The Bride wears White

Our youngest son and his fiancé are planning their wedding. As mother of the groom, I want to wear an appropriate garment for this occasion. Since this wedding is going to have a vintage theme from the 1940's, my choices are limited, yet exciting.

With the Internet, it is not difficult to find out what people wore in that era. I was even able to find a Vogue sewing pattern that I like. Selecting fabric will be interesting. I want to make sure the color and design conform to the theme and are in harmony with what the bridal party will be wearing.

This morning, Spurgeon’s devotional tells of the standard garments that Jewish people wore during Bible times for a party. He says they wore white. I’ve not had time to check that out, but assuming he is correct, then the implications are interesting, even exciting.

Some say white is the absence of color, which is not true. When light hits an object and bounces to our eyes, we might see any combination of the seven main colors in the spectrum. If there is no light reflected, the object is black. If all seven colors reflect back, we see white.


In Scripture, white symbolizes justification, that is, purity from sin. Two verses illustrate this. The first is God pleading with His people. The second is from David’s confession after he sinned with Bathsheba and murdered her husband.

Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

In the New Testament, a white garment symbolizes the same purity that happens to those who have confessed their sin. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, these are proclaimed clean, and our purity is because of His purity.

These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)

Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. (Revelation 3:4–5)

However, purity also refers the joy and gladness of knowing God accepts me. Because I am His, I am part of the Body of Christ which the Bible also calls the Bride of Christ. At the end, when all of God’s people are with Him, there will be a “marriage feast” and the Bride of Christ will be clothed in white. Solomon even hinted that those white garments are party garb, suitable for a great feast and great joy. He wrote, “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head” (Ecclesiastes 9:7–8).

Those who experience the grace of God and His acceptance through faith in Jesus Christ always wear white garments of joy and gladness while we walk in communion with Him. We have no reason for doubt, misery or gloomy faces, unless we defile our party clothes with sin and disobedience. David asked that God would “restore the joy of my salvation” when he sinned. The only way to be joyful and fully assured of my salvation and acceptance with God is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, not filled with sin and selfishness. I’m to keep my garments spotless, my life pure.

Another biblical mention of white concerns a white stone. A little research and I discovered that white stones were given to conquering soldiers as they returned home. These were also used in courts to designate a vote of innocence. This cultural background adds significance to this verse:

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)

These days, colors still have symbolism attached to them, yet the biblical associations are often lost. Black is now chic, not the color of darkness and sin. Red is exciting and trendy, not the color of sin or sacrificial blood. White is clean and uncluttered, not often associated with the amazing freedom of full forgiveness and communion with God. Thinking of color as the Bible describes it is not old fashioned; it is wonderfully symbolic of great realities.

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Lord, As I look at the world of color around me, I am grateful that You did not make a colorless world, but I’m also delighted at the symbolism where You link spiritual realities with color, even light and darkness. I’m also amazed how much richer these associations are through knowing that Your people have always connected white (a combo of all colors) with joy, approval and victory, as well as the purity of Jesus Christ, my spotless Savior and Lord.