To be dressed for our appearing with Christ we must have gained the victory over lust and other passions. We really have to have the steel of Christ in our personality if we are to resist the numerous opportunities in our culture for the expression of physical lust.

To be dressed for our appearing with Christ we must have gained the victory over our will. We must have once and for all proven to God that no matter what desires He withholds from us, no matter what detestable situations He requires we remain in, we are going to be faithful to death. We will place the fulfillment of our desires on the other side of the grave. We will establish our treasures in Heaven.

If our garment is not spotless in the area of the love of the world, the lust of the flesh, and pride and self-will, we will not be raised in the first resurrection. We will not be raised when the Lord comes. I don't care how anyone objects, the Bible awards the first resurrection to the conquerors and to the conquerors it shall go!

The Lord will not appear with a worldly, lustful, disobedient Body. Can you see the reason for this?

"But Brother Thompson, when I die and go to Heaven I will not be worldly, lustful, or disobedient."

Chapter and verse!

"When the Lord comes I will go to Heaven with Him and I will not be worldly, lustful, or disobedient."

Chapter and verse!

In fact, there is no passage that says when the Lord comes you will go to Heaven with Him. It says you will appear with Him to the world. And because of this you must be dressed for the occasion.

If your calling was to sit in your mansion in Heaven and talk small talk with your neighbors, then I would not take your time discussing worldliness, lust, or disobedience.

Can't you picture yourself walking down the golden street? You meet a man named George.

"George, do you think the rain will spoil the rhubarb?"

"There's no rain here and no rhubarb. I wish there was. I've got nothing to complain about."

"Then how come you're walking down the street?"

"I've been doing this for the last five hundred years. There's nothing else to do. I got tired playing my harp."

"Those are nice golden slippers you got."

"This is my fifteenth pair. I wore out the others walking on the diamonds in my back yard. Anyway they hurt your feet."

"George?"

"What?"

"Where are we anyway?"

Is this what you really desire, a mansion, a golden street, golden slippers, diamonds in your backyard, and nothing worthwhile to do? Are you tired? Are you looking for a retirement home in the sky?

I hope not because the Bible says you are going to appear with Christ when He comesùthat is, if He is your life. You'll be busier than a one-armed paperhanger on Saturday afternoon.

If Christ is not your life maybe you'll be with George.

I don't like small talk so I hope the Bible is right. I want to appear with Christ. How about you?

Then let's get dressed for the occasion.

Getting saved is a come as you are party. You don't have to improve yourself in order to receive Christ. But appearing with Christ in the first resurrection, the resurrection of the royal priesthood, is another matter. If you aren't wearing the wedding dress you'll get kicked out, grace or no grace.