All that is mine is yours (I) : the Bride

The Church is weak! The Church and Her LORD are treated anyhow in the medias; our freedoms are increasingly restricted; and we seem powerless. There are many biblical promises that we are supposed to experience, but nothing is happening. And, since nothing is happening, we pretend. Where has “the pillar and the buttress of the truth” gone (1Tim 3:15)? Where are those men and women who had turned their world upside down and whom everybody was afraid of (Ac 17:6)? Why are we no longer experimenting fullness?

The answer is probably in the fact that the Church got lost somewhere and no longer knows who She is and what She has. Peter could say: “Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Ac 3.6) because he knew what he had. The Church could hardly say the same today. This is why I would like to start a little series on our identity in Christ. If you don’t know who you are and what you have, you won’t know what you can or must do. Let’s begin with the Church as the Bride of Christ.

In most countries, the bride takes the name of her husband and thus, acquires a new identity. In a way, she now lives through her husband. If she decides to keep her maiden name, or refuses to live her old life behind; or keeps reminding her husband of how her life in her father’s house or as a single was better; then we have a problem. When we accept Jesus as Husband, we also change names and become Christians. We must now turn our back to our past and build our life with Christ. We now belong to someone else.

We should be consumed by the zeal for our new house. Indeed, one of the greatest subjects of pride for a woman is her home; it’s when visitors admire her abode. Therefore, the Church should be seeking the interests of the Kingdom above all else; but her heart, the heart of the Christians, is sadly turned elsewhere. It is turned towards Self, Mammon and the world.  

Also, inasmuch as the wife is usually the one who manages the house, does the shopping and allocates various tasks, the Church should also be managing the Earth. Nothing should be done without her permission; but we notice that she is gagged and her hands and feet are tied instead. She should know the LORD intimately and know His secrets; but this is hardly the case, isn't it?

The woman is the glory of the man (1Cor 11:7b). A good husband takes very good care of his wife and showers her with love, honour, jewels, affection etc. He may be simply dressed, but when his wife passes by, immediately, you know who/what the husband is. As soon as a wife stops reflecting the glory of her husband; when you see a neglected wife, you know there is a problem – of adultery, ignorance or communication. You know there is a love crisis in that couple. Jesus is a good husband. He has loved us even more than His own life and has granted us access to everything He has.

Col 2:10, “In him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.” “You have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority (NET)… You have everything in full in Him…(French version)”

If we have EVERYTHING in Him and IN FULL; if we truly are ONE with Him; and if ALL that He has is also ours and to enjoy freely, just like any earthly wife enjoys what belongs to her husband; then why are we still living a mediocre or average life? Why do we experience lack, limitations, hunger, thirst, joblessness or poverty? Why are we not deeply bothered when our life doesn’t reflect this reality/promise of the Scripture? The fault is not with the LORD; but with the Church, who must ask herself whether she truly is a good wife or not and adjust accordingly.

There are so many things that I can write about this marriage analogy, in order to explain what our privileges, rights and duties in Christ are. But this article is already longer than I wanted. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to enlighten you on the topic.

Remember: We have EVERYTHING in Christ in FULL. ALL He has is ours. 

Go and live life in full; enjoy the fullness of life in Christ.

GOD bless you!