God covers believers with His own righteousness as a robe, imputed to them when they believe.
According to the evidence, God clothes believers with the garments of salvation and covers them with the robe of His own righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). This covering is imputed through faith in Jesus Christ, so that when God looks at a believer, He sees Christ's righteousness rather than their own (Romans 3:21-22).
Isaiah 61:10 — This verse explicitly describes God clothing His people with the garments of salvation and covering them with a robe of righteousness.
Romans 3:21-22 — This passage presents the righteousness of God that comes through the faith of Jesus Christ unto and upon all who believe.
In Isaiah 61:10, the prophet Isaiah declares, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." In Romans 3:21-22, the Apostle Paul writes, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." Scripture also connects this covering to the Genesis account, where God clothed Adam and Eve after the fall. In Genesis 3:21, "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." The evidence indicates that this was more than physical covering—God clothed them with a spiritual garment of righteousness (as referenced in the teaching).
Les Feldick teaches that God's righteousness covers believers as an imputed, spiritual garment. He connects Isaiah 61:10 back to Genesis 3, explaining that when God clothed Adam and Eve with coats of skins, He was also clothing them with righteousness. This same covering happens today when a person believes the Gospel. He emphasizes that this is God's righteousness, not our own. When God looks at a believer, He sees Christ's righteousness—not the believer's sin or failure. Les says, "I would never dare stand in God's presence on my own merit, nor would you" and "He sees Christ in His righteousness." The covering is imputed, a bookkeeping term meaning "put to the account," and it comes through believing—not through works, law-keeping, or religious ritual. Les also warns that trying to cover ourselves with our own self-effort only shows God an "open sepulcher." Instead, when we let God cover us, we look beautiful in His sight, just as a bride is beautiful on her wedding day.
Les teaches that in Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve's disobedience and their attempt to cover themselves with fig leaves, God killed an animal and made coats of skins to clothe them. This covered their physical nakedness, but Les says the fuller meaning is that God also clothed them with righteousness. He says, "Now jump right back to Genesis. So because Adam had the ability to believe what God said, the blood has now been shed from the sacrificial animals. He not only covers their physical body, but He clothes them with a spiritual garment that now hid old Adam, and he now has the imputed righteousness of the righteousness of God." The same spiritual covering happens to those who believe.
Les teaches that since believers are covered with God's righteousness, God no longer sees the believer in their own sinfulness. He says, "God looks on us and He doesn't see Les Feldick. He doesn't see you by name. He sees Christ in His righteousness." This covering is not visible to the world, but it is always before God. It's God's own righteousness, not ours.
Les teaches that the only condition for receiving God's righteousness is believing. In Romans 3:21-22, the righteousness of God is "unto all and upon all them that believe." Les emphasizes that this verse does not say it is upon those who keep the Ten Commandments, repent and are baptized, or join a church. Those are not in the verse. The sole condition is believing the Gospel. When the Gospel is believed, everything else falls into place.
Les explains that imputed righteousness is a bookkeeping term. He says, "It means to put to the account." God's righteousness is credited to the believer's account and covers them. This happened to Adam, it was revealed through Isaiah, and Paul writes about it throughout Romans. Les says that this imputed covering is part and parcel of salvation—"upon all them that believe" (Romans 3:22).
God Clothed Adam and Eve with Righteousness
Les teaches that when God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve, He was not just covering their physical nakedness but also clothing them with His righteousness, as later described in Isaiah 61:10.
God Sees Christ's Righteousness on Believers
Les explains that once a believer is covered with God's righteousness, God no longer sees the person in their own failures; He sees Christ's righteousness instead.
Robe of Righteousness Leaves Us Out of the Picture
Les emphasizes that the robe of righteousness is God's, not ours, and that our only part is to believe. God sees His own righteousness when He looks at us.
We Enter Righteousness by Believing
Les connects the covering of righteousness to Romans 3, stating that we enter into that covering by faith, by believing, and that our own righteousness is but filthy rags.
Imputed Righteousness from Adam to Believers
Les teaches that because Adam believed God, God clothed him with a spiritual garment of imputed righteousness—the same righteousness that comes to all who believe.
Righteousness Is Imputed to Our Account
Les explains that imputation is a bookkeeping term meaning to put to the account, and God's righteousness is credited to believers because of their faith.
Believing Unto Righteousness
Les reinforces that God clothes believers with the righteousness of Christ when they believe with the heart, as taught in Romans 10:10.
Self-Covering Versus God's Covering
Les contrasts self-righteous attempts to fix ourselves with the beautiful covering of God's robe of righteousness, which is how believers appear in God's sight.
Isaiah 61:10: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
This is the foundational verse Les uses to show that God clothes believers with salvation and covers them with His own righteousness.
Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
This verse reveals that God's righteousness is now manifested apart from the law, though the law and prophets pointed to it.
Romans 3:22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
This verse shows that the righteousness of God comes upon all who believe, which is the condition for receiving the covering.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Les references this verse to show that all have sinned and need God's imputed righteousness.
Genesis 3:21: Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
This is the Old Testament picture of God providing a covering of skins and, as Les teaches, clothing them with righteousness.
God covers us with His own righteousness as a robe, imputed to us when we believe. Isaiah 61:10 speaks of being clothed with the garments of salvation and covered with the robe of righteousness. Les Feldick teaches that this is God's righteousness placed upon us, so that when God looks at us, He sees Christ's righteousness rather than our own.
No. Les teaches that our own righteousness is as filthy rags, and we cannot produce righteousness on our own. The covering is God's own righteousness provided through the blood of Christ and received by faith. Any attempt to cover ourselves with self-effort only reveals our sinfulness to God.
Belief is the sole condition. Romans 3:22 says the righteousness of God is "upon all them that believe." Les emphasizes that the verse does not say keeping the law, being baptized, or joining a church. It is simply believing the Gospel, and then God imputes His righteousness to that person.
According to Les's teaching, when God looks at a believer, He does not see the believer's sins or their old self; He sees the righteousness of Christ covering them. As Les says, "He sees Christ in His righteousness." This is what makes the covering so beautiful.
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