p. 8 | VARIANCE ONLY IN EXPRESSION

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Sep 21, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 37.

VARIANCE ONLY IN EXPRESSION.

The Common Version of Rev. 22:14 reads, "Blessed are they that do His commandments," etc. The Revised Version reads: "Blessed are they that wash their robes," etc. Some professed Christians, who still seem to have an innate aversion to anything suggestive of keeping the commandments of God, imagine that the Revised Version of this text relieves them from the obligation implied in the Common Version. But the difference is simply one of expression; the principle is the same.

The robes of God's people are spoken of as "fine linen, clean and white" (Rev. 19:8); and this "fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." The robes of the righteous are washed and made "white in the blood of the Lamb." Ch. 7:14. Those who wash their robes (characters) in the blood of the Lamb are made righteous. They become like Christ (1 John 3:2), for He is righteous (Rev. 16:5); He kept the commandments of God (Ps. 40:7, 8; John 15:10). The Lord's people are reckoned as priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6), and David says, "Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness" (Ps. 132:9). Again he says, "All Thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. 119:172.

To wash one's robes is to put away sin (Ps. 51:2, 7; Isa. 1:16-18; Jer. 4:14); and "sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:7). Therefore to wash one's robes is to stop transgressing the law; in other words, to "do His commandments." Nor is there any relief from this fact by appealing to the original tongue, for doctrines may be and are variously stated in any language. There is no dodging the commandments of God, which comprise "the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12:13), and may not be destroyed (Matt. 5:17, 18; Luke 16:17). The two Scripture versions are in perfect harmony on this subject, altho variant in expression.