I delight greatly in the Lord;
    my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garment of salvation
    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10

Jesus covers my sin with his righteousness.  For a long time, I imagined Jesus placing his robe of righteousness on me.  More recently, I have begun to picture that Jesus is still wearing his robe.  Instead of taking it off, he welcomes me to his side and wraps us both in it.

In the first scenario, my justification is part of a mathematical equation.  Jesus took my sins upon him and gave me his righteousness.  Clear theology, but something is missing.  Wearing his robe in this way, I would be independent.  I could go where I please; I could do what I want, claiming that his blood covers all my sins.  But this doesn’t fit with what I read in the Bible.

In the second, my justification is part of a relationship.  In following Jesus, in being in his presence, in submitting my will to his, I experience fellowship with him, and this is how I participate in his righteousness.

In both cases, the righteousness is his, unmerited on my part.  It is purely by his grace that he covers me with his robe.  I am not earning salvation or working for righteousness by any means.  But as I picture Jesus wrapping me in his robe, holding me to his side with his arms, it calls me to a deeper understanding of the gospel.

Recently, I read and prayed through the book of John.  It struck me how often Jesus calls people to obedience and relationship.  He invites us to follow him, abide in him, obey him (1:43, 8:12, 12:26, 13:13-17, 14:23-24, 15:1-17), He calls us to be his disciples. It was through acts of obedience that people understood more of who he was, or got to know him better (2:1-11, 4:43-54, 5:1-15, 8:1-11)

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ John 8:31-32

I am learning to abide in Jesus, and there are times when the picture of clinging to his side, wrapped in his robe, helps me to live that out.