"His bride has made herself ready." This is the first resurrection. In the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation we find the Bride, the Church, is "prepared"—perhaps by others.

But the firstfruits of the Church (Revelation 19:7,8) makes herself ready. How does she make herself ready? By performing righteous acts, the righteous acts that proceed from the maturity of Christ in her.

Then she is given to wear "fine linen, bright and clean." The fine linen is her righteous acts. In other words, she is clothed in her own conduct.

Here is a perfect example of sowing and reaping. We are clothed in our own conduct. What could be more fair? What could be more terrifying to the casual church-attender of our time?

There are other examples in the Book of Revelation of our receiving, in the Day of Christ, the things we have done while living on the earth.

I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:23—NIV)

"I will repay each of you according to your deeds," speaking to the churches.

Can you tell me how ministers of the Gospel can assure their followers that they need have no fear of the Judgement Seat of Christ, when such a verse as the above is in the Bible—and in the Book of Revelation at that, the vision that preempts all other declarations and is bound with a curse!

Notice again:

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. (Revelation 22:12—NIV)

Notice the close relationship between action and consequence—"I will give to everyone according to what he has done."

We have grace available today. We can, through the blood of the Lord Jesus, wash our robe and make it clean.

I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14—NIV)

Or we can neglect to keep our robe clean, not confessing our sins and turning away from them.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4—NIV)

Being dressed in white refers to the royal priesthood. The Lord Jesus is stating here that only a few of the believers in Sardis are attaining the first resurrection, the resurrection that will take place when the Lord appears.

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. (Revelation 6:11—NIV)

The verse above opens to my mind the possibility that the saints are clothed in the body from Heaven prior to their return with the Lord Jesus. In this case the Lord Jesus would stop in the air, and then those He brought with Him would descend in the body of glory, gathering the flesh and bones of their deceased frame and enveloping them with indestructible life. This reminds us of the Ark of the Covenant which was covered inside and out with refined gold.

To be continued.