This is the day of judgement. Some of us have responded. Some have ignored God’s terms. He has said, ‘Repent, and trust in Christ; don’t imagine your own righteousness will help you’, but some respond, ‘I am all right as I am.’ It is about those who accept the terms of the gospel, and those who don’t. ‘How camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’ This man without the wedding garment represents one who has never trusted in Christ alone. He has never seen how great his sins are and how impossible it is for him to come to God as he is. He imagines that his own righteousness is good enough to stand in God’s presence. He says, ‘I am going in just as I am. I am good enough as I am. Either I will go in on my terms, or else I refuse to recognise the host or the occasion.’
To put on this wedding garment we must come to God in repentance, and we must trust in Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of the world. As we come to him we say, ‘Lord, forgive me.’ It shows our humility. What is the garment? It stands for the righteousness of Christ, which he earned for his people, because they have no righteousness of their own. He alone has ever lived a perfect life of obedience to God’s commandments, without sin. We say, ‘I believe, heavenly Father. Look on Christ as my representative, and forgive me.’
Obviously we can never deserve the experience of conversion. God must look at us and say, I am going to give you a free pardon, and credit to your account a righteousness which you could never earn, and take you home to heaven. Christ has prepared for us the wedding garment. When he comes to us, he puts that garment around us and we can stand in Christ. There is a garment for all. Some say, ‘I don’t want a free salvation. Don’t talk to me about it.’ Some are so proud they would rather turn away than accept salvation on God’s terms. Are you one for whom it is more than you can stand to accept a free salvation?
One day, time will run out for us. Many will go to God totally unprepared. On that final day all such will realise with horror and terror that they are doomed. The knowledge of your sin will leap into your consciousness. You might be the best possible inventor of plausible excuses. but in that moment you will realise you can say nothing and you will be speechless. Once we stand before God, we will know in the flash we are wrong. ‘I have never been forgiven. Why was I such a fool?’ We will feel every ounce of our sinfulness. Don’t throw away your soul. Come to Christ. There are three classes in the parable: those who refuse outright, those who accept the terms, and those who think they can get in on their own terms.