Revelation 19:7 and 8 say, “Let us rejoice and exult, and let us give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints.” The bride here refers to redeemed and transformed tripartite mankind. This bride will wear white linen, which is the righteousnesses of the saints.
If we would have a share in this bride, who is adorned with bright, shining, pure righteousness, we need to adorn ourselves with righteousness. Day by day we need to prepare bright linen clothing to cover ourselves. This is our daily righteousness.
How can we produce such a garment of righteousness? We produce it by walking daily according to the Spirit of life and by having a life that is a life of the Spirit. If we prepare our wedding garment day by day, month by month, and year by year by living such a life in the Spirit, we shall not be found naked when the Lord comes. Instead, at His coming, we shall be wearing a bright, pure wedding garment.
Ultimately, the bride in Revelation 19 will become the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22. The city of New Jerusalem will bear the appearance of jasper. Speaking of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:11 says, “Her light was like a most precious stone, as a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” According to Revelation 21:18, “the building material of its wall was jasper.” Also, the first foundation of the New Jerusalem will be jasper (Rev. 21:19). Therefore, the appearance of the city will be that of jasper. Revelation 4 indicates that God sitting on the throne in the heavens also has the appearance of jasper. Hence, jasper denotes God’s image, His expression. The fact that jasper is the appearance both of God and of the New Jerusalem indicates that this holy city will bear the same appearance God does. The entire city will express God.
The jasper of the New Jerusalem is equal to the righteousness of the bride. Today we are preparing our bridal gown, a gown that will have the appearance of righteousness, which is the expression of God. Ultimately, in the New Jerusalem, this will be the appearance of jasper.
Second Peter 3:13 says, “Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” As used in this verse, the word righteousness is rich in meaning. To say that righteousness will dwell in the new heaven and new earth means that everything will be in order, headed up, and regulated. Everything will be governed, controlled, and under the proper rule, for the throne of God, the kingdom, the divine administration, will be there. The result will be peace and joy.
When righteousness dwells in the new heaven and new earth, the situation will be very different from what it is today. At present there is little righteousness on earth. Instead there are unrighteousness, disorder, and confusion. But praise the Lord that in the church, where we have a foretaste of the new heaven and the new earth, righteousness dwells! Moreover, we should be able to say that, by the Lord’s mercy, righteousness also dwells in our family life.
Today, many Christians neglect the new covenant ministry. Instead of ministering the Spirit and righteousness to others, they argue about such things as the method of baptism. They debate whether someone should be baptized forward or backward, one time or three times, in the name of Jesus or in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The various so-called ministries have divided the children of God. These divisive ministries are not the ministry of the new covenant. The ministry of the new covenant simply ministers Christ to others as the Spirit to be the life supply inwardly and as righteousness to be the expression of God outwardly. This expression of God as righteousness, the image of God, brings in the kingdom, where everything is regulated, orderly, and headed up. This gives us a foretaste of the coming kingdom and of the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and the new earth. This is the function of the new covenant ministry.
Not only the co-workers and the elders in the churches but all the saints, including the young ones, should be today’s ministers of the new covenant. This means that we must all carry on the ministry to minister Christ as the life-giving Spirit and as righteousness.