White Robes: by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 24, 1874

White Robes:

By James White

THE WARP, THE WOOF, AND THE WEFT.

The words, warp, woof, and weft, are applicable to a piece of cloth. The threads running lengthwise of the piece are the warp, those running crosswise are the woof, or filling, and the woven piece of cloth is the weft. See Lev. 13: 48-59, and also Webster, for definition of the words. From cloth are made garments, whether they be called robes, or any other name.

The words, robes, apparel, garments, and linen, are used in Scripture as figures of character. The two men in white apparel who appeared on the mount of ascension, Acts 1:10, were two sinless angels. The pure and white linen of the seven angels of Rev. 15:6, represents their holy character; and the same is illustrated by the long white garment of the youthful figure at the resurrection of Christ.

The holy character of the righteous, both in the life that now is, and in that which is to come, is also illustrated by white robes and garments of purity. “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.” Isa. 61:10. And the True Witness counsels to buy “white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.” Rev. 3:18. And the numberless multitude “of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes.” Rev. 7:9. In the text from the prophet Isaiah, we have the phrase, “robe of righteousness,” and also in Rev. 19:8, the inspired definition of the figure is given, “The fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

Now we come to the point of inquiry, What constitutes this heavenly, figurative robe? Some men talk of the imputed righteousness of Christ and of the utter worthlessness of all we can do, in a manner to give the idea that we may as well do nothing, only to wait for the Lord to cover all our imperfections, unworthiness, and sins with a spotless robe sent down from Heaven.

One of this class, in making a dry speech in opposition to remarks we made at a meeting in Illinois some years since, in which we quoted Bible statements that we are to be judged and rewarded according to our works, said that Paul declared that all our righteousness is but filthy rags. We told the people that Paul had said no such thing. That the expression occurred but once in all the Bible, and could be found in Isa. 64:6, where the prophet contrasts apostates in Israel with those that “worketh righteousness.”

This class seem willing to rest down upon a faith that is “dead as a door nail,” and do nothing for God or for humanity, but live for self all the days of their lives, expecting a spotless robe in some way to come down from Heaven, warp, woof, and all, to cover their sins so that they can stand the test of the last Judgment.

On the other hand, there are those who think this robe can be gotten up in this world, quite independent of the Lord Jesus. These are as wide from the truth as the others. If men could gain eternal life by good works alone, then Christ need not have died for our sins. The finally redeemed must overcome here by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

All will admit that the heavenly robe represents a righteous character. This lost in Adam, is found in Christ. The Captain of our salvation met and overcame Satan in the wilderness of temptation in our behalf. He wrought out a righteous character for all who will believe in him and overcome in his name. Here comes the battle. Here is work enough to do. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:21.

Here comes in the running of the race, the enduring hardness as good soldiers, the fighting of the good fight of faith, and the laying hold on eternal life. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.” At Christ’s second coming every man will receive “according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22:12.

The heavenly white linen, then, will be composed, first, of the righteous character wrought out by the Son of God through suffering in our behalf, as the warp; and, second, righteous works of obedience on the part of those who take hold by a living faith of the righteousness of Christ, as the woof, or the filling.

Reader, this is the weaving time. The warp is laid in perfection by our triumphant Head, who in the wilderness of temptation endured a fast of forty days, and overcame on our account the fiery temptations of Satan. He stood firm just where Adam fell. He wrought a character which Adam failed to maintain. Here is the warp of the heavenly garment, waiting for you to weave in the woof of an obedient, godly life of faith. The righteous character manifested in Jesus Christ may be yours, if in obedience you take hold of it by faith. In this way, the righteousness of Jesus Christ may be imputed to you.

Be sure not to forget the conditions, and find yourself by-and-by without the wedding garment. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne,” says Jesus. Now is the weaving time. Fill up your life with cheerful works of obedience and love. Do all in faith. Keep out of the heavenly fabric everything like “shoddy,” and weave earnestly the weft with pure woof.

Here is also another beautiful figure of that righteousness that will clothe the redeemed, which embraces both works and faith in Christ. “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14. These robes are not washed by the angels and sent down to the saints all glistening in the whiteness of Heaven’s purity. No, the washing is done by probationers in this world. Washing is not only work, but hard work. The redeemed had washed. They had washed their robes of character. And they had done all this by faith in the blood of the Lamb. Or, to return to the figure of weaving: Faith in the all-cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb is the spring that sends the old-fashioned gospel shuttle, bearing the woof of good works, across the holy threads of the heavenly warp.

J. W.