The Parable of the Wedding Feast is a haunting one.
It begins with a King whose invitation is met with rejection and even violence. In response, he opens his doors wide—sending servants into the streets to gather everyone they can find, both “good and bad,” filling the banquet hall with unexpected guests.
But then the story takes a jarring turn.
The King notices a man not wearing a wedding garment. When confronted, the man stands speechless. The King orders him bound and cast into outer darkness.
At first glance, it feels harsh. Why such severe punishment over what seems like a dress code violation? Why remove the one man who actually showed up?
To understand the King’s reaction, we have to understand the culture.
In that time, a king hosting a royal wedding feast would often provide proper garments for his guests. This means the man was not expelled because he was poor or unprepared. He was expelled because he deliberately refused to wear what the King had graciously provided. This wasn’t about clothing. It was about rejection.
The garment represents a foundational truth: we cannot enter the Kingdom based on our own goodness. Scripture tells us that our righteousness is like “filthy rags.” The robe provided by the King symbolizes the righteousness of Christ—freely given, fully sufficient, covering our sin.
By choosing to remain in his own clothes, the man was choosing self-righteousness. He was attempting to approach the King on his own terms rather than accepting the grace that had already been extended to him. He wanted the feast without surrender. The invitation without transformation.
The robe is a gift of grace—but wearing it signifies something deeper. It reflects a heart that accepts the King’s authority and desires to honor Him.
Salvation is freely given, but it is not casual. We cannot claim the benefits of the Kingdom while clinging to the very nature the King came to redeem.
We are all offered this new life. Yet each day, we choose whether to “put off the old self”—the version of us that is carnal, self-seeking, prideful, manipulative—and “put on” the new self created in Christ.
Every morning, we decide which nature we will feed and which we will starve.
We are called to:
• Put to death what is dying: Leave behind anger, deceit, bitterness, and pride.
• Practice the new life: Intentionally clothe ourselves with humility, kindness, gentleness, and patience.
• Follow the King: Walk in a manner worthy of the calling, trusting Him wherever He leads.
As Colossians 3:12–14 reminds us:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
Don’t just accept the invitation to the table; accept the robe that was bought for you. Put off the old self, pu
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