Jesus' Church is the Bride of
Christ
A marriage is a covenant that joins a husband with
his wife. The relationship is based on
love...but the relationship endures because of each
party's total commitment to the covenant or
agreement of marriage. The scriptures use this
physical concept of bride and bridegroom to help us
visualize the spiritual relationship and love
between Christ and His church.Jesus is the Bridegroom...the Church is His
Bride:
John 3:27-29 -- "John answered and said, "A
man can receive nothing, unless it has been given
him from heaven. "You yourselves bear me witness,
that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have
been sent before Him.' "He who has the bride is the
bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who
stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of
the bridegroom's voice. And so this joy of mine has
been made full." (NAS)
Christ is the Head of
the Wife, His church:
Ephesians 5:23-25 -- "For the
husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is
the head of the church, He Himself being the
Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to
Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their
husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself up for her;"
The Relationship of Christ to
the Church:
Ephesians 5:23-33 "For the
husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is
the head of the church, He Himself being the
Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to
Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their
husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the
word, that He might present to Himself the church in
all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such
thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So
husbands ought also to love their own wives as their
own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;
for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes
and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the
church, because we are members of His body. For this
cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and
shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become
one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking
with reference to Christ and the church.
Nevertheless let each individual among you also love
his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband. (NAS)
Revelation 19:7-9 -- "Let us rejoice and be glad and
give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb
has come and His bride has made herself ready." And
it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen,
bright and clean; for the fine linen is the
righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me,
"Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the
marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me,
"These are true words of God." (NAS)
How Did the Church Become Jesus' Bride...and How Is
It Made Sanctified & Clean:
Ephesians 5:25-32 -- "Husbands, love your
wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave
Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the
word, that He might present to Himself the church in
all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such
thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.
vs. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with
reference to Christ and the church. (NAS)
1
Corinthians 12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or free, and we were all made to
drink of one Spirit." (NAS)
2 Corinthians 11:1-4 "I
wish that you would bear with me in a little
foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me. For
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I
betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might
present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid,
lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
your minds should be led astray from the simplicity
and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes
and preaches another Jesus whom we have not
preached, or you receive a different spirit which
you have not received, or a different gospel which
you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully."
(NAS)
There are perhaps other illustrations and word
pictures given in scripture to help us see the
relationship of Christ to His church. From
these few illustrations, perhaps you have a better
sense of this relationship.
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