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Written Lessons

5. Christ, the Head/Bridegroom/Husband of the Local Church

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If you miss one part of the puzzle that is being put together in these studies, you will never see and understand the whole picture.

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Jerald Finney
Copyright © January 4, 2018

Espousal and marriage is a love story, either disastrous or glorious. God, in his word, covers the three marriages, that of man to woman, God the Father to Israel, and Christ to the church. Hosea presents the tragedy of a broken home, the personal experience of the prophet. He walks out of a broken home to speak to the nation Israel from a heart that was broken. He tells them the consequences of their unfaithfulness: that the northern kingdom will go into Assyrian captivity as Jeremiah foretold the captivity of the Southern Kingdom to Babylon. He knew how God felt because he felt the same way.

God the Son is espoused to the church. The tragic story of the marriage of Christ and His churches, and the consequences, is foretold in the New Testament. The great majority of American churches have followed the example the example of Israel in her marriage to God the Father in their relationship with God the Son. Americans have witnessed the bride of Christ, except for a remnant, become unfaithful. This religious apostasy, as always, has dire consequences: downfall of individuals, families, moral awfulness, political anarchy, and the downfall of the nation.

Song of Solomon 2:16

Christ, the Bridegroom wishes to present his bride, the church, (see Jn. 3:28-29; quoted in  En[i]) to himself a chaste virgin, glorious and without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish, not corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. The apostle Paul stated, as inspired by God, that he was jealous over  the church and wished to present her as a chaste virgin to Christ. See, 2 Corinthians 11:1-3; See En [ii].  Paul likens the marriage relationship of husband and wife to the relationship of Christ and His churches:

Song2.1-4“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Ep. 5.23, 25-27, 29-33)

3At the marriage of the Lamb, Christ will marry His bride, and all members of the family of God will become part of a universal church or assembly. (Revelation 19:6-8) quoted in En[ii] and Hebrews 12:22-24 quoted in En [iii]. 

Various marriages in the Old Testament are types of Christ, the bridegroom, and the church, the bride. For example, Eve is a type of the church as bride and wife of Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). Rebecca was a type of the church, the “called out” virgin bride of Christ. Isaac was a type of the bridegroom, who loves through the testimony of the unnamed Servant; En [iv] he was a type of the bridegroom who goes out to meet and receive his bride. En [v]“Typically, the book of Ruth may be taken as a foreview of the church—Ruth, as the Gentile bride of Christ, the Bethlehemite who is able to redeem.” Song of Solomon pictures, for one thing, the love between Christ and His church. Song of Solomon “is the expression of pure marital love as ordained of God in creaton, and the vindication of that love as against both asceticism and lust–the two profinations of the holiness of marriage.” Two larger interpregations are of (1) God the Father and Israel, and (2) “Christ, the Son and His heavenly bride, the Church.” En [vi].

The coming of the bridegroom is cause for great rejoicing by the believer, the friend of the bridegroom. En [vii]. The marriage of the Lamb to His bride will be a glorious event which will occur in heaven, unlike the restoration of Israel which will take place on the earth. En [viii].

The husband is to be the only head of the wife, and Christ is to be the only Head of His churches. En [ix]. “After Jesus was born, “there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Mt. 2.1-2).  “‘The King’ is one of the divine titles (Ps. 10.6), and so used in the worship of the Church (I Ti. 1.17), but Christ is never called ‘King of the Church.’ He is ‘King of the Jews’ (Mt. 2.2) and Lord and ‘Head of the Church’ En [x].

bridewaitingThe bridegroom is without fault. What about the local church? Has she joined with any other lover? If she is incorporated, has federal tax-exempt status, or is united with the state or any other lover in any way, she has committed spiritual fornication. If so, why not repent and return to your first love?

Bible Studies of various Books of the Bible on the Doctrine of the Church.

The Biblical Doctrine of the Church

Endnotes

[i] “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled” (Jn. 3.28, 29).

[ii] “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Co. 11.1-3). “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Ro. 7.4).

[iii] “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

[iv] “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pe. 1.8).

[v] “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Th. 4.14-16).

[vi] 1917 Scofield Reference Edition, Headnote to “Song of Solomon,” p. 705.

[vii] “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled” (Jn. 1.29).

[viii] “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, “These are the true sayings of God” (Re. 19.7-9; see also Re. 21.9-22.17).

[ix] See Ep. 5.23, 25-27, 29-33 quoted in the article above. “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Ep. 1.22).

[x] “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ep. 1.22, 23)”  “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1.15-18).

 

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Lesson 11: The Church Will Be a Bride: The Expectation of the Church

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The Church Will Be a Bride: The Expectation of the Church – Ephesians 5.25-33
(16 questions with answers following)

For help in answering the questions, you may refer to Outline and Teaching on Ephesians.

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Added on April 8, 2017

Answers at the end, following the questions
Those who disagree with anything please see the note at the end. Reasoned dialogue is encouraged and any Bible or fact based comments, if made in a Christian manner in an attempt to get to the truth will be considered.

These are open book quizzes. Refer to your Bible for answers.

Ephesians 5:25-33: “ 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

  1. Only the Christian can know what is real love in __________, because it is carried to the high plane of the relationship between ________ and the ________.
  2. Christ loved the ________ and gave Himself for ___ – that is in the ______.
  3. In the __________ He is sanctifying the church with the ________ of the ______ of God.
  4. The cleanser, the ________, is better than any _________ advertised on radio or television.
  5. In the ________, he will present it to Himself a ____________ church, without ______ or wrinkle but holy and without __________.
  6. A church is not an _____________ with a steeple, a pulpit, and an organ. A church is a spiritual ______ (a living ____________) made up of true believers. Ephesians 5.27 means he is washing each __________, preparing ______ _____ for the marriage of the ______.
  7. In Ephesians 5.28-32, Paul draws on _____ themes and goes ______ and forth, _________ and ______, ________ and his ________.
  8. What a couple needs for their wedding ceremony is
    –
    a. a champagne supper
    b. lots of useful gifts
    c. to be filled with the Holy Spirit
    d. a high priced reception
  1. Marriage makes a wife a part of the ______ of her __________.
  2. It is unnatural for a man to hate his own _______, so the _________ is to love his wife because she is his own _______.
  3. Christ, knowing the weakness of a church, ____________ and ____________ it.  __________ are to do the same.
  4. Verse 31 is a quotation from
    –
    a. Exodus 10.6
    b. Genesis 2.24
    c. Song of Solomon 4.3
    d. Psalm 5.7
  1. Paul refers, in verse 31, back to a relationship that existed in the Garden of ______ between ______ and _____. That first couple is a figure of the future union of ________ and the ________ as ______________ and bride.
  2. God meant for Christians to have this relationship on a much _________ plane than the new morality and sexual freedom, which put young people in __________.
  3. I say to you young Christian ladies today: Don’t marry a ______ man. Don’t take anything but the ______ that _____ has to offer you.
  4. Ephesians 5.33 is the practical part about marriage down here. The _________ and ______ in the home are to set forth in simplicity the __________ of the coming glory. Here, Paul brings the romantic into the realm of _________.

Answers

  1. Only the Christian can know what is real love in marriage, because it is carried to the high plane of the relationship between Christ and the church.
  2. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it – that is in the past.
  3. In the present He is sanctifying the church with the water of the Word of God.
  4. The cleanser, the Bible, is better than any cleanser advertised on radio or television.
  5. In the future, he will present it to Himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle but holy and without blemish.
  6. A church is not an organization with a steeple, a pulpit, and an organ. A church is a spiritual body (a living organism) made up of true believers. Ephesians 5.27 means he is washing each believer, preparing each one for the marriage of the Lamb.
  7. In Ephesians 5.28-32, Paul draws on two themes and goes back and forth, husband and wife, Christ and his church.
  8. c. to be filled with the Holy Spirit
  9. Marriage makes a wife a part of the body of her husband.
  10. It is unnatural for a man to hate his own flesh, so the husband is to love his wife because she is his own flesh.
  11. Christ, knowing the weakness of a church, nourishes and cherishes it. Husbands are to do the same.
  12. b. Genesis 2.24
  13. Paul refers, in verse 31, back to a relationship that existed in the Garden of Eden between Adam and Eve. That first couple is a figure of the future union of Christ and the church as bridegroom and bride.
  14. God meant for Christians to have this relationship on a much higher plane than the new morality and sexual freedom, which put young people in slavery.
  15. I say to you young Christian ladies today: Don’t marry a lost man. Don’t take anything but the best that God has to offer you.
  16. Ephesians 5.33 is the practical part about marriage down here. The husband and wife in the home are to set forth in simplicity the mystery of the coming glory. Here, Paul brings the romantic into the realm of reality.

Should you disagree with an answer given, please explain why you disagree in the comment section below the article. All reasoned comments will be published, perhaps with reply. The purpose of this website is the Glory of God. God cannot be glorified by shutting out honest disagreement in the search for truth. The author would be interested in your explanation. The comments are required by the website to be approved or disapproved. The author is very busy with many matters and may or may not immediately notice your comment. He will address it as soon as he notices it. He almost always approves comments presented with a godly spirit. He never alters comments. Sometimes, he replies to comments.