Love My Church the Bride
1 Chronicles 29:3 (NASB77) 3 “And moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple,”
Ephesians 5:25 (NASB77) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
The church is described through two primary images: the Bride of Christ and the Body of Christ. These metaphors capture distinct dimensions of the church’s identity and relationship with Christ. This helps wrap our minds and lives around how much the church is valued.
The Bride of Christ emphasizes covenant relationship, devotion, and transformative love.
The Bride image stresses the church’s devotion, fidelity, and purity, while Christ as bridegroom demonstrates His joy and love, even to the point of dying for the Church.
Christ sanctifies the church through cleansing and presents Her in perfect spiritual beauty—holy and blameless. The marital union illustrates how Christ and the church cease to be separate entities, becoming one flesh, with Christ claiming the church as His own body.
This next verse moves us to see the passion the Lord loves His Bride with. Ephesians 5:26-27 (NASB77)26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 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. It is the Blood of Christ Washed in the Word (Bible) by which the Lord sanctifies the Body which is the Bride that is His Church.
Recently someone sent me a list entitled, ”Satan’s Beatitudes.” They said if the devil were to write his Beatitudes, they would probably go something like this:
- Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians – they are my best workers.
- Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked – I can use them.
- Blessed are the touchy. With a bit of luck, they may stop going to church – they are my missionaries.
- Blessed are the troublemakers – they shall be called my children.
- Blessed are the complainers – I’m all ears to them.
- Blessed are they who are bored with the minister’s mannerisms and mistakes – for they get nothing out of his sermons.
- Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church – for he is part of the problem instead of the solution.
- Blessed are they who gossip – for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.
- Blessed are they who are easily offended – for they will soon get angry and quit.
- Blessed are they who do not give their offering to carry on God’s work – for they are my helpers.
- Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister – for he shall be with me forever.
- Blessed are you when you hear this and think it is about other people and not yourself – I’ve got you.
The First Beatitude or blessing is “Blessed” is the church member who gives their church loving affection.
You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. We do not have outside fund makers because it is GOD’S PEOPLE WHO NEED TO SUPPORT THE CHURCH.
Blessed is the believer who gives His church his loyal allegiance. There is a statement I want you to read with me from Neh. 10:39, ”We will not neglect the house of our God.” The word ”neglect” literally means ”to let go” or ”to let loose.” It is a word that describes how a man, after twenty-five years of faithful marriage, would leave his wife for a younger woman. It literally means to forsake or desert.
Blessed is the believer that gives His church his lasting attendance. The Word of God is very easy to understand on this subject of attendance: Hebrews 10:25 (NASB77) 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
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