The White Robes We Shall Wear
The white robes of the heavenly realm symbolize the completeness and spotlessness of character, reflecting the manifold wisdom of God.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the beauty and completeness of the white robes that the saints will wear in heaven, symbolizing their perfect character and purity. He contrasts the varied strengths and weaknesses of believers on earth with the flawless nature of their heavenly garments, which will shine brightly and attractively. These robes represent the manifold wisdom of God and will cause the redeemed to shine like stars, admired by all, including God Himself. Spurgeon highlights that the transformation through the blood of the Lamb results in a glory that will continually amaze even those who have witnessed it for ages.
Text
Here a saint has an evident excess of the red of courage, or the blue of constancy, or the violet of tenderness, and we have to admire the varied excellencies and lament the multiform defects of the children of God; but up yonder each saint shall combine in his character all things which are lovely and of good repute, and his garments shall be always white to indicate completeness, as well as spotlessness, of character. We ought to note that the white here meant is bright and shining, to indicate that their characters shall be lustrous and attractive. They shall be the admiration of principalities and powers as they see in them the manifold wisdom of God.
In these white garments they shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Our Lord's garments in the transfiguration are not only said to have been "whiter than any fuller could make them," but they are said to have been glistering and "white as the light." The redeemed before the throne shine like stars before the eyes of all who are favored to gaze upon their assembly. What a glory there will be about the character of a child of God! Even those who have seen it long shall still be filled with wonder at what grace has done. God himself shall take delight in his people when he has made them "white in the blood of the Lamb."
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Why The Heavenly Robes Are White," delivered September 24, 1876.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Heavenly Robes
- A. A symbol of completeness and spotlessness
- B. A reflection of the manifold wisdom of God
- II. The Nature of the White Garments
- A. Bright and shining, indicating lustrous and attractive characters
- B. A glory that will be about the character of a child of God
- III. The Glory of the Redeemed
- A. Shining like stars before the eyes of all who are favored
- B. A wonder that will still be filled with those who have seen it
Key Quotes
“They shall be the admiration of principalities and powers as they see in them the manifold wisdom of God.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“What a glory there will be about the character of a child of God! Even those who have seen it long shall still be filled with wonder at what grace has done.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“God himself shall take delight in his people when he has made them 'white in the blood of the Lamb.'” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We should strive to have our characters reflect the lustrous and attractive qualities of the redeemed.
- The glory of the redeemed is a wonder that will still be filled with those who have seen it, a reflection of the manifold wisdom of God.
- God delights in his people when he has made them 'white in the blood of the Lamb.'