DO YOU WANT TO BE RIGHTEOUS?

In the Parable of the Son's Wedding (Mt. 22:1-14), Jesus used the parable to illustrate the rebellious response of the Jews to God's invitation; those invited either made excuses for not coming, or they openly attacked those bringing the invitations (v. 1-6).  God, in His righteous anger, had His army kill those who rejected His invitation, and He used Rome to destroy their city (v. 7).  He then sent His servants to gather whoever they could find, whether worthy or not, and bring them to the wedding (v. 8-10).  I believe this is a story picturing what John described in John 1:11-12.  God's rejection of the Jews, and the destruction of the Temple by Rome, both occurred about the same time:  A.D. 70 (see Acts 13:46).    

When they had gathered enough guests, one of the guests was discovered "improperly dressed."  When confronted, he was without excuse, and was cast out (v. 11-14).  He had tried to attend in his own righteousness; that never works:  first, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10).; and second,  "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isa. 64:6).

I believe the proper "wedding garment" is God's free gift of holiness, or righteousness.  Isaiah 61:10 says: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."

God has provided this garment free of charge, so the man was without excuse.  God's Word says, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).

So how does one get this free garment?  Simply by believing God's Word; Abraham is our example: 

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).

"And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God" (Jam. 2:23).

"For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3).

"Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness"  (Gal. 3:6).

Christ's righteousness is freely offered to you.  Do you believe God's Word?

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