Devotional 23 Aoril 2025

As we move into Revelation 19:7–8, the contrast between the two women — the harlot and the Bride — comes into full view. Where the harlot of Babylon was clothed in luxury through corruption and unfaithfulness, the Bride of Christ stands radiant, pure, and ready. Her clothing is described as “fine linen, bright and pure,” and we are told that this linen represents the righteous deeds of the saints.

Yet it is crucial to notice the order: it was granted her to clothe herself. These righteous deeds are not the cause of her acceptance but the result of the gift she has received. Just as Paul taught, we are saved by grace through faith — not by works — but we are saved for good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:8–10).

The Bride, the Church, is not merely a passive recipient of salvation; she is an active agent of Christ’s righteousness in the world. Her deeds are the fruit of the life Christ has given her. She shines like the “excellent wife” of Proverbs 31 — clothing the poor, speaking wisdom, and doing good without fear of the future. She is a city on a hill, a light to the world, as Jesus himself said (Matthew 5:14).

History has proven that where the gospel has gone, human lives have been cherished, women honored, the sick healed, the hungry fed, and the oppressed defended. This is no accident. The Church, granted the righteousness of Christ, moves outward into the world to be His hands and feet (James 2:15-17).

The old city — Babylon, Jerusalem that rejected her Messiah — was cast into the sea, her unfaithfulness judged. But the new city, the Bride, shines with the righteousness of Christ. This passage reminds us that we have been granted the privilege not only to be saved but to live lives that reflect our Savior’s love, mercy, and justice. Let us rejoice and give Him glory, for He has made us ready.