God Clothed Them.

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AWAY back in the garden of Eden, the grace of God met the need of fallen man; and because it is God’s grace, man’s works are set aside.
Listening to the lie of Satan, and distrusting the God Who had made them, Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit. Troubled with a guilty conscience, they now seek to remedy it.
“They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Gen. 3:77And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7)). Then they hear the voice of the Lord God, seeking them. In spite of their covering, they feel exposed in their sin and shame, and are afraid; foolishly they attempt to hide. “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord” Jer 23:2424Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24)).
Truly, all this speaks with a loud voice even today. How many there are, seeking to quiet an uneasy conscience by their good deeds and religious works. Are you such an one, my reader? In God’s presence, you will find all such works as worthless as fig leaves. “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do” (Help, 4:13). “Not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:99Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9)). Take warning; rest no longer in your own works. At the great white throne, there will be a judgment of works; and there is but one issue, an awful one—the lake of fire! (Rev. 20:11-1511And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15)).
But God Himself provided for the guilty man and woman in Eden, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Gen. 3:2121Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)). God clothed them with what He had made. The skin involved the death of a victim. Since it was God’s own work, their consciences might well be at peace. Not with leaves, but coats of skin. That is, they were clothed by God in virtue of another’s death; a foreshadowing of the atoning death of Jesus, the Son of God. Not a man can stand before God in his own righteousness. “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:1010As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)).
But a Saviour-God has sent glad tidings into the world of what He has accomplished in Christ, for sinners. It brings God’s righteousness, as a gift, for sinners who have none. “Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth a propitiation through faith in His blood” (Rom. 3:22-2522Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:22‑25)).
The vital question is, Do you stand naked before God, or clothed by Him? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Redemption is found in Christ Jesus―not in ourselves.
The blood of Christ has met the throne of God. Every claim in righteousness and holiness against sin, the death of Christ has answered. So that God declares His righteousness; “that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)).
Again we ask, are you clothed by what God has provided for you? Is “the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ” upon you? Thus only can you have “peace with God” (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)).
S. P. F.