FINE LINEN

FINE LINEN

“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.” Rev. 19:8

The threefold perfecting work of sanctification finished and in full view. This bride is to be arrayed in fine white linen. This linen is the righteousness of the saints, that is, their righteous acts. “Righteousness” is actually in the plural, and could well be rendered “righteous deeds.” We who are saved shall have removed the “filthy rags” of our own self-righteousness (Isa. 64:6) and have “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27), with His “garments of salvation,” and His “robe of righteousness” (Isa. 61:10). By His grace, He will use the very righteous deeds and good works which He created in us to perform (Eph. 2:10) as the material for the fine linen of our raiment.

Exposure of sin is a terrible thing. It is even more difficult to admit one is wrong. But this is granted to her; it is graced to her. The work of salvation is then complete and the old nature is completely gone. Thus because of this completion of grace, the bride will be able to perform this duty. Thus will she be completely prepared to stand beside the spotless Son of God and say "I do" to him.

fine linen  Garments have always clothed the righteousness of a person. Cf. Gen. 3:21.

Her external beautiful garments symbolizes her having been cleansed of all internal defilement. In the bad ethical sense it symbolizes self-righteousness, e.g. Isa 64:6. See Phil 3:6-8 showing the best that a moral and religious man under law could do. In the good ethical sense the garment symbolizes

(1) the basic provision of God's salvation by grace through faith in Christ, the "garments of salvation . . . a robe of righteousness [Gk. <dikaiosune>] " (Isa 61:10; Rom 3:21); and

(2) the garment of "fine linen . . . the righteous acts [from Gk. <dikaioma>]  of the saints," as here in vs. 8, works of godliness and goodness produced by the Holy Spirit, as the believer judges the flesh and yields himself to God (Rom 13:14). These are the "good works" unto which we are "created in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:10), with which believers are to adorn themselves to bring honor to Christ's name here (Mat 5:16; 1 Tim 2:10; Titus 2:8 - 10; 3:8; 1 Pet 2:12; 3:3 - 5; 5:5) and hereafter (Rom 2:7,10; 1 Cor. 3:12-14, note; Phil 1:10-11; 1 Pet 1:7; Rev 19:8).