Revelation chapter 2 and 3 are the letters that are written to the seven churches which are in Asia
and as I mentioned before these were churches that actually existed at one time during the first century AD and
The reason they're being placed in the book of Revelation is because of the prophetic significance that they carry
And let me give you an example of this in Revelation chapter 3 in verse 14
Jesus Christ is addressing the church at Laodicea
Now one of the most notable things about the church at Laodicea was the fact that they were lukewarm
It actually says in verse number 15
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou art cold or hot
So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth
So this is a pretty strong rebuke that he's giving to them because of the fact that they're being lukewarm
They're indifferent. They're apathetic towards the things of God
And why is that? Well he says in verse 17 because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing
And know it's not that thou are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked
So what we see here is that the church at Laodicea was very affluent
They were allowing the the seafoodness of riches to choke the word
They were becoming unfruitful and thereby basically becoming lukewarm and indifferent towards the things of God
They were serving mammon more than they were actually serving God
And this is the rebuke that Jesus Christ is giving to them now. What is the solution to this?
Well, we see in verse 18. He tells them I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire
that thou mayest be rich in white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and
Anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see. Now, what does that mean?
Well, he's basically instructing them to go through some tribulation allow some persecution into their life
Allow some fire into their life in order for them to be tried so they can come forth as gold and
Increase their faith in the Lord so they can be rich in faith and not in monetary wealth
And in fact in first Peter chapter 1 and verse 7 the Bible tells us that the trial of your faith
Being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire
Might be found into praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ
So he's basically telling them be willing to pay the price of
Persecution be willing to pay the price of affliction and tribulation so that you can be rich in your faith
But then he goes on to tell him this he says and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed now
What does that mean? Well, we obviously understand the white raiment is often associated with this matter of salvation
And in fact in this very same chapter in verse number 5
It tells us 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
So obviously we understand that when we get saved the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed upon us
You know our spirit is quickened. We're given the righteousness of Jesus Christ
This is what happens when we get saved, right?
But this particular verse in verse 18 is not referring to salvation
And the reason we know that is because of the fact that he's saying to buy it and we obviously don't buy salvation
You don't buy it. You don't earn it. You don't do anything to merit eternal life
The Bible says for my grace are you safe through faith and that not of yourselves?
It is the gift of God not of works as any man should boast. So we obviously understand that salvation is something that's freely received
You don't have to pay for it. All you have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
Now with that being said, what does it mean when he says by white raiment? Well, here's a simple way to explain it
you know the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 1 and
Whom you also trusted after that you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and whom also after that you believed
Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise
Which is the earnest of our inheritance and it's basically referring to the fact that when you get saved
You're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise until the day of redemption
That means that the Holy Spirit of God lives within you until that day now
Here's the interesting thing is that the Bible also tells us that we have to walk in the spirit
Bible says if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit
He says walk in the spirit and he shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit
Against the flesh these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you would so over and over
Again, we see God commanding us to walk in the spirit to be filled with the spirit
Even though the Spirit of God already dwells within us one like manner
Although we already have the white raiment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ already within us
God commands us on a day-to-day basis to be clothed upon with righteousness to put on righteousness as a cloak
So to speak the Bible tells us put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust
There of the Bible says to be clothed with humility
It tells us to put on the new man and we obviously understand that this isn't for the maintenance of our salvation
This is so we can be blessed of God so we can walk in the spirit so we can do things that are pleasing
Unto him this is one of the reasons why we have to walk in the spirit so that we're not fulfilling the lust of the
Flesh, but the question still remains. Why do we have to buy it?
Well when it says buy white raiment
It's simply telling us that we have to pay a price in order to walk in the spirit and the price that we have to
Pay is our own lives, you know, Jesus said if any man will come after me let him deny himself
Take up his cross and follow me Ephesians chapter 4 says
But ye have not so learned Christ if so be the I've heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in
Jesus they put off the former conversation the old man
Which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and he put on the new man
Which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness
according to the Bible in order for us to have that white raiment in order for us to
Walk in the spirit in order for us to be in that new man, so to speak
It's gonna cost us the old man
You know the Bible says I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice
Holy acceptable unto God which is a reasonable service the Bible says in Colossians chapter 3
mortified therefore the members of your body which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness
inordinate affection
Covetousness, which is idolatry
So what revelation chapter 3 verse 18 is basically stating is that in order for us to be clothed upon with righteousness
We need to put off the old man
It's gonna cost us our life
So to speak the Apostle Paul said I die daily in order for him to put on Jesus Christ
So what is basically stating when he says we have to buy the white raiment?
It's telling us that we need to make sure that we're willing to pay the price to put on the new man
You know the Bible says likewise reckon yourselves also to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey in the lustre of
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin
But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God now
What's the prophetic significance to this? Well, let me read it to you again
It says in verse 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried on the fire
That thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness
Do not appear we obviously understand that nakedness
It's synonymous with shame and when someone is naked it basically means that they're exposing their flesh
Well in like manner from a spiritual perspective when you're naked spiritually
You're exposing your flesh or as the Bible also puts it your old man
Now the prophetic significance that this has is the fact that when the second coming of Christ takes place
We want to make sure that we're confident at his coming first John chapter 2 verse 28 says and now little children
Abide in him. What does it mean to abide in him means to walk in the spirit to put on the new man?
He says and now little children abide in him that when he shall appear
We may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming now
This is important because of the fact that you know
Whenever you go through a tribulation or trial persecution you want to make sure that you're clothed upon with righteousness
Obviously you want to make sure that you're saved
But even aside from that you want to make sure that you're walking in the new man so that you can endure the persecution
The tribulation in the trials that are to come so you're not found naked before him at his coming and this actually reminds me of
A story in the book of Mark in the Gospels
It tells us in Mark chapter 14 in verse 50 and they all forsook him and fled and there followed him a certain young man
Having a linen cloth cast about his naked body and the young men laid hold on him
And he left the linen cloth and fled before them naked
We see here a disciple who is clothed upon with linen
He's clothed upon with righteousness
But we see that when persecution arises because of the word by and by he is offended and he flees from them naked
What does he do?
He flees from them bearing his flesh and the prophetic significance that this has is the fact that we understand that
That which precedes the rapture is the tribulation and more specifically the Great Tribulation
Where the Antichrist is making war with the Saints we could say that's when the Antichrist is laying hold on
All believers in order to put them to death and if you're not walking in the spear
You're not putting on the new man. You're not putting on Jesus Christ. You don't have that linen cloth about you
You might flee from him naked and it could be that at those last 75 days
You might be naked before him at his coming and you might be ashamed before him at his coming
I'll finish with this verse in Revelation chapter 16 verse 15
It says this behold I come as a thief
blessed is he that watcheth and
keepeth his
Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame, you know
It's important that when we go through persecution and tribulation that we're keeping our garments. We're not casting it off of us
We're not fleeing before enemies naked. We're not exposing our shame our flesh our old man
And we need to make sure that we are walking in the new man
We're walking in the spirit the Bible tells us this and others saved with fear pulling him out of the fire
hating even the garment
Spotted by the flesh won't encourage you today to walk in the spirit not fulfill the lust of the flesh
To buy that white raiment that that may just be clothed and not be ashamed before him at his coming. God bless and have a great one