The Bride of Christ
Is the Church really Christ's bride? 2 Corinthians 11:2
What was God’s purpose in making us male and female?. Genesis 1:27 Ephesians 1:11 .
Marriage-Symbolic of Our Union with God
What were the conditions that allowed a woman to leave her house? Genesis 2:24 . Ephesians 5:31-32
The Price of Marriage
Now if a man wanted to marry her he had to ask her father. If the father was agreeable he would set the bride price.
The Betrothal
The father had complete authority in this matter. He could either give his daughter's hand in marriage or not.
Now if the father accepted the bride price the couple, after a formal ceremony, entered into a state of marriage called a betrothal. After the betrothal ceremony, the bride would watch her husband leave her to remain in her father's house as he returned to his home to prepare a place for her. Her sadness of heart was mixed with joyful expectation, for she had received from her husband a pledge; promising that he would come back to get her, and bring her to her new home. Matthew 9:15.
The Consummation
After the time of separation had run its course the bride would make herself ready for her husband by donning her wedding gown and her finest jewelry. Her husband, accompanied by his friends, would make a joyful procession from his house to hers as he came to get his bride. He would gather his beautiful virgin bride and take her back to his house where they would consummate the marriage. During the one year betrothal period they were legally married, but had no sexual contact. We can think of the Israeli marriage custom as a parable. First we see that the unmarried daughter is mankind, and the prospective husband is Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2.
The unmarried daughter's father is Satan, and his house is the Earth. Luke 4:5-6.
The earth belonged to him and he had authority over all who lived in it. 2 Corinthians 4:4, John 8:41-44.
The prospective husband, Jesus Christ, came from his Father's house, Heaven, to Earth to get his bride. John 3:13, John 16:28, and John 17:8.
Now the unmarried daughter's father is not at all kind. The price set for his daughter is death. When God originally made the first man and woman they were alive, spiritually as well as physically. Genesis 2:7, (living being.)
To paraphrase the fall of man, we can say that God said: "I have made you living beings, but in the day that you rebel against me, my justice will force my Spirit out of you and you will be dead spiritually." Satan, the devil, who's name literally means, 'the Accuser,' always points out your guilt to God and points out the fact that since you are guilty God can't have you and still be just. So we see the daughter is spiritually dead, or cutoff from God, that is, life. The only way to unite with her is to give up your spiritual life.
The "Catch 22"
Satan thought he had won. If God wanted his beloved back he would have to die, and Satan had the power over death. Hebrews 2:14-15.
Jesus could have the bride, if he paid the bride price, but then he would be dead and thus under Satan's power.
The Secret Plan
Satan is forever standing before God pointing out the fact that mankind is guilty of sin, and therefore, because God is just, that God can't have them. In this Satan is right. God can't overlook our guilt and still be just, at least as things stood then. If God wanted mankind back he would have to devise a plan.2 Samuel 14:14 1 Corinthians 2:7-8
Jesus' Demonstration of His Love
How did Jesus respond? Isaiah 53:7.
Tricking Satan
Just like with mankind, God was forced to turn his face from him. Jesus was God's bait and Satan swallowed him up in death. And then the Just Judge asked Satan: "Why did you cover my servant in death? You who point your finger at me and accuse my beloved mankind. You now tell me, what sin Jesus has committed!" Matthew 27:46
How would Satan be able to respond to this?
The Successful Outcome
God stripped Satan of the keys to death and gave them to Jesus. Revelation 1:18., Romans 5:18-19, Ephesians 3:10-11.,1 Corinthians 15:55-57
So long as our freedom from death was dependent upon our perfection we were condemned. But thank God Jesus defeated death and provided a path to life through a union with him, who was resurrected from death.
The Faithful Marriage
A marriage is based on faith. A man and a woman have faith in one another and make a verbal profession of that faith before God and man. This union results in the creation of a new being, the husband/wife, and lasts until death separates them. Our union with Jesus Christ is exactly the same. We come to know him, we believe his proposal and we make a verbal profession of our faith before God and man. We enter into a new creation that lasts forever, because death will never separate us because he who has entered into life is free from death.
2 Corinthians 5:17
A Relationship of Faith
A relationship with God is based on faith. Hebrews 13:8.
The first man and the first woman had a faith of innocence. Through rebellion they gained the knowledge of their own evil desires, and contrasted with their knowledge of God's just requirements, faith was broken. They became separated, spiritually dead. 2 Samuel 14:14
The man and the woman couldn't fix the fact that they rebelled. But God, through Jesus Christ, paid the price of rebellion, and provided a way that through faith in what Jesus did, and faith in his promised union with us, we can once again stand before God in holiness and righteousness. Luke 1:74-75.
Our Husband's House
Looking back to the description of the biblical marriage we can see that Jesus paid the bride price and he has gone back to his Father's house to prepare a place for us. John 14:1-4
The Church is Betrothed to God
It is not coincidental that it was during the betrothal phase of their marriage that the Holy Spirit conceived in Mary the Holy Child. It is during the present age, the betrothal age, the Church age, that the Holy Spirit enters into the heart of the believers marking them as the Lord's betrothed. The Holy Spirit is a pledge sent from God promising and guaranteeing that he will return for us and receive us as his own.
Ephesians 1:13-14
2 Corinthians 1:12
Matthew 25:1-12 How are we The Lord will soon come for us and so we will be with the Lord forever.
The Big Picture
Who is the Bride of Christ? Revelation 21:2,:9-10
The gates to the New Jerusalem are named for the twelve tribes of Israel and the foundations are named for the twelve apostles of the Church. The city symbolizes the place in which God and all believers live together in peace and love.
Jesus is Wooing Us Now
At this time, Jesus, with open arms, is reaching out to any that will accept his proposal of 'marriage.' He has paid the bride price. He had redeemed us from the power of Satan. He cries out to us. Matthew 11:28-30
God is Asking You to Marry Him
So what is God’s proposal? God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth is offering himself to you. His desire is to receive you as one who is one with him. But understand this, his bride must be holy and pure. I am not saying we have to be good enough to be accepted by God, no, Jesus washes us and makes us pure, then we must live thereafter as pure virgin before him.
We must not be unfaithful to him and seek after other providers and protectors, and so be guilty of adultery. We must not be enamored by wealth which would make us guilty of prostitution. We must allow our 'Husband' to be head over us, and always follow his lead. God's word is the water that we must bathe in daily. We wash away everything that does not conform to the image of Christ.
As God's 'wife' it is my earnest desire for him to see me as beautiful and pleasing. O that I could be his delight.
Revelation 19:6-7
Taken from Article written by Mark Heaney