man to have his sins taken away. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis 3:21.
A fig-leaf apron will never cover our nakedness. Sin must be taken away, and the garment of Christ’s righteousness must cover the transgressor of God’s law. Then when the Lord looks upon the believing sinner, He sees, not the fig leaves covering him, but Christ’s own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah. Man has hidden his nakedness, not under a covering of fig leaves, but under the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Christ has made a sacrifice to satisfy the demands of justice. What a price for Heaven to pay to ransom the transgressor of the law of Jehovah. Yet that holy law could not be maintained with any smaller price. In the place of the law being abolished to meet sinful man in his fallen condition, it has been maintained in all its sacred dignity. In His Son, God gave Himself to save from eternal ruin all who would believe in Him.
Sin is disloyalty to God, and [is] deserving of punishment. Fig leaves sewed together have been employed since the days of Adam, yet the nakedness of the soul of the sinner is not covered. All the arguments pieced together by all who have interested themselves in this flimsy robe will come to nought. Sin is the transgression of the law. Christ was manifest in our world to take away transgression and sin, and to substitute for the covering of fig leaves the pure robes of His righteousness. The law of God stands vindicated by the suffering and death of the only begotten Son of the infinite God. The transgression of God’s law in a single instance, in the smallest particular, is sin. And the non-execution of the penalty of that sin would be a crime in the divine administration. God is a judge, the Avenger of justice, which is the habitation and the foundation of His throne. He cannot dispense with His law; He cannot do away with its smallest item in order to meet and pardon sin. The rectitude, justice, and moral excellence of the law must be maintained and vindicated before the heavenly universe and the world’s unfallen.
Those who walk in the narrow way must follow the directions of the Guidebook. Thus only can they reach the gates of the City of God. The Disciples were commissioned to, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8. God has put men and women in possession of the same precious gifts. To different ones He has given different gifts. Not all have the same strength of character or the same depth of knowledge. But each one is to use his gifts in the Master’s service, however small this gift may seem to be. The faithful steward trades wisely on the goods entrusted to him.
The endowments of mind and body are to be carefully guarded. Our gifts are not to be weakened by self-indulgence. Every power is to be carefully preserved, that it may always be ready for instant use. No part of the physical organism is to be weakened by any misuse. Each part, however small, has an influence on the whole. The abuse of one nerve or muscle lessens the usefulness of the whole body. Those for whom Christ has given His life should bring their habits and practices into conformity to His will. God’s Word declares, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). But God does not desire the death of anyone. At infinite cost He provided for man a second probation. He “so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Should not those to whom the light of truth for this time has come place themselves in close connection with God, using their capabilities to advance the work of soul saving? Should not the one who possesses an understanding of the Scriptures impart the knowledge given him to those who know not the truth? Upon every believer in present truth rests the responsibility of working for sinners. God points them to their special work–the proclamation of the third angel’s message. [Revelation 18:4 “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”] They are to show their appreciation of God’s great gift by consecrating themselves to the work for which Christ gave His life. They are to be stewards of the grace of God, dispensing to others the blessings bestowed on them. He who has found comfort in the Word of God is to share this comfort with others. Thus only can he continue to receive comfort.” {UL 378-379} Mathew 22:11 “And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few [are] chosen [are currently choosing].” Here we have a guest, and in this Parable, who somehow got into Heaven without the Robe of Christs Righteousness, to attend the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb,” when all those who have been Resurrected, along with the Translated alive, arrive in heaven to have their first meal with Jesus, and Jesus keeps his promise made at “The Last Supper,” to drink a cup along with us. God comes in to lovingly gaze over the redeemed, when one person stood out from all the others. Everyone was clothed in “The Garment of Christ’s Righteousness,” but this person came in the “Fig Leaves of their own devising,” a garment of their own righteousness, and forgot this verse in Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” So are you and I clothed in “Fig Leaves or Christ’s Robe of Righteousness?”
