Alien Righteousness? - Timothy Ministries

A Redeemer will come to Zion…
None can argue that this passage is about Zion or Isaiah or justified
sinners. It describes Messiah bringing salvation to Israel and vengeance upon
her enemies. It is the messianic Redeemer who is clothed in salvation and
righteousness. Granted, in this instance salvation and righteousness are
portrayed as military garments rather than wedding garments as in Isa
61.10, but the message in Isa 59.16-17 and Isa 61.10 is the same: salvation
for God’s people requires militant intervention before the nuptial celebration.
The warrior Redeemer is also the Bridegroom who dons the celebratory
nuptial robe (Rev 19.7-16).
What then are the “white robes” of the saints?
White garments is a familiar motif in Scripture and this motif certainly conveys
spiritual meaning. We must, however, interpret passages that mention
white garments in their own context, and not decide beforehand what they
connote based on our theological presuppositions. The Almighty Himself appears
in white garments (Dan 7.9) as do angels (Mat 28.3; Mar 16.5; Joh
20.12; Act 1.10), so though such garments may in some sense convey the idea
righteousness, at least in these cases they do not represent the imputed
righteousness of someone else.
For the purposes of this investigation, we are more concerned with
references to the saints dressed in white (or clean) robes (or garments), and
we find these references in the book of Revelation. The first mention is in Rev
3.4-5, where the Lord speaks about the church of Sardis:
“But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments,
and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He
who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments …”
As the reader undoubtedly knows, the book of Revelation entreats the saints
to remain faithful in the face of temptations (to engage in idolatrous
traditions) and in spite of persecution (arising from the believers’ refusal to
honor the pagan gods). Thus, in this first Revelation reference, we see white
garments contrasted with garments stained by unfaithfulness; soiled
garments mark those who have fallen into complacency regarding their
testimony and service to God (Rev 3.2). The Lord, the “Faithful and True”
(Rev 19.11), is Himself clothed in white and those who remain faithful in the
face of hostility will reflect His faithfulness. There is nothing in this passage
about imputed righteousness; the white robes of the saints are a symbol of
their own purity and faithfulness (maintained by God’s grace, of course).
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