The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Remnant, #10

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)

What are we to do when we get ourselves dirty? How do Christ's conquerors keep their garments clean while walking through the filth of the world?

First we must confess our sins. We must say to God: I lied today; I stole a certain item; I spoke spitefully; I dwelled on lust in my mind; I cannot forgive him or her; I am addicted to drinking or smoking; I am eaten up with jealousy and envy; I am full of anger and hatred and cannot control myself; I am selfish and self-centered in all I do.

We must confess our sins as sin . We are not to evade the seriousness of our behavior or protect our pride. We are to denounce such behavior as sinful, as of the kingdom of Satan, as unworthy of the Kingdom of God.

In order to wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb we first must decide once and for all, clearly and decisively, that what we are doing, saying, and thinking really is sin and not some pardonable frailty God is winking at.

Second we must repent of our sins. Having denounced them as unworthy of the Kingdom of God we must resolve that by the Lord's help we never again will practice those deeds, words, or thoughts.

Third we must believe firmly in God's promise that when we "confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

Finally, when the same temptation returns we are to submit ourselves to God and resist the devil. Then the devil will flee from us (James 4:7).

Confession, repentance, faith in God's forgiveness, and steadfast resistance—these are the four Scriptural steps for washing our robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb. Every one of Christ's conquerors keeps his robe clean by washing it regularly in the blood of Lamb. He conquers by the blood of the Lamb.

If we keep ourselves "white" through the blood of the Lamb we are worthy to walk with Christ. If we do not resist sin by the grace God has given us through Christ we are not worthy to walk with Christ.

The first reward to the conqueror in Sardis is that he or she will be "clothed in white raiment." Being clothed in white raiment is part of the early resurrection from the dead that Paul was seeking to attain (Philippians 3:11).

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

The white raiment with which we are to be clothed at the appearing of the Lord is the power to live righteously. Notice the following:

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteous deeds] of saints. (Revelation 19:8)

To be continued.