The prophet Zechariah is shown a scene in Heaven: Joshua the high priest, presented before the angel of the Lord accompanied by his accuser - Satan. The high priest was silent before the Lord and dressed in filthy clothes. Filthy garments depict our corruption and self-made righteousness. Joshua the priest remains silent in his guilt and shame before the Lord. The Lord rebukes Satan and then regards Joshua as a burning stick that has been pulled from a fire.
A burning stick taken out of a fire accurately describes the condition of fallen man before our justification and redemption. Are we not anything more than burning sticks, fuel for a consuming fire, burning in our own sin and corruption? Jude wrote:
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
Like fuel being consumed in a fire, we were called while we were dead in our trespasses and sins, helpless, and without any hope of pulling ourselves out.
Clothed in filthy garments, Joshua stands condemned before the Lord. Isaiah prophesied:
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.
But there’s hope: while we were still helpless in our sins, Christ died for us. Our redemption was accomplished by Christ paying the penalty for our sins – by dying in our place on the cross. Christ was crucified for our sins, and was raised from the dead for our justification. Just as Adam’s transgression resulted in condemnation to everyone, Christ’s death and resurrection resulted in our justification.
Justification is a judicial act of God, whereby He pardons the Believer of his sins and declares him righteous through faith in Christ. The Believer is justified by faith in Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. Our justification and righteousness is through faith in Jesus – and faith is a gift from God. We are justified by faith apart from any merit or works of our own.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been reconciled to the Father through faith in Christ. As a result, of our justification, we are adopted by God as His children. God has predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will. Adoption assures us that we have all the rights and privileges of heirs. We receive the spirit of adoption as sons, by which we embrace God as our Father and have bold and confident access to Him.
Finally, Joshua the high priest was given a new set of clothes. His filthy clothes were taken from him and the Lord said, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” Revelation describes fine linen as the righteous acts of the saints. When God forgives our sins He causes our iniquity to pass from us, that it may not appear to condemn us; it passes from us as far as the east is from the west. The Lord clothes us with salvation, and His godly ones sing aloud for joy.