Correct.

"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." 2 Corinthians 11:2 (NAS)

Although in other scriptures Jesus is described as the master or King, here Paul compares the relationship between Christ and those in the church as husband and pure bride. 

The Marriage Relationship Between Man and Woman:

Prior to the Wedding -- In God's design for the marriage relationship between a husband and wife, the bride is presented to her husband being pure in her virginity...and the husband likewise is pure before his bride in his virginity.

After the Wedding -- The two become one flesh and husband and wife are devoted to one another in love, devotion and commitment (until death do us part). Each marriage partner is faithful in all things to their spouse, and they do not have sexual relations with anyone else but their spouse. For more information, read: Genesis 2:24, Romans 13:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Ephesians 5, Exodus 20:14 & 17, Matthew 5:27-28, etc.

The Marriage Relationship Between Jesus and His Church:

The Husband -- In God's design for the marriage relationship between Jesus and His church, Jesus is the pure husband...being without sin:

"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15 (NAS)

The Bride -- The group of followers, called "the church" or the "bride of Christ" or "His body," must also be presented as a pure bride before Christ. However, we are not without sin. Each of us...before we become part of His church...must be made clean from our sin. Jesus makes us clean through His blood, through the washing of water (the washing of regeneration...or being born again), and through the renewing of the Holy Spirit:

"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..." Ephesians 5:25-26 (NAS)

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7 (NAS)

Being Faithful Until Death -- When a person becomes a Christian, he or she is added to the church. The Christian becomes one spirit with the Lord. Each Christian should remain faithful to Jesus throughout his or her life (just as a wife should remain faithful to her husband).  In addition, we know that Jesus will be faithful to the church (just as a man should be faithful always to his wife).

Having too close a relationship with worldly things is often referred to as adultery in a spiritual sense:

"Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you." 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 (NAS)

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her For He says, "The two will become one flesh." But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him." 1 Corinthians 6:15-17 (NAS)

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:38 (NAS)

In the Book of Revelation, you will see many references to:

• Jesus as the bridegroom,

• the church as the bride, and

• the harlot (the non-spiritual things that Christians become too entangled with).

Have you ever thought...how did Jesus cleanse His church "by the washing of water with the word?" What is this "mercy, washing of regeneration, and renewing by the Holy Spirit" that saves us? We'll see later as the Book of Revelation unfolds.

For more information about how a person is added by God to Jesus' church, please see Lessons 1 and 2 at this website.

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