The Glorious Bride Series

Again, Calvin writes,

“Foolish men imagine that this language is absurdly hyperbolical; but godly persons, who are engaged in daily struggles…have no difficulty in perceiving that not a word is here used beyond what is perfectly just. As the importance of the subject cannot be too strongly expressed, so our unbelief and ingratitude led Paul to employ this glowing language. We never form adequate conceptions of the treasure revealed to us in the gospel; or, if we do, we cannot persuade ourselves that it is possible for us to do so, because we perceive nothing in us that corresponds to it, but everything the reverse. Paul’s object, therefore, was not only to impress the Ephesians with a deep sense of the value of Divine grace, but also to give them exalted views of the glory of Christ’s kingdom. That they might not be cast down by a view of their own unworthiness, he exhorts them to consider the power of God…”

And it’s all here in black and white, written down for us in the word of the gospel. This is what God is doing in this world. He is reconciling all things to himself in Christ Jesus his son. He has raised him up and seated him at his own right hand in the spiritual realm, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church…” Praise God from who all blessings flow. Our God reigns. Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, but we—we are his body. We are his bride. We are the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. It is the glory of Christ is to glorify his bride that we may be one with him; seated as he is, even now, at the right hand of God.

And I don’t want to overemphasize this, but I really don’t think that I can. There is a movement afoot in our time to devalue the church; to speak of it as a mere man-made institution; to speak of it as if it’s completely disposable and we can take it or leave it at our choice. The truth is, we can take it or leave it, but at our peril. For the church is his body, the fullness of Christ. “So you don’t want to go to church anymore?” (It was the title of a best-selling book in the last year or two.) OK, but understand, just as you cannot withdraw and remove yourself from the body of a person without withdrawing from the person himself, you cannot withdraw from the body of Christ and then claim to have a “personal” relationship with him. Christ’s relationship to his people is defined by a covenant—specifically, by the covenant of marriage—the church is his body because the church is his bride and to have a relationship with Jesus requires that we be part of his church.

Our reformed forefathers understood this.

That’s why having defined the church as “a holy congregation and gather of true Christian believers, awaiting their entire salvation in Jesus Christ being washed by his blood, and sanctified and sealed by the Holy Spirit,” the Belgic Confession goes on in Article 28 to say, “We believe that since this holy assembly and congregation is the gathering of those who are saved and there is no salvation apart from it, no one ought to withdraw from it, content to be by himself, regardless of his status or condition. But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to its instruction and discipline, by bending their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and by serving to build up one another according to the gifts God has given them as members of each other in the same body.”