Light Brings Salt
Volume 2, Issue 40
Iron Range Bible
Church
Dedicated to the
Systematic Exposition of the Word of God
What's
Next?
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W |
hat
comes to mind when we hear the word "heaven"? Most often believers immediately
think of that place where we go to be with the Lord when we die physically; or
possibly of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, where we will spend eternity with the
Lord.
Of, course, both of these are correct. Yet the Bible also speaks
of heaven as the place where the completed body of Christ, the
Because
the presence of the church in heaven is required in order to fulfill a number
of Scriptures, passages relating to the pre-tribulation rapture. And by looking
at what the Bible says concerning the
church's collective presence in heaven during this time, we learn more about
two very important themes; first the church as the bride of Christ in heaven;
and second, the judgment seat of Christ. This week we will look at the bride of
Christ in heaven and see what the Scripture has to say.
The
Bride of Christ, of the various figures used to relate Christ to the church, that of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as the
bride is the only one that is specifically prophetic in character,
contemplating the future coming of Christ for his Bride.
The
figure of marriage is often used in Scripture to represent spiritual reality.
In the Old Testament,
The
use of this figure follows the Oriental pattern in which marriage had three
major steps: (1) the legal marriage often covenanted by the parents of the
bride and the bridegroom, in which a dowry was paid and the young couple would
be formally married in a legal sense; (2) subsequent to the legal marriage, the
bridegroom would go with
his companions to the house of the bride to claim his bride for himself
and to take her back to his own home; (3) the bridal procession would be
followed by the marriage feast which would often last for many days as
illustrated in the wedding at
Taking this figure as a spiritual picture of the relationship of Christ to His church, it is evident that for individual Christians, the marriage as far as the legal character is concerned is secured at the moment an individual puts his trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour.
The
day will come, however, when the Bridegroom will come for His bride, at the
rapture of the church. The bride-groom will claim His bride and take her to His
Father's house. This is the background of the statements in John 14:2-3, where
Christ said: "There are many rooms in my Father's house; otherwise, I
would have told you. I am
going to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you
to be with me that you also may be where I am."
Further
light is cast upon this concept in Ephesians 5 in the exhortation to husbands
to love their wives "just as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up
for her" (Eph 5:25). This, of course, refers to the death of Christ on the
cross in which the price was paid and where Christ demonstrated His love and
made the necessary sacrifice. This past work of Christ is the foundation for
His present undertaking presented in Ephesians 5:26, where Christ is represented
as engaged in a work of preparation of His bride, "to make her holy,
cleansing her by the washing of water through the word."
This
present work of Christ relates to the sanctification of the church and her purification in preparation
for the future marriage. This will be accomplished by the "washing with
the water through the word," best understood as referring to the teaching
of the Holy Scriptures and their application in the thinking and lives of
believers as they are conformed to the image of Christ.
The
ultimate purpose is stated in Ephesians 5:27, "to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any
other blemish, but holy and blameless." In 1 John 3:2, this ultimate
transformation of the church is compared to being like Christ having a
resurrection body like His.
The
Church, made perfect by the grace of God, will be delivered from the earthly
scene and presented to the heavenly Bridegroom on the occasion of the rapture
of the church. The marriage will result in the church being forever with the
Lord (1 Thess.
In
Revelation 19:7-9, at the time of the return of Christ to the earth to set up
His earthly Kingdom, the church is pictured as the wife of the Lamb, arrayed in
fine linen. The marriage of the Lamb is declared to have already come and now
the invitation is extended to those outside the church, the body of Christ, to
participate in the marriage supper (Rev 19:9). Because the marriage feast is in
the final stage, the Lamb has already come for His bride and claimed her
previously at the rapture of the church.
Epigrams
If the Church is not zealous for
the truth of God's Word, why should the world be?
If happiness could be bought, we
would be unhappy with the price.
God's Word is a beacon that cuts
through the confusion of today's moral choices.
Experience is always the toughest
teacher, since you are taking the test before you learn your lesson.
There is no right way to do what
is wrong.
Prosperity is having enough to do
the will of God!
Religions are man's search for God
while the Gospel is God's search for man. There are many religions but only one
Gospel!