Paul said, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2 “I espoused” means to fit together, to join. Christ is the one husband; the church is His one wife!! The symbol of this union signifies the bond that binds us to Christ.
The Lord’s Supper is the wedding ring on the finger of the bride the Church which reminds us of our oaths of allegiance and fidelity we have taken. The Lord’s Supper serves as a reminder every time we assemble on the first day of the week to re-commit ourselves.
Paul also said, “But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 Just as man and wife joined together become one flesh; we are one spirit when joined to Christ. The physical marriage is a picture of the spiritual marriage. Outside of marriage, without committing adultery, a woman cannot be joined to a man—having no joining, there is no symbol which would show that joining. They who are not “joined” to Christ would never meet to be reminded of that “joining.” How could any it be any clearer– be said any clearer– Christ and the church of Christ are married!! If one is not a member of the Church of Christ, having been bought by the blood of the only begotten Son of God, there is nothing that reminds them or obligates them to this “joining.” Denominationalism would have no such remembrance for they are in union with something or someone else. The symbol of that union would not be the same.
In Ephesians 5:22-23, Paul, in no uncertain terms, sets forth the facts of the church and Christ being married. Husband and wife in their relationship of marriage are fashioned after Christ and the church, not Christ and the church after man and woman. We were sanctified and cleansed “that we might be presented to Him as a glorious church.” Ephesians 5:27 In this union, Paul said, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” Ephesians 5:30 It is not possible for anyone to use stronger language concerning the facts of the marriage. This was the original language of Adam, “this is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” Genesis 2:23
In Revelation 21:9-10, the angel said to John, “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” This high mountain, this great city, this holy Jerusalem, is the Church of Christ!! When seen here it is not going up to heaven but coming down out of heaven. It is the tabernacle spoken of in Acts 15:16– “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle (house, the place and kingdom over which David reigns as King) of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.” “Upon this rock I will build My church, so said our Lord, and the gates of death shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18. This church is the mountain of the Lord’s house spoken of by Isaiah in Isaiah 2:2; the New Jerusalem of Galatians 4:26 and Hebrews 12:22-23.
This new Jerusalem spoken of in Revelation 21:9-10, is said to be the Lamb’s wife which had now come to the earth, “for the nation of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: And kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it….And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.” There shall be neither kings nor nations after Christ returns again. When Christ returns to this earth to GET His saints, not return to GET married!! “He shall come with the sound of a great trumpet…and we who are alive and remain shall be changed and caught up into the air TO BE with the Lord, and so shall we ever BE with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
