Whom Will Christ Return If His Bride Is Married To The World

Beloved in Christ,

The Bible paints a beautiful picture of Christ as the Bridegroom and His Church as the Bride. This imagery is rich with love, devotion, and faithfulness.

However, it also comes with an expectation of loyalty.

What happens if the Bride, who has been betrothed to Christ, turns her affections to the world? Whom will Christ return for if His Bride is married to the world?

Today, let us examine this critical question and explore how we, as the Church, can remain faithful to our Bridegroom in a world that constantly pulls us away.

1. The Call to Betrothal: A Covenant of Love

Text: Hosea 2:19-20 – “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.”

The relationship between Christ and the Church is a covenant of love. Through His sacrifice, Christ has paid the dowry for His Bride.

This covenant is not transactional but relational, marked by:

Righteousness

A call to live holy lives.

Faithfulness

A commitment to worship and serve Christ alone.

Love and Compassion

Reflecting Christ's heart in our daily lives.

At the moment we respond to Christ’s call, we are saying "yes" to a lifelong relationship with Him, forsaking all others.

2. The Adulterous Bride: Friendship with the World

Text: 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 – "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

The Bride’s greatest threat is infidelity, not of the flesh but of the heart. When the Church aligns itself with worldly values—greed, power, materialism, and compromise—it becomes unfaithful to Christ.

Idolatry: Prioritizing worldly pleasures over God.

Conformity: Embracing the culture of sin instead of standing firm in faith.

When the Church marries the world, it dishonors its covenant with Christ and risks losing its identity as His Bride.

3. The Faithful Bride: Prepared for the Bridegroom

Text: Revelation 19:7-8 – "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."

The Bridegroom is returning, but He is coming for a Bride who is pure, prepared, and faithful. What does it mean to be ready for Christ?

Holiness: Walking in righteousness and resisting sin.

Devotion: Cultivating an intimate relationship with Christ through prayer, worship, and obedience.

Good Works: Clothing ourselves in acts of love and justice that reflect the heart of God.

4. A Warning and an Invitation

Text: Matthew 25:1-13 – The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

Jesus warns us to be like the wise virgins, keeping our lamps filled with oil, symbolizing the Holy Spirit and a life of readiness. Those who are not prepared will find the door closed when the Bridegroom returns.

This is both a warning and an invitation. Christ desires His Bride, but He will not force Himself upon her. We must choose to remain faithful and reject the allure of the world.

Conclusion: Whom Will Christ Return For?

Christ will return for a Bride that is unblemished, untainted by the world, and wholly devoted to Him.

Let us not allow the distractions and temptations of this world to steal our affection for our Savior.

Call to Action:

Examine Your Heart: Are you loyal to Christ, or has the world crept in?

Renew Your Vows: Commit yourself anew to Christ, forsaking all others.

Stay Vigilant: Keep your lamp burning and your heart prepared for His return.

Beloved, let us be the Bride that Christ deserves—pure, faithful, and ready to meet our Bridegroom when He comes in glory.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, our Bridegroom, we long for Your return. Help us to remain faithful, rejecting the ways of the world and clinging to You. Purify us, prepare us, and make us ready to stand before You as Your spotless Bride. Amen.