THE INSEPARABLE DUO!!!
Crack!Crack!Crack! The whiplashes on the bared back of innocent ”Majnu” in the Laila-Majnu Movie (the Eastern Oriental equivalent of Romeo and Juliet) made me move uneasily in the Cine theatre seat (I was all of 10 years then in 1976). The background musical effect of that musical maestro Madan Mohan (who died before completing the film whereby the baton was carried forward by Jaidev, seamlessly) added a ring of agony to that tragic melodrama being played out on the Big Screen. Lo and behold...something unbelievable started unfolding in front of the movie audience!!! When Majnu was getting whipped, the scars of whipping started appearing on his anguished sweetheart’s (Laila) back also (who wasn’t far away from the whipping scene), leaving an Arabic King who had ordered whipping of Majnu dumbfounded at the intensity of passionate love between these two legendary lovers’. I would stop here. I am rewinding in using this “Bollywood” related illustration merely for the sake of making a point about “union of hearts” between two lovers’. By the way, I bade goodbye for good to the World of movies in October 1983 after accepting Christ as my Saviour. He has given me all the “joy” (John 15:11/16:24) since, which no entertaining media can give. Hmmm... proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof!!!
Coming to the ”made for each other” relationships in the spiritual realm, one doesn’t have to look beyond “God-Israel” consanguinity of OT Dispensation “Christ-Church” Covenantal relationship of Grace Age to understand the subject better. Didn’t the Heavenly Father say to the persecuted Jews “for he who touches you touches the apple of my eye” (Zech 2:9) and didn’t Christ confront Saul the persecutor of the Early Church with these words “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me” (Acts 9:6) rather than words such as “Why are you persecuting my followers”? In this message by dwelling on the inseparability of Christ and His Church, I would like to bring forth the deep similarities between the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (the Church comprising of His blood-bought Christians’).
Creation...
If the virgin birth of Christ was a miracle wrought purely by the power of God (Luke 1:35), then the spiritual birth of a Christian too on receiving Christ as his personal Saviour is a singular act of the Almighty with no human plan or passion involved. Let the Scripture take over at this stage...
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”- John 1:12-13
In fact, John goes onto record in his first epistle that in every saved individual who has received this new life from the El-Shaddai God there is a “Seed” (in Greek “Sperma” the root word for the English word “Sperm”) of God present, giving the person concerned at once the Holy Character of the Omnipotent One (1 John 3:9).
Yet another similarity, we need to focus on at this stage is the means the Heavenly Father used. If He sent the Holy Spirit upon Mary to bring about a miraculous conception, then on the Day of Pentecost the Heavenly Father sent the same Holy Spirit upon the Apostles to bring about the Birth of a Church ...with the laity numbering up to about 3000 (Acts 2). If Virgin Mary was the means to bring about the birth of the Bridegroom, then the Apostles were the God-ordained instrument to bring about the birth of the Bride. Sadly at Christmas time, while the misguided Catholic Church focuses solely on Virgin Mary to it’s detriment, who was no more than a holy means to bring the Saviour to this World, some of the Charismatic Churches on the Pentecostal Sunday every year focus only on the Apostles grossly neglecting regenerate 3000 souls who are the prototype for every born-again Christian in the last 2000 years. Talk of a Birthday speech where plaudits abound for the parents with none reserved for the Birthday child....
On the Birth of the Church on the Pentecostal Day, doesn’t the Infallible Scripture speak of how genuine repentance preceded the Salvation experience of the 3000? It says “Cut to the heart” (read- thoroughly convicted of their sins) on hearing the Gospel, in contrite spirit they accepted Christ (Acts 2:37). Has not the new-birth experience of every Christian in the last 2000 years borne the same pattern?
Progression...
If Jesus grew in stature and wisdom in the eyes of man and God by humbly obeying His earthly parents (Luke 2:51-52), the Early Christians (who I reiterate are a role-model for all the Christians who followed thence) too grew spiritually by listening to their “spiritual earthly parents” (read Apostles- Acts 2:42) besides giving themselves to prayers and fellowshipping. Hey, in matters of spiritual growth it pays a new Christian well to carefully follow the advice cum the example of his “spiritual parent” who preached the Gospel to him whilst winning him over to Christ (1 Cor 4:15-16)!!!
Mind you, “New converts of the Pentecostal day” of the Early Church did not stand beside the Apostles to preach nor were they used in the Ministry within 24 hours of receiving “new life” from God!!! If New birth is a great spiritual experience, the one of being ushered into Ministry with due passage of time (No leadership positions please for new Christians commands Apostle Paul- 1 Tim 3:6) would equally be a memorable one.
Subjugation/Qualification...
Jesus Earthly life can be divided into three parts ...Preparation (at Nazareth), Proclamation (Ministry largely in the Northern Galilee beginning after the arrest of John the Baptist- Matt 4:12-17) and Passion (in Southern Jerusalem). If Proclamation phase involving mighty anointing (Luke 4:14/ Acts 10:38) was preceded by His triumph over temptations of the craving flesh (Matt 4:1-4), lust of the eyes (Matt 4:8-10) and the Pride of life (Matt 4:5-7), in a Christian’s life too after he subjugates these temptations (1 John 2:14-16) comes the needed anointing which is a qualification for any of the five Ministries (Apostolic, Evangelical, Prophetical, Pastoral or that of teaching- Eph 4:11-15) Christ would use Him in, for enhancing the boundaries of His Kingdom and for building up the Church to a state of full maturity. Apostle Paul sums up the subject on how subjugation of temptations precedes anointing for Ministry aptly in 2 Tim 2:21...
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” It is pertinent to note that the Greek word used for “being set apart as Holy” is hagiazó which means consecrated or anointed. Virtually by subjugating the temptations, a Christian has proved his trustworthiness to be entrusted now with greater responsibilities.
Doubtless, when Peter wrote his epistle to some of 3000 who received the Lord (in Pontus, Cappadocia-the very places from which they had comeon the Da y of Pentecost-1 Peter 1:1), they having stood firm in the midst of fiery trials(1 Peter 1:7-8) had already been “anointed” in the intervening period for Peter exhorts them in the matter of matter of Gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11) and Pastoral Ministry (1 Peter 5:1-4).
In my own Christian life, after walking in the “fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:31) en-route overcoming the temptations with the Lord’s help alone (yes, if there were some falls then painful, remedial chastisement-repentance-restoration would follow- 1 Kings 8:46-49/ 1 John 2:1) for six years came the anointing experience (in July, 1989) of being filled with the “fire from above”. The Word of wisdom and Word of knowledge which were graciously gifted to me that day would never be withdrawn (1 Cor 12:8-9/ Rom 11:29) thence. With that commenced my preaching, teaching and writing Ministry which after making a slow start has grown in ever-widening circles from then on by His mercy alone even as I have grown further in Him (2 Cor 4:1/ 2 Cor 3:18). At this stage i need to also shout from rooftops that while mountain-top spiritual experiences are good in themselves, what eventually shapes a Christian into Christ-like image is consistent Cross-bearing. If 2 or 3 great spiritual experiences are sufficient in God’s sight to make a Christian perfectly Christ-like, then there would be no place for the cardinal doctrine of progressive sanctification (2 Peter 1:5-11/Romans 5:3-4/James 1:2-4) amongst others like Justification and Glorification in the Christian faith.
Now coming to a subject within a subject all with the purpose of presenting the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) hoping thereby some prejudices are trashed and greater unity amongst the brethren in the Universal Church is promoted! While, I have lain before my readership, the general pattern of spiritual occurrences’ in a Christian’s life using my life as an example, the Holy Spirit who is like wind (does wind follow one set pattern? - John 3:8) cannot be dictated to, to conform to a set pattern in the matter of His manifestations (visible or invisible) at the beginning or at later stages in a Christian’s life. Mind you, God who can come through blazing fire before Elijah the Prophet on Mount Carmel can also manifest His presence before the same Prophet in a much more gentle and silent way (1 Kings 18:21-39/19:11-13)!!! Similarly as per His Sovereign, indescribable wisdom, the Holy Spirit can visibly or invisibly manifest Himself in a person’s life. While in the case of Churches of Jerusalem (Acts 2:41), Antioch (Acts 11:20-21), Galatia (Acts 13-14/ Gal 3:2), Philippians (Acts 16:11-15), Thessalonica (Acts 17:4), Bereans (Acts 17:12) or Corinthians (Acts 18:7-8) there were no visible manifestations at the time of He entering their lives, we find in the case of Cornelius and his family members or the Samaritan Church and the Ephesian “Dozen” there were visible manifestations of the Spirit as per His Sovereign, indescribable wisdom.
In the three cases of visible manifestations also, one would observe a stark contrast in two of three cases. In the case of Cornelius and his household, if there was a visible manifestation even before they made a confessional prayer of repentance ( Acts 10:44-46 -but for this visible manifestation the Christians from “circumcised” Jewish background would have cut the circumcised Peter to size for fellowshipping with the Gentiles- Acts 11:1-18), the visible manifestations were seen only after a genuine repentance and baptismal service in the case of Samaritan Church ( Acts 8:14-16 -only after Apostles Peter and John had arrived therein). The wise purpose here being presence of Peter and John was needed to keep the early church unified. Remember, there was great animosity between Jews and Samaritans (John 4:9). If the church in Samaria had begun on its own, with no connection to the “Jewish” church, the church in Jerusalem would never have accepted it. The Samaritans were known historically as corruptors of Judaism (John 4:20). So God made sure that Peter and John, apostles and Jews from Jerusalem, were present to witness the gift of the Spirit given to the Samaritans. God’s message in this was that the church in Samaria was no heretical start-up. The Samaritans were part of the same church that had been started in Jerusalem, and they were filled with the same Spirit (see Galatians 3:28). Peter and John were eyewitnesses. Their testimony was clear: what happened in Samaria was not a separate religious movement. By delaying the visible manifestation of Holy Spirit in the Samaritan Church, our all-wise God (Rom 11:33) prevented the early church from immediately dividing into different sects.
As regards yet another visible manifestation amongst the “12 men of Ephesus”.... On reaching Ephesus) Apostle Paul who had seen new life flowing through the lives of his new converts say in Galatia or Phillipi or Thessalonica or Berea or in Corinth on their conversion (albeit there were no visible manifestations therein) obviously found new life with its accompaniments...renewed spiritual vim, vigor and vitality conspicuous by its absence amongst these 12 “believers”. On further interrogation, he finds out that they had not been exposed to the full, redemptive Gospel (1 Cor 15:1-4/ Acts 19:1-7) schooled as they were obviously by Apollo their “half-baked” teacher (word used advisedly as he was not exposed to the full, redemptive Gospel then) who after being exposed to the full, redemptive Gospel would be used greatly by the Lord, later on (Acts 18:24-28). Adam Clark the famous Biblical expositor whom C.H. Spurgeon calls the “Chief of Expositors” says thus about the 12 of Ephesus...”they were not Christians” till Apostle Paul baptized them. Hence the visible manifestation, so as to prove to them what would accrue on hearing the full, redemptive Gospel rather than the truncated one only up to the life and Ministry of John the Baptist.
All said and done, what ought to matter most to all Christians is like it was in their Bridegroom’s heart, is their persistent joy of the Holy Spirit in their hearts too (Luke 10:21/1 Peter 1:8/Acts 9:31-TLB)!!!
Persecution...
Now coming back to the broader subject of similarities between the inseparable Bridegroom and Bride, if the Bridegroom was subjected to the persecution of mainly rejection (at the Proclamation stage of His life- Mark 6:1-12/ John 5:43), then His Bride who He has “called out of the World” is bound to undergo the same painful treatment (John 15:19/ 1 Peter 4:4).
Crucifixion...
If subjugating the cravings of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life was step one in the life of the Son (in the early part of His life) in the matter of enduring sufferings for Father’s Glory and experiencing painful rejection was step two in the said process, then submitting Himself to the excruciating ordeal (mental, emotional, spiritual and physical) of the Cross was the Final Frontier (think of it...allowing Himself who is the Truth to be a victim of lies and injustice!!!) which the Son had to Cross, before He would be conferred the honor of being the Saviour of this World and its Ruler (Heb 2:10/ Phillippians 2:5-11/ Rev 3:21).
A Christian in his life too, goes these three stages...conquering the first two stages of overcoming temptations and enduring rejection may be comparatively easy but to be crucified with Christ (being a silent victim of injustice and lies to which he is called- 1 Peter 2:21-23) takes some doing. Barring total reliance on the energizing, joyous presence of the Holy Spirit, it wouldn’t be possible (1 Peter 1:7-8). The Saviour too through the Eternal Spirit alone could accomplish the task that was set before Him (Heb9:14).
When Apostle Paul says in Galatians 2:20 that “he has been crucified with Christ that he is no longer alive and that Christ lives in Him”, the pertinent question to be addressed here is “which Christ” is indwelling him? Christ who triumphed over the temptations of the Wilderness or the Christ who took painful rejection in His stride or the One who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself on the Cross? The key to unlocking the answer lies in the key, operative words “crucified with Christ”. It is that Christ who endured the Cross through the Eternal Spirit who was living in Paul now, strengthening him from inside to “fight the good fight till the very end” (2 Tim 4:8). Cheer up Christian, when it comes to the crunch, the Saviour would strengthen you from within to be the Overcomer like Him. He supplies the strength even as you supply your will.
Transformation...
It is these trials and tribulations which eventually shape the bride to be as beautiful as the Bridegroom. Let the Scripture take over at this stage...
“...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” Romans 5:3-4
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, or you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”- James 1:2-4
Not willing to bear the Cross is a serious sin for it would mean not co-operating with the Holy Spirit in the “moulding” process (2 Peter 1:5-9). Talk of walking out of the “School of Calvary” (Godforbid)...
Hmmm...No pain, no gain!!!
Resurrection...
Boy...the similarities continue...if Jesus rose from the dead, we would also one day rise from the dead ( 1 Cor 15:20/ I Thess 4:16) with His Resurrection (described by Apostle Paul as “First Fruits”) portending the Resurrection of countless Christians’ in future.
Ascension...
If Jesus ascended after He was resurrected (Acts 1:9), in our spiritual journey too ascension would follow resurrection at the Rapture (I Thess 4:16-17)!!!
Administration...
If the resurrected, ascended Bridegroom would one day soon come down to the World at His Second Coming and rule both the men of the World and the angels of the spiritual realm, then oh Boy the risen and the ascended Bride too would come down along with the Bridegroom and rule the not only the World but also the angels alongside Him (Rev 3:21/ Rev 20:4/ 1 Cor 6:3).
Mind-boggling indeed are the similarities between the Bridegroom and His Bride in many areas’ of the spiritual realm. Never more so than in the matter of receiving Crowns after enduring the Cross!!! So take heart Christians...remember the Pauline declaration
“And if we think that our present service for him is hard, just remember that some day we are going to sit with him and rule with him.”- 2 Tim 2:12a
Suresh Manoharan
