How does Christ, as the Bridegroom love us, His bride? And what can we learn from that? In today’s post in our Marriage Metaphor series, we’ll be looking to Scripture for answers.
A Waiting Bride
The New Testament refers to Believers as the Bride of Christ. There is much to learn about Christ from this metaphor, and much to learn about ourselves!
It’s interesting to note that the current church age is in a stage of waiting. Like an engaged couple prior to their ceremony, the official “marriage supper of the Lamb (See Revelation 19:6-9 and this article) has not taken place yet. So, we “betrothed” (those who have a saving faith in Jesus) wait eagerly, as a bride waits for her groom!
I love this description from GotQuestions.org regarding the waiting period:
Just as there was a betrothal period in biblical times during which the bride and groom were separated until the wedding, so is the bride of Christ separate from her Bridegroom during the church age. Her responsibility during the betrothal period is to be faithful to Him (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24).
GotQuestions.org
What the Bible Says
Here are a few passages that give us a better picture of the metaphor of the Church* being Christ’s bride.
*Note: in this post, the “Church” refers to the universal body of Christians.
John the Baptist is the first person in the New Testament that refers to this “marriage” when he says of Jesus,
“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”
(John 3:29)
Paul expounds on the relationship of Jesus to the Church while instructing the early Believers in Ephesians 5:22-32, explaining that earthly marriage is the copy of Christ’s relationship with His people.
22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30because we are members of his body. 31“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
(Ephesians 5:22-32)
Jesus refers to Himself as the Bridegroom in this metaphor in Matthew 9:15:
15And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:15)
John, while exiled to the island of Patmos saw the marriage supper of the Lamb and described it as follows:
6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our Godthe Almighty reigns. 7Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
(Revelation 19:6-9a)
What can we learn from all of these passages?
How the Bridegroom Sees His Bride
When Christ looks at us, He sees a spotless virgin, made blameless and holy, though we are sinners. How can this be? Only because His very own blood purifies us.
Our Savior is fully devoted to us! He is both our servant (serving us with what is best for our souls, see Mark 10:45) and our faithful leader. Jesus loves us passionately, sacrificially, selflessly, purely, permanently, eternally, protectively, intimately (He knows our hearts better than we do!), completely, honorably, perfectly, and in a way that strengthens and empowers us.
Wow!
So What Does That Really Mean?
Because of how He loves us, we can trust and serve Him. We learn that submission to Him is not only good for us, but it is best.
We can trust in His comfort and guidance, knowing He will never leave us, hurt us, nor lead us astray. Our hearts can be open completely (because He knows them anyway!) and He will gently and powerfully care for every need and every concern we have!
In this beautiful bride-bridegroom relationship, we get to be His partner and helpmeet, being useful to Him as we do His will. We get the honor and privilege of being His hands and feet (His body) and sharing the Gospel in a dark and hurting world.
How We Can Model the Picture of Perfect Love?
Earthly marriage is only a copy of the original picture in which Christ unites Himself eternally to the church. Jesus gave His life to ransom us and is wholly dedicated and purely devoted to His people.
How can we model that?
Read back through that list of descriptors of how Jesus loves us. It’s pretty amazing, but a pretty lofty goal for us mere creatures.
The good news is that we have the Holy Spirit who will help us to do better than we ever thought possible!
And if we don’t make the conscious effort to follow Jesus’ command to “love one another as I have loved you,” then we’ll never even come close!
Remember, Christian mean “little Christ.” As we go about our days, let’s aim to be like Him and love others as He loves us, His beautiful bride!
Blessings!
Ali
To read more about being the Bride of Christ, click here.
To read more about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, click here.
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