Pastor’s Corner: “Here Comes the Bride”
Ephesians 5:25-27, 29-30 (AMP) – 25 Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], 27 so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. 29 For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members (parts) of His body.
“The church” this. “The church” that. I know I have been guilty of dumping on “the church” with my words and attitude (not a particular church, but the church universal). How about you? We might speak flippantly of what “the church” doesn’t get. Or what “the church” does wrong. Or the problem with “the church” in our day. We claim to know better than “the church.” If only they could fix “the church.” Having become concerned about an oversight, error, or danger we see in some Christians or churches, we’ve become careless with our words about the church — and particularly so when we consider what Christ Himself says about her.
As much as we may claim to love and honor Jesus, and desire to speak highly of him, we reveal gaps in our devotion when we flippantly broad-brush His bride in negativity with our words. We inadvertently reveal the state of our own hearts and how little we think of Christ by speaking endless negativity about His bride. Make no mistake, the church is His bride. How astounding that Christ himself would risk such an image?
Revelation 21:9 (NLT) – 9 Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” The church is Jesus’s bride, “the wife of the Lamb.” And when we admire a man, respect him, appreciate him, and reverence him, we are careful what we say about his wife — and all the more so in public. Disappointed as we may be with an unfaithful leader, or hurt as we may feel by particular people or ministries in a local community, we would do well to remember such a vision of the church — Christ’s own vision of His church.
Would You Insult His Bride? Jesus chose his wife before the foundation of the world. Jesus cherishes his church. He adores her, cares for her, gladly devotes his attention to her. He has pledged his loyalty to her, to be one flesh with her, to hold fast to her, to not give up on her, to never leave or forsake her. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25). He cleanses her and prepares to present her pure and beautiful to Himself. And he covenants to be hers, and with her, for all eternity. The Lord of heaven loves his bride. Does that not make you love her all the more? Does that not make you want to keep from carelessly speaking ill of her?
We do not whitewash the flaws of particular church leaders, or particular tendencies in sinful hearts. We do not cover for evil, but neither do we broad-brush the church, pretending to see and know flaws (current and historical) that are beyond our limited sight. And we don’t pretend the church is yet fully cleansed. Christ is still working on her.
When tempted to dump on “the church,” we who claim we love Jesus (The Bridegroom) would do well to remember His perspective, and His heart, and to speak with the grace and truth of our Savior toward His bride.
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton