Whitest of White

# 521 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 9:3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.


It's funny how advertising slogans can stick with you years after they stop airing. I still remember the Ajax jingle that used to air in the early days of television. It went like this: “New Ajax, laundry detergent....stronger than dirt.” Well, even Ajax couldn't have gotten Jesus' clothing any whiter than it appeared to Peter, James, and John.

You and I must be similarly clothed if we will stand in glory one day with Jesus. We must be clothed in the pure white, blood washed clothing of Christ! Hear the words of Jesus found in Mt 22:11-13, "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. "So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "For many are called, but few are chosen."

We put on Christ in our baptism. (Ga 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.) It is a necessary element of our salvation. Mr 16:16 says, "He who believes AND is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

And so, we bring our infant children to God in baptism, believing His Word and clothing them in Christ, but we are also fully aware of the second part of Mr 16:16, knowing that the faith given to us in baptism must be maintained.

The garment of Christ must be kept on by persevering in the faith, through ongoing repentance and confession. Re 3:5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Father, thank You for giving us the simple means of grace called baptism. Help us to persevere in our faith that we may one day be clothed in the “exceedingly white” never to be muddied again by sin, garment of Christ.