The wreck the dress culture started back in circa 2001 with women who were getting divorced. They would do a photo shoot setting a dress on fire, driving over it with a motorcycle, dragging it through the mud and so on. This soon exploded with divorce parties and so on in celebration of a destroyed solemn marriage union.

Something interesting started happening though. Women who were newly married began to do photo shoots with and without their new husbands sullying their dress, because there was “no more used for the dress.” Now, months prior, these same women were stressed and obsessed with the dress that they worked so hard for and so long for. They were meticulous about the selection of the dress, the tailoring of the dress, and the cleanliness of the dress. However, it seemed that in the moment of trend setting and following, the value of the dress diminished for a photo opportunity to appease women and men gawking at a magazine, social media, or blog posting. After said photo, the dress was completely destroyed, likely, never to be worn again.

If you cannot see where I’m going by now, let me make it clear to you here. We the Church, the Bride of Christ, are falling into a trend of those who have divorced themselves from Christ and sullying our garments for the acceptance of those who no longer love the Christ. You see, the Bride of Christ is the beloved under the dress, the Heart within the vessel wearing the dress, but the dress is the identifier to others that she is the Bride.

See this with me. At a wedding, who comes before the bride? A flower girl. Everyone knows she is not the bride but an image and foreshadowing of the bride because she is too small. She may be wearing white but her youth is an indication of her lack of maturity for the marriage and understanding of the responsibility, role, and work of wifehood. Next are the bridesmaids. Now onlookers knew this wasn’t the bride because of their attire. They all had the same dress on. There was no differentiation in them. There was no unique identifiers of them from any other person present. Moreover, the guest remain seated, and the groom remains in anticipation. The groom has a smile because He knows who’s coming next. Lastly, in beauty and splendor, in walks the beloved Bride. The identifier, the garment, the garment that came at a high price to signify and cause to stand out the heart inside the vessel who was wearing it. It was not the bride, but a representation of the bride, her selection among other women, the tailoring of the fit— mirroring the fitly joining together of her and her groom, and the purity and cleanliness of heart that matters most to the groom. It is the representation that she is not naked, but covered, called, and committed. She is spoken for, and finally married to the one whom her soul loves.

Sisters, the sullying of the garment reflects the sullying of the soul— the bending to the trends of this world and not the kingdom you were grated into through the marriage to the Lamb. Stop wrecking the dress— the identifier that you’re not abandoned but wanted, bought with a high price, set apart and sealed for the day of redemption. This dress is the clothing of yourself on the will and ways of God. You stand out even if you don’t try. You see, all eyes are on you, whether you want them to be or not. The moment you say yes to the Lamb and engage in the process of becoming one with Him, a great cloud of witness are waiting for the testimony of your love and commitment by way of the wedding. You are no longer naked but covered. Receive His covering.

There are two churches that Jesus addresses in Revelations that He comments on their garments. Hear what He says in Revelation 3:1-6:

3 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

³ Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

⁴ Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

⁵ He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

⁶ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

“He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed and white raiment…” beloved, He chastens who He loves, so even if you sullied you’re garment, your heart in the trends of this present world, if you heed the warnings of our loving and just Lord, He will make your garment white as snow and you will walk alongside Him. He would rather blot out the stain of your sin from a surrendered heart, than blot your name out of the Lamb’s book of life due to a stubborn, sullied heart. Let’s hear His words to us in Revelation 3:14-22:

¹⁴ And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

¹⁶ So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

¹⁷ Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

¹⁸ I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

²¹ To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

²² He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

“White raiment that thou may be clothed…” beloved, He is willing to purify and present you faultless if you say “yes,” and STAY/REMAIN in your “yes.” What will you do today as the Lamb is asking you to join with Him in the purified garment bought with His blood?

Sister, repent of the trend, run willingly to Him, and never wreck the dress again. God bless you and keep you.

Amen.

Q: What sin do I have hidden in my heart that is sullying my witness for Jesus Christ, misrepresenting my stance as His beloved Bride?

Prayer a prayer of repentance now for following the trends of this world in your heart and your actions.

⁃ If you do not know Jesus Christ in the free pardon of your sin, ask Him to come into your heart, save your soul, and become Lord of your life.

⁃ If you have already committed to Him but had missteps and truly repented, ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit to empower you to holy, Christ-representing, living.

#dwtd #whiteraiment #heartcheck #repentance #trendbreaker #refreshher