Present and Future Events. Until ch 16 events have been fulfilled in the past – after 16 deal with the present and future. 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. The nations are gathering, the faithful are watching - next major event is return of Jesus Christ - no additional warning.

Watching. “Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.” (Mark 13:35). These are the ‘the last days’ (20 th /21 st cent) although not knowing, “the day nor the hour.” 16:15 The watchword is vigilance to keep our garments whilst working faithfully for the Master. 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments;

Garment Provided by Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ became the perfect sacrifice when his blood was shed on the Cross. Believers become identified with this act when they make the decision to be baptized. They symbolically put on Christ as a garment by baptism :For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal.3:27) They are then purged from their sins if they continue to try to live like him.

Lessons from Cornelius. Cornelius was a “devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” (Acts 10:2) He was pleasing to God and noticed by Him – but this not sufficient to save him - no garment. There had to be knowledge and belief in the work and mission of Jesus Christ as the basis of salvation and baptism into his Name.

Significance of Baptism. Cornelius’ family had received the Holy Spirit - still commanded to be baptized: “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” (Acts10:47). 1. Good deeds alone cannot provide a ‘covering garment’ : belief in Christ is essentia l. 2. Belief shown by Baptism is essential to salvation.

And said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 18:3

These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Rev 7:14

Life after Baptism. It is a personal responsibility to keep (to watch over, preserve, guard) own garments by a way of life like Jesus. If asleep ‘on guard’ Jewish soldier would have his garments burned - naked - shamed. Hence words of Jesus - Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16:15

The Wedding Garment. Those who keep their garments unspotted from the world (James 1:27) are to become, after the Judgment, the Bride of Christ: 19:8 “... the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” They are to be clothed upon, “that mortality might be swallowed up of life…” (2 Cor.5:4)

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