The book of Revelation contains symbolic imagery that can be difficult to interpret. However, context provides important clues to the meaning behind the symbols. In Revelation 3:18, Jesus counsels the church at Laodicea:
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
This verse uses three symbolic items – gold, white garments, and salve – to make an important point. To understand the white garments specifically, we must look at the surrounding context.
Revelation 3 opens with Jesus’ message to the seven churches of Asia Minor. His words to the Laodicean church are stern; He says “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). Jesus rebukes them for their spiritual complacency and pride.
Against this backdrop, Jesus’ counsel takes on richer meaning. He urges them to buy from Him gold, white garments, and salve to address their prideful nakedness, spiritual blindness and poverty. The white garments cover their shameful nakedness, showing the unrighteousness of their current spiritual state. Like the prodigal son, their unrepentance has left them destitute of righteousness, reduced to loincloths as they feed on spiritual scraps.
The white garments represent the righteousness of Christ (Revelation 19:8) which covers the Laodiceans’ spiritual nakedness. Jesus urges them to come to Him to be clothed with the righteousness they lack, covering their shame so they may walk in holiness.
The concept of clothing as symbolic of righteousness pervades Scripture:
- Isaiah 61:10 – “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult 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 like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
- Matthew 22:11-12 – Speaking of the heavenly wedding feast, “…the king came in to look at the guests. And 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.”
- Romans 13:14 – “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
- Galatians 3:27 – “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Jesus thus urges the Laodicean church to come to Him to receive the white garment of His righteousness. This will cover the shame of their spiritual nakedness so they may walk in holiness rather than complacent mediocrity. His divine righteousness alone can cloth them and hide the disgrace of their sin.
The Laodicean church represents many modern churches. Though materially blessed, they are spiritually impoverished and blind to their condition. Yet Jesus continues to lovingly counsel and rebuke them to true repentance. He stands ready to enrobe them in His perfect righteousness if they will only come to Him.
The book of Revelation was written to encourage persecuted churches to persevere in godliness, warning against complacency and compromise with surrounding culture. Jesus inspected these seven churches and commended or rebuked them based on their spiritual state. Laodicea illustrates the ever-present temptations of pride, self-sufficiency and mediocrity. They did not reject Christ outright but were indifferent, feeling self-satisfied. Jesus had harsh words for such lukewarm faith that left them naked, blind and poor.
The imagery of clothing serves as a powerful metaphor for the righteousness believers receive in Christ. By God’s grace through faith, Christians are robed in the white garments of Christ’s perfect righteousness. This clothes our sinful nakedness so we may stand pure and holy before God, covered in Jesus’ righteousness rather than our own filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). The white garments depict the beautiful truth that Christ’s righteousness is imputed or credited to us by faith when we trust in Him as Savior.
What wonderful grace, that the God of the Universe would redeem sinners and clothe them in the brilliant righteousness of His Son! The Laodicean church had taken this grace for granted. So Jesus calls them to repentance, urging them to come to Him for white garments to cover their shameful spiritual poverty and nakedness. His desire was that complacent pew-warmers would become purified priests, robed in righteousness and set aflame with spiritual zeal to make Christ known.
Two thousand years later, the risen Christ still inspects His churches and searches believers’ hearts (Revelation 2:23). He calls all Christians to wake from spiritual slumber and comprehend the salvation freely offered in His gospel. Jesus urges His beloved but often wayward Bride, the Church, to daily come to Him for cleansing and renewal. As we surrender control of our lives in faith, Christ clothes us afresh in the white garments of His righteousness. Fully depending on His grace rather than our own works, Christians experience the covering of shame, the opening of eyes, and the blessing of true spiritual wealth in Jesus.
