To Be Clothed in Sparkling White
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10 NKJV)
Ah, it’s the beginning of wedding season, a time for much rejoicing and getting “fancied up”!
These days, brides pay a lot of attention to the selection of the wedding gown, going to boutiques with a gathering of family and friends—hoping for a consensus on which dress will get the “yes” for the big day. And whether strapless or covered in lace, wedding dresses still come predominantly in white, often with lots of sparkling beads.
White robes play a symbolic role in our Christian faith and worship—for brides at weddings, for babies and adults at baptisms, as coverings for communion elements, and for choir members. In Scripture, the white covering represents the righteousness of Christ.
The Bible contrasts our sin-covered nature with the holiness of Christ by showing Him in blinding white at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:29), when Jesus’ disciples saw His divinity in full sight. Angels appeared in white at the empty tomb on Easter morning, and white robes showed up in abundance on faithful residents of heaven during the apostle John’s vision in Revelation.
The Valley of Vision, a collection of prayers from bits and pieces of Puritan writing, captures our longing to wear those same clean clothes:
O GOD OF GRACE,
Thou hast imputed my sin to my substitute,
and hast imputed his righteousness to my soul,
clothing me with a bridegroom’s robe,
decking me with jewels of holiness.
But in my Christian walk, I am still in rags….
I have no robe to bring to cover my sins,
no loom to weave my own righteousness…
I am always standing clothed in filthy garments,
and by grace am always receiving change of raiment….*
When we come to Jesus in faith, He brings us through a process of salvation that begins with conviction of our sins by the Holy Spirit. We see ourselves as we really are, clothed in tattered, filthy rags due to our sinfulness. We have no white robe, no way to cleanse ourselves, no means of covering our wicked ways.
How do you get His robe, then, knowing full well you can’t get clean by yourself? Actually, you’ve taken the very first step when you realize you’re completely powerless. There are no bleaches that will seep deep enough in our souls. Only Jesus’ garment, through His sacrificial death on the cross, can blot out all our wrongdoings.
Yet, if we’re cleansed completely by the shedding of His blood on the cross, why do we still need a white robe? It reminds us that when Christ transfers His righteousness—His purity, holiness, cleanliness, and magnificent beauty—to us, we are safely under His care. Our Father God no longer sees us as the sinful creatures we are. Jesus’ righteousness is a blanket whereby God sees only His Son, not us, on His day of judgment in heaven. And only He can give it to you.
Think about it. Jesus has called you, pardoned you, freed you, and covered you with His goodness. He has placed His banner of love over you and shielded you in the midst of His glory. We have nothing to fear, much as the prodigal son who finds himself covered in the “best robe” by his loving father. We rejoice, saved to join His other children at the wedding feast in paradise, all of us in His beautiful clothing.
The Valley of Vision prayer pleads for the lifelong blessing of wearing Christ’s robe:
Every morning let me wear it,
every evening return in it,
go out to the day’s work in it,
be married in it,
be wound in death in it,
stand before the great white throne in it,
enter heaven in it shining as the sun….
Next time you see a white gown, remember that Jesus clothes you daily with His robe of righteousness. He is faithful to carry you always wrapped up in His covering of love, spotless and beautiful as His forever bride.
Jesus, let me remember that You are the bridegroom of heaven, waiting to greet Your entire church of faithful followers as Your bride. Call me to be among those who celebrate with You at the wedding feast. Please—clothe me with Your purity and holiness, covering all my sinfulness and sorrow with Your righteousness. Wrap me up in Your overwhelming love as I strive each day to honor and serve You. Bless me with a white robe in heaven, and let me rejoice with You there. In Your name, Amen.
Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom.
© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #Jesus #weddinggown #whiterobe #righteousness #salvation #holiness
*“Continual Repentance,” in The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett (Ediburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975), page 136-7.
