TERMS OF ENTRANCE

But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?"  And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gash their teeth" (Matthew 22:11-13).

Everyone is invited to the wedding feast in Heaven.  Not everybody accepts the invitation.  Some actually refuse to go.  Others think they have better things to do.  And still others accept the invitation, but want to come on their own terms.  In the parable the invitation was offered freely to all.  The only requirments of entrance into the wedding feast was to accept the invitation, show up at the main entrance and put on the wedding garment.  The garment itself was free.  It was an invitation of pure grace.  The guest did nothing to merit the invitation, nor to enter the feast.  All the guest had to do was to put on the garment that was freely given.  A great celebration, a great party with great food and drink and beautiful people all for free.  The host paid for it all!

This was all very expensive to the King, but he wanted every one to be there looking good.  Strolling up to the main entrance came a very well-dressed man.  When the attendent handed him his wedding garment, the man looked at his own clothing, then looked at the wedding garment and said, "My clothing looks better than the wedding garment, I will just go on in.  Give this to someone else who needs it."  So he pushed his way on in only to encounter the King.  The King was insulted and would not have anyone without a wedding garment at his feast.  As a result, the man who came on his own terms was cast into outerdarkness with the others who refused and neglected the invitation.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Have you put on the wedding garment?

Grace&Peace,
Tom