White Linen: The Righteous Acts of the Saints

by Ann-Marie High

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works...and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24

I.

SAVED BY GRACE ALONE.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph 2:8-9) A. B. C. D. E. F. The Bible makes it clear--we are not saved by works. We cannot add anything to the cross. It is finished. Yet, because we have received grace, it empowers us to co-labor with Him. In fact, the book of James tells us that it is not enough to have faith. He says that true faith will always result in works, and that faith without works is dead. What we do with grace is very important to God. James says it's not the hearer of the word that is blessed, but the doer of the word. (James 1:25)

II.

BEING READY FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD. A. Our goal is to be ready [to prepare] for the coming of the Lord.

...that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:27) Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. (2 Peter 3:14) And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming...(1 John 2:28) "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (Rev 19:7) III. "ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS."

You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only...for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:18, 22, 24, 26) A.
2/7/13

Jesus said He knows our works, and will judge us according to our works.
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White Linen: The Righteous Acts of the Saints

"I know your works..." (Rev 2:2; 2:9; 2:13; 2:19; 3:1; 3:8; 3:15)

by Ann-Marie High

...I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23) And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations..." (Revelation 2:26) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:12) And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Revelation 22:12)

IV.

WHAT ARE THE WORKS? A. Works are the fruit of love [not striving or trying to earn God's approval]. 1. RESULTS OF OUR BELIEVING (JOHN 6:28-29). 2. Living out who you are, living out your passion/dream. 3. Fruit/character. Gal 5:22. 4. Choices/behavior/acts/outcomes. 5. Souls/co-laboring in the harvest. 6. Anything we do which helps advance the Kingdom.

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." (John 6:29) V. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ROYALTY. A. B. It's not about striving to DO something [dead works]--it's about knowing and BEING who you are, the Bride of Christ [royalty]. It is our honor as royal ambassadors of the King to represent Him well.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain...(John 15:16) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

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White Linen: The Righteous Acts of the Saints

VI. CLOTHED IN WHITE LINEN.

by Ann-Marie High

And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:8) And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:14) A. If you were to ask many what they believe the white linen represents, they would probably say, "The righteousness of Christ." But that is not what this says...it says that the white linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Did you know that the first definition for the word HABIT in most dictionaries is "a type of clothing characteristic of a certain calling." [i.e. what a nun wears] "Habit" came to mean, "a pattern of behavior acquired by frequent repetition that reflects the prevailing character of a person." [Dictionary of Basic English] The Bible teaches that our habits reflect our character and become a sort of clothing. Your habits/pattern of behavior become your clothing. Your clothing becomes your aroma (2 Cor 2:14-15), and your aroma becomes your reputation. We are called to be clothed in the habit of Christ so that our character actually reflects His character--pure and spotless. There are numerous references to clothing elsewhere in the Scriptures as well: 1. 1 Samuel 28 2. Malachi 2:16: "for it covers one's garment with violence..." 3. Tabitha: "full of good works and charitable deeds which she did" (Acts 9:36). 4. Ps 45:13-14: "The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold. She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors..." We are exhorted to care about our spiritual clothing.

B. C. D.

E. F.

G.

Let your garments always be white, and let your head lack no oil. (Ecclesiastes 9:8) Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Rom 13:14) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on [clothe yourselves with] tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering...(Colossians 3:12) ...above all...put on [clothe yourselves with] love...the bond of perfection. (Col 3:14) My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 Jn 3:18)

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White Linen: The Righteous Acts of the Saints

VII. HOW DO WE CLOTHE OURSELVES WITH CHRIST? A. B.

by Ann-Marie High

Aligning our thoughts and attitudes with Christ. Taking up the easy yoke. Could it be one of the reasons we're not raptured the instant we're saved is because we are left here with work to do to prepare for His coming Kingdom, and in doing so, are weaving our wedding dress and making it white for His appearing?

VIII.

WALKING AS JESUS WALKED. A. B. C. Jesus went about doing good and healing...When we put on the character of Christ, we walk as He walked (1 John). Second nature=the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Parable in Matthew 25 and their response, "When did we do these things?"

...how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil... (Acts 10:38) IX. WHY WORKS? A. B. C. They bring the Father glory. They are proof to our enemies of what we believe; they silence enemies. They help us prove out our faith to make sure we are living evidence of true belief.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:16) ...that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12; 3:16) ...in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works...that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. (Titus 2:7, 10) X. HOW DO WE RESPOND? "Lovers will out work workers every time." -Mike Bickle 1. Let us remember WHO we are and see ourselves as His Bride. 2. Let us understand the urgency of the hour. 3. Let us commit afresh and anew to get ready for the wedding and cultivate the oil of intimacy. Let us give ourselves to things that prepare our wedding garments to be spotless. 4. Let us cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He walks us through the sanctification process and helps us make our garments white and clean. In Jewish weddings, best man was a type of HS.
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