THE WEDDING GARMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21130, 12 March 1932, Page 14

THE WEDDING GARMENTS.

(Published by Arrangement.)

FOR THE GUESTS AT CHRIST'S MARRIAGE. BY BEREAN CHRISTADELPffIAN. Though Christ himself was an unmarried man ih the days of his mortality it was no vain saying of John the Baptist: "He that'hath the Bride is the Bridegroom." . Tins does not clash with Jesus Christ's other saying: "They who are counted worthy of the future life, neither marry or are given in marriage;" simply because they have changed (in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye) into a higher order of life, tangible flesh and bone bodies, but witln no blood in their veins. (Gospel of Luke xxiv., 29; I. Corinthians xv., 50-62.) The invited guests st Christ's marriage nuptials are part and parcel of the ceremony, being constituents of a multitudinous bride, symbolically represented as a " chaste virgin " (11. Corinthians xi., 2) and also as that " Great .City, New Jerusalem, which the Apostle John saw in vision descending from God out of Heaven." (Revelation xxi., 9, 10.) The wedding garment for these guests is represented as a vesture of "pure linen, clean.and white," or what is scripturally known by the term righteousness, summed up in Paul's sound and logical words, " All scripture is .profitable for instruction in Righteousness " (11. Epistle to Timothy iii., 16). That Great City, New Jerusalem, is not to be confused with the other Great, City mentioned by Jesus himself (Revelation xvii., 18), also represented by .a woman, on whose forehead was written " Babylon the Great," which reigned over the Kings of the Earth at the time the Revelation was given to John, near the end of the Ist century A.D. Jerusalem had been laid in ruins 30 years previously by the Roman Legions. It does not require much | knowledge of history to prove that there was onlv one Metropolitan City in the Ist century and for centuries after, which reigned over Kings, great and small—Rome, the so-called Eternal City on the Tiber,-the Capital of the Great Roman Empire, or fourth beast dominion of the Book of Daniel. Rome entered a rew phase of its history, known as "Papal," .when nominal Christianity was placed on the throne of the Caesars by the sword of Constantine in the 4th century A.D. Afc this time (as history proves) a great apostacy from primitive Christianity took place, both in doctrine and practice; ambitious bishops ef all degrees lording it over their flocks ia disobedience to Christ's direct command. This commenced what is known ■ as tha " Dark Ages," and continued to the time of Wyeliffe and Tyndafe, and in a lesser degree to the 17th and 18th centuries. What concerns Christianity of the present day is, how do professing Christians stand in relation to the pure and white wedding garment? Any Church or denomination, of whatever nationality, could not be held responsible for the sins | and errors of their predecessors, only in so far as they " allow the deeds of their fathers." Unfortunately, almost the whole of Christendom still cling to " Garments " which have their origin in that Great City on the Tiber; viz., Trinitarianism, or a Triune God (the Athaijasian Creed, 4th century A.D.) in contrast, to the " White Garment" of £>ew Jerusalem—One God and Father of the One Lord Jesus Christ, One Spirit or Holy Ghost, the great Power of God who raised Christ from the dead —infant sprinkling—the fabulous doctrine of immortal soulism—the equally fabulous doctrine of a Superhuman Devil—and all the erroneous ideas associated with these, which all help to make the unrighteous garment that will have no place at Christ's wedding feast. Thq Jews, or Natural .Israelites (the first invited guests), are in not much better clothing than Christendom, the dark veil is still on their hearts as it was in Paul's day, which " hides the Messiah from their view." The Apostle clearly shows that the Mosaic Tabernacle was only a " pattern " of Heavenly things, culminating in Christ, and which ceased to function when He as the High priest of the New Testament entered (by His own blood) once into the Holy Place not made with hapds. In the Jewish Prophetical Books mention is made of the Pure Clothing for the Wedding of the King's Sou (also the opposite garments not acceptable), a ceremony still future, but now not far distant, by the final restoration of the " Land of Israel." But even nic necessary pure and sound doctrine without a pure and righteous practice would still leave the " wedding garmont " in an unclean state (again summed up by Paul, I. Corinthians xii'-l "Though I have all knowledge, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.'' He did the word in the usual conventional meaning of the term (though that is included) but rather in that perfect and complete aspect of which he speaks " of every good thing in Christ." He says that Charity is kind and does not behave itself unseemly. Kindness is one of the attributes of God and a very pronounced characteristic of Christ's mortal life (also of the Apostles after him), and one of His special commands that His followers should love one another. Though this virtue has degenerated into a sickly sentiment, it does not disprov# the genuine article. Unkindly actions against another member of the One Body is an offence against Christ himself, who plainly stated (Matthew xviii., 6) " whoso shall offend one of these little ones who believe in M® . . . it were better that they o# drowned in the depth of the sea." Unkindness (or sanctioning }he,same) is no part of the " pure and white " wedding garment. Reader: The invitation to be a guest at. Christ's Marriage is extended to " whosoever will come," Jew and Gentil# alike, the only qualified condition being-, that they .must have the prescribed " wedding garment." —T. J. CONNOLLY.