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transcript:

The privileges we have in this country are tremendous compared to the rest of the world. Generally, a privilege is a right granted as a special benefit, advantage, or favor.

A citizen of a country has rights to certain things that non-citizens do not, at least that used to be the case until we had the administration before this one, which seemed to do away with the citizens' rights and hand them over to others.

A bride even begins to gain certain privileges once she is betrothed, meaning promised. Historically betrothal was viewed as the initial binding of a promise to marry made before the wedding.

Ephesians 5:22-33 is meant to encourage the betrothed bride of Christ. Specifically, Paul addresses husbands and it is also a message to wives by comparing their marriage relationship to that of Christ and the church.

This analogy is something that faithful Christian couples should always remember, as well as the rest of us who are not. In our future, we will not die, and Christ will not divorce a righteous wife. Our marriage relationship with Jesus Christ will not end. There is no indication in the Holy Scriptures that our marriage to Christ ever ends. It too is eternal.

Turn with me to Ephesians 5, verse 24. Now there is another point we need to discuss before we move on to the practical application of Paul's instruction regarding the specific responsibilities and duties of husbands toward their wives and vice versa. This is truly priceless to us personally as we grow in understanding our relationship with Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, and as we learn our role as the bride of Christ.

Ephesians 5:24-33 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. [There is our first goal in mind for being the bride of Christ.] Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

There is another thing we have to make sure we do, is respect our spiritual Husband as the betrothed bride.

It is only natural at this point to realize that the husband gives certain things to his bride. So let us examine what Christ as the Bridegroom of the church bestows upon her. Now as we go through this, you will be amazed at what a wonderful privilege it is to be a saintly bride. It is essential, even vital, to recognize these privileges and promises we are given. We must realize that these privileges are eternal.

Possibly the biggest problem today is the failure of the average Christian to understand the privilege and dignity of being members of God's church, the Body of Christ, and the betrothed bride of Christ.

Whoever God calls into His church brings with him a significant amount of the ways of this world. Satan's influence does not stop bombarding us at baptism. He does not stop trying to entice us with the world's entertainment and celebrations. And thankfully we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to resist Satan's influence. It is very heartbreaking to see Christians fail to understand what the Bible teaches about ourselves and what it means to be part of the Body of Christ.

While the world places its great importance on honors and status, we sometimes undervalue our membership in God's church as ambassadors for Christ. It seems that some may even see our membership as a kind of dignity that they bestow upon the church instead of realizing that it is of the highest and most glorious privilege that anyone could ever have or know bestowed upon us.

Some view their membership in the church strictly as a duty and take pride in themselves when they fulfill it. What that attitude reveals is a complete failure to understand what it really means to be members of the Body, which is the bride of Christ Himself.

So let us develop an appreciation for some of the privileges Jesus Christ gives us, some of the things that are true of members of God's church. What does Christ bestow on us? Let us look at this from the physical type of this marriage relationship.

The first thing a husband bestows on his wife is his life. He gives her a part of his own life, and she becomes a sharer in his life. When a man gets married, he moves from living alone to sharing his life with his wife. And since she is part of him, she shares in his life activities and everything that is true about him.

The first thing a married man must learn is that when faced with various situations, he now he needs to do something different. Before, his primary concern was, how does this affect me? What is my reaction to this? But when married, he no longer stops at that. He now considers how it will affect his his wife. He no longer lives an isolated life like a bachelor on his own. He has another person he must always consider who shares his life. Some things that are acceptable before marriage now need to be viewed from the perspective of two individuals who have become one flesh.

Sometimes marriages struggle, because the husband has not realized that in marriage he can no longer do whatever he wants without considering and honoring his wife's opinion and needs.

One of the main causes of marital problems is financial issues. Often one, the other, or both spouses manage the family finances poorly. And when one spouse makes a major purchase without consulting the other, the purchase causes more financial hardship, emotions escalate, and anger sometimes spirals out of control.

Making a large purchase is not inherently wrong unless covetousness is involved. Still, the husband and wife, especially now that the wife is no longer separate from her husband, should consider each other's valuable opinions regarding any substantial purchase.

Going through this, some of these things that Paul talks about here applies to husbands physically and not to Christ spiritually, but that is the way analogies work. You cannot take them too far. So this analog is limited, but it is a God-ordained.

Contentions will arise if one spouse fails to respect the opinions and needs of the other. Due to a lack of genuine concern for each other in marriage, one spouse may not care about what the other thinks and could treat the matter as if it were a purely personal decision, but it is not and will not be as a bride of Christ.

A person has no right to isolate themselves from their spouse over a serious or important matter, unless it is to, say, temporarily cool down if there is anger involved. Because the two are one flesh, he should consider his wife's views and vice versa.

Now let us consider it from another perspective and recognize that we share the life of Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom. What an incredible idea that He is always thinking about us, that we have a role and place in His grand plan. We are in Christ and we are sharers in His life. Colossians 3, verse 4 says,

Colossians 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

So Christ is our life. Eternal life is not some heavenly substance that God imparts when we trust our Savior. Eternal life is Jesus Christ Himself.

I John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the Son does not have life.

Already, as members of God's church, we are tied completely to Christ's life. And that will increase in many ways as we receive the many blessings that will be coming.

We are dead and alive at the same time, dead to sin and alive in Christ. Someone once said, "Life is what you are alive to." A child may come alive when you talk about ice cream. The teenager may come alive when you mention cars in that physical sense.

In Philippians 1, verse 21, the apostle Paul wrote,

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ.

So Christ was Paul's life and he was dedicated to everything related to Christ. Likewise, every member of God's church should behave that way toward the Groom.

Now He is our life, which is another way of saying that we are sharers of His life. When Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:30, "We are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones," it expresses the same idea. So we are now viewing it from a slightly different angle and not so much from the perspective of spiritual union but through Christ's own consciousness, so to speak.

He is giving His life, sharing it, and we are brought into it, becoming an intimate part of His life. This is the part that we are in, the sanctification, where Jesus trains us and shapes us into what a bride should be for Him.

Now let us explore the various ways of manifesting Christ's life. One manifestation is that He bestows His name upon us. We adopt His name because He gives us His name. Now, in this physical life we are called Christians, and we are no longer what we once were. We have changed names. We now bear labels such as elect and firstfruits and saints, and so on.

When a woman gets married, she changes her name. This helps us understand the teaching of the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5. And when a woman marries, she takes on her husband's name. And that that is the custom in most of the world and shows us the relationship between husband and wife.

It is the husband's name that is taken, not the wife's. But consider all this from our Christian perspective. Christ has put His name on us. No greater compliment can ever be given us than that. That is the clearest expression of this marriage relationship as the betrothed bride of Christ.

Now this is presented to us in many ways in the New Testament, and the apostle Paul expresses it in several ways.

Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

So those are the kinds of names we used to carry, but we no longer do. We are now Christians with a new name. Or listen to the way Paul puts it to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 5, verse 16.

II Corinthians 5:16 Therefore, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Please turn with me to Acts 11, verse 6. Now Paul no longer thought of people God called to be Christians in those physical groups, so he used new names for them now. He no longer wanted to know what they were, but what they are, which is Christian, that is, followers of Christ.

Acts 11:25-26 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians [or followers of Christ] in Antioch.

Please flip over to Revelation 3, verse 5. To bear Christ's name is to share His authority, protection, and identity; this entails responsibility and persecution, and introduces a quite different meaning for the phrase "for My name's sake." Acknowledging Christ's name and not denying it preserves one's own name or identity.

Revelation 3:5-12 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. [So Christ's name is very important to Him, to say the least.] Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My commandment to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My [that is, Christ's] new name."

So we preserve our own identity by not denying Christ's name or being ashamed of it. If we conquer sin, Satan, and the world, and our own human nature, our name is not blotted out of the Book of Life.

Please turn over to I Peter 4, verse 12. Now, Peter wrote about our blessed state in life, not that we would find personal and positive enjoyment in being criticized and slandered, but our blessed condition is because it resembles our Savior's condition. It shows that we are His friends, and it shows that we have rich spiritual influences in this present world.

We are going to read verses 12 to 19, and this section is about suffering for God's glory.

I Peter 4:12-15 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters.

I have always found that shocking in one way that a busybody is included with a murderer and a thief and an evildoer. It is a much more serious a crime, so to speak, or sin than we really realize, is it not?

I Peter 4:16-19 Yet if any one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this manner. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now "if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

Therefore, we recognize that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bestows His name upon us. It is as real as what Paul told the Galatians in Galatians 2, verse 20.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

This is a wonderful and revealing statement about the foundation of this marriage. There is a sense in which the Christian's whole life is in the Husband, and yet the Christian has not become completely lost. He is still here, as Paul says, "The life I now live, I live in the flesh."

Though there is a great mystery concerning the marriage relationship, and we must never forget that this great name of Jesus Christ is upon us. What matters, and should matter to all of us, is that our names have been changed. Here in the realm of the church, other names do not matter. What matters now is that the name of Christ is on us.

So we are united here, and we are all together in Him. He has taken us to Himself, His church, His bride. Notice again what Christ says to the Philadelphians and to the rest of the church.

Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I [that is, Christ] will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."

The saint (he who overcomes) is considered a pillar or column in the Temple. The name of God will be conspicuously recorded on him to show that he belongs to God. It is like a large government building in a sense, and on its columns are recorded the names of people who are distinguished and privileged. It is a public testimonial to the respect of those whose names are recorded there.

The honor given to him, that is, he who overcomes, is as great as if the name of the God He serves and whose favor and friendship He enjoys were inscribed on him in some visible way. "He who overcomes" is known and recognized as belonging to God; the God of the Redeemer Himself, and it is indicated by the phrase the "name of My God."

"The name of the city of My God" signifies that the Christian belongs to that city or that the New Jerusalem is his home, and wherever he goes and wherever he lives, he will be recognized as belonging to the holy city, as enjoying the rights and privileges of a citizen of New Jerusalem. This is a tremendous blessing to all who are Christians, to all who are members of His Body, the bride of Christ. The Son of God gives us a new name, His own Family name!

So the day is coming when at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of the things in heaven and of things on earth and things under the earth, and that is the name that is given to those who constitute the bride of Christ.

We see that this results in the fact that we share in His dignity, in this great and glorious position. Dignity is defined as "goodness in the sense of merit." It refers to commanding respect. Concerning Christ, that implies magnificence, excellence, and manifestation of glory.

Please turn with me Ephesians 2, verse 4. So what is true of us now in light of the dignity of Christ? God has allowed His people even now to share in a measure of the dignity and authority that Christ has seated at the right hand of God. We are going to read verses 4 through 10.

Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

We will be doing good works for eternity as the bride of Christ. Verse 7 explains why God so generously demonstrates His love, so that we will be in awe for all eternity over His incredible kindness and love that will never end. It will take eternity to fully understand and appreciate God's law, if that would be even possible. But thanks to having God's Holy Spirit running through us, we will be enabled to understand. It will take eternity to completely fathom God's abundant and unending love.

So if we are faithful Christians, we are in Christ, and that means that we are considered seated with Him in the heavenly places. Wherever the Bridegroom is, the bride is also, and the standing, the dignity, and the position that belonged to Him belong to us, to her.

Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honor and dignity are her clothing

Speaking of the virtuous woman but also in a spiritual sense, to the bride of Christ. The moment she becomes His bride, she shares in everything with Him. Therefore, she must uphold her position, responsibilities, and dignity.

Do we uphold God's dignity in our everyday life? We certainly try but we certainly also need the Holy Spirit to help us and to empower us to be able to do that.

There is no greater insult against the Bridegroom than someone's refusal to honor His bride. But she must be worthy. Dignity is the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed. This is something we are told repeatedly.

Jesus talks about this glory He gives to His bride here in John 17, verse 22, where He says,

John 17:22 "And the glory which You [that is, the Father] gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one."

So the glory that the Father has given Him, He has given to His people. This is something that often happens in marriage. The bride, being part of the husband and having his name, shares his whole position. The glory that the Father gave Christ, we are given by Christ and we are expected to uphold that state of dignity.

Now let us consider another way to state the matter. Hear what Christ said about Himself in John 8.

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

Please turn with me to Matthew 5, verse 14. Now He says the world is in darkness apart from Me, and He is the only light the world can ever receive. Everything else is just an attempt by people trying to find light, and they inevitably fail. There is no light or dignity apart from Christ, but notice what He says about us in

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men [you could even say, let your dignity so shine before men], that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

So you are the light of the world. In other words, because He is what He is and because of our relationship to Him, we also become the light of the world. It is challenging for us to realize and comprehend this miracle, but it has to do with dignity. We are just a small group in this pagan world and sadly sometimes we are ashamed of ourselves and sin leads to shame.

Psalm 25:2-3 O My God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

The state of mind of being embarrassed or ashamed of God's way of life manifests itself in a feeling of inferiority and unworthiness. We are restrained by shame in a way that interferes with our commitment to Jesus Christ and His teachings.

Mark 8:38 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

When Christ used the phrase "ashamed of Me and My words," He was contrasting the willingness to lose one's life for His sake. But the truth about us is this we are the light of the world. Jesus Christ said that about us. This dark evil world knows no light and has no spiritual light apart from the light from Christ that we are reflecting.

Considering our dignity, what Christ is and what He makes us, is inevitable because of our relationship with Him. Now hear what Christ reveals to the Laodiceans and the rest of the church in the book of Revelation. I am going to just read this to you very quickly.

Revelation 3:21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

So we must overcome our problems, and if we do have any sense of shame, we should certainly overcome that as fast as we can.

Please turn with me to I Corinthians 6, verse 2. Because the bride of Christ is victorious, she will sit with Him on His throne, and that is the dignity, that is the privilege we have. The apostle Paul seems to scratch his head at the church in Corinth because they do not seem to get it. They do not seem to be able to grasp this greatness and this glory.

I Corinthians 6:2-5 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?

Although Paul's rebuke was initially directed at the Corinthians, it was inspired for the edification of every member of God's church. What is the matter with you? he asked. Why are you arguing among yourselves the issue? Paul wonders if they realize that every one of us as a Christian is in such a relationship to Christ that we are going to judge the world and that we are going to judge angels. This is part of the dignity that belongs to us.

If you will, turn over to Hebrews 2, verse 5, please. Think of us in relation to the angels. The angels are wonderful beings. They excel in strength, but we are destined for a position that would be above the angels. In the apostle Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, he writes,

Hebrews 2:5-9 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying, "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not under not put under him. But now we do not see all things put under Him. [So we are sometimes discouraged because now we do not yet see all things put under him, but we have hope. And here is why we have hope] But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

So these words show that we are already in that position in God's sight; we may not yet see it, but it is true of us now that we will see.

Now we are as good as above the angels because we are the betrothed bride of Christ, and as He is above them in the heavenly places, we have that dignity already now. We will have the full dignity of it when we are the actual bride of Christ, but right now we are the betrothed bride of Christ waiting for that marriage supper that is going to probably be the greatest celebration in the history of the universe and beyond. It is going to be important to God, and He is going to take some time having that marriage. It is not going to be just in the blink of an eye.

The next point is that we share not only in His life but in His privileges.

Please turn to John 17, verse 22. The moment a woman becomes a man's bride, she shares his privileges, and whatever they are, she becomes a participant in them and a sharer of them, and this is also true of the church.

What do we have in common? We share the Father's love. It is truly remarkable.

John 17:22-23 "And the glory which You [the Father] gave Me I have given them [that is, the saints], that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

This statement affirms that God the Father has loved us as He loves His Son. It means that because of our connection to Christ, we share the same relationship with God, not fully, but we are being trained for it.

And what did Christ say about the Father's relationship? "That the world may may know that You have loved them as You have loved Me." That is the privilege. It works this way: it gives us access to the Father through Christ. A father is always willing to receive the bride of his son. She did not have that access to him before; there was no relationship. But once she married the son or becomes betrothed to him, she gains a legal and personal right to entry into the presence of the father, which is not completed until the marriage supper.

Now just as a father is ready to welcome his son and grant him privileges that he would not give to his most trusted employees, he now grants those privileges to the bride because she is his son's wife.

The saints have a right of entry and of access into the presence of the Father and Jesus Christ the Bridegroom. He will always listen to the bride of the Son if asked according to His will.

So there is no higher privilege than that He loves us as He loves His Son. We should remember this before we pray. As we become aware of what we are doing and who we are, we should not forget the rights and privileges that are and will be given to us as Christ's bride.

The next point is that we share in His possessions.

Astronomers estimate there are between 200 billion trillion (sextillion is what that means), and one septillion stars in the universe, based on the number of galaxies and the average number of stars in each galaxy. They keep upping that number as the telescopes get stronger, and I think they will never find the end of it. Are these magnificent physical things really what sharing God's possession means? They are all physical things.

Please turn with me to I Corinthians 3, verse 18. And just to give you another further idea of the universe, the number of galaxies is approximately 2 trillion. Approximately 2 trillion galaxies exist in the observable universe. And the average galaxy, like our Milky Way, contains about 100 billion stars. My mind got blown at the first sextillion that I mentioned. It is just beyond our comprehension.

The apostle Paul, as you would expect, had something to say about what we are given, and he asked the Corinthians, why are you divided among yourselves and jealous of one another and envying of one another?

I Corinthians 3:18-23 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours [that is, the saints]: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

So Paul said that both life and death serve us. While the unconverted are victims of life carried along by its current and questioning if it has meaning, the converted use life wisely because we understand God's true purpose.

The unconverted can only fear death. For the converted, however, death holds no terror because Christ has conquered it all. Death is merely the start of eternal life with God.

Now the physical universe and the spirit realm are ours to inherit because we belong to Christ and the apostle Paul was thrilled with this knowledge. A test of our faith and conversion is whether we are thrilled "by all things are yours," everything! Because "you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

Please turn over to Romans 8, verse 16. When a person becomes a saint, he gains all the privileges and responsibilities of a child in God's Family. The most important privilege is the gift of the Holy Spirit. We may not always feel like we belong to God, but His Spirit is our witness to this truth. His inward presence reminds us who we are and encourages us with His love. And because we are God's children, we inherit great treasures as joint heirs, and God is already giving us His best gifts: His Son, His love, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

It does not matter what the world thinks of us, all things are ours. We are joint heirs with Christ.

Let us turn over to II Corinthians 4, verse 16. Now this world and universe we are in right now are only temporary. They are not the real or permanent world. Here in II Corinthians 4, we are going to read verses 16 to 18.

II Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

We have no reason to have anxiety over this because we share Christ's inheritance, His possessions. He puts these things into our hands.

Proverbs 15:6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

Proverbs 21:20-21 There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it. He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.

And I will add to that dignity. The foolish man lacks unrivaled allegiance to God since wealth is his god.

Mark 10:21-22 Then Jesus, looking at him [that is, the rich man], loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up your cross and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great [material] possessions.

So the Kingdom of God itself is compared to an immense treasure that is worth securing at all costs, as Matthew 13:44 tells us.

The rich man has replaced genuine trust in God, and his reward, that is, treasure in heaven, with worldly riches. He thus breaks the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me."

This does not mean that every disciple of Christ must sell all he owns. Instead, the heart should be focused on God, and every possession should be yielded to God, with the result that possessions will be handled as a form of stewardship.

Everything is God's and everything we own is God's, and so we are stewards of it. The path to eternal life lies in turning away from reliance on self-achievements and worldly securities, and instead trusting in Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom.

The next point is that we share in His interests, plans, and purposes.

We are coworkers together with God. Our service in the church should not be something done on a superficial level, just to be seen by others. It is not something done merely in terms of yourself and what you are doing.

Rise above that and consider Christ's interests because they are God's interests, plans, and purposes. Christ has a purpose with respect to the world, and we are the light of the world. Therefore, we are intricately involved with Christ in that purpose.

Please turn over to Revelation 2, verse 17. The husband shares everything with his wife. She knows all his plans, desires, ambitions, and hopes, and she is united with him. He confides in her and she and shares things he would not tell anyone else. She shares everything and holds nothing back. He has nothing hidden from her, and she has nothing hidden from him.

Revelation 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat [hidden manna represents previously unrevealed spiritual knowledge, spiritual food, and eternal nourishment]. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."

Full disclosure is the relationship between husband and wife. It is also the relationship that is developing between Christ and the church. We are partners with Him in God's plan of salvation for mankind. We have had many secrets revealed to us, and there are many more revelations we will be privileged to know in the future.

A wife is a companion helper for her husband, as the church is a helper for Christ. Therefore, we should pray about our role as helpers for Christ, that we are effective servants.

A wife who is truly worthy of the name does not need to be pushed to take an interest in her husband's activities. She counts it her great privilege to be helping him. She is genuinely interested in what he is involved in and in his success.

Since we are the betrothed bride of Christ, the Groom will share everything with us. Therefore, we must rise to the dignity and privilege of it all. Jesus shares more than His possessions, His interests, His plans, and His purposes with us.

The next point is that we share His servants, and He shares His servants with us.

First, please turn over to I Peter 3, verse 3. There are many variations of the rags-to-riches story, and one story features a woman in rags working hard and having a tough life. She does all the chores for others under great pain and agony. And the short version of the story is that a prince encounters her, and because of her dignity and virtues and beauty, the prince falls in love with her, but with of all that, it is her inner beauty and her character that matters.

I Peter 3:3-4 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

So that woman who works so hard, she eventually marries the prince, and then what happens? Instead of having to work in that humiliating way, she now has servants. Whose servants? His servants! Because she becomes the bride of this prince, all his servants are her servants, and they serve her just as they serve him.

Please turn over to Hebrews 1, verse 13. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews is contrasting Jesus Christ with the angels, and this is how he expresses it.

Hebrews 1:13-14 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those [you and I] who will inherit salvation?

This means that since we are in God's church, God's angels serve us under Christ's leadership. And that is how this epistle describes an angel, as a ministering spirit sent forth to serve and to attend to us, the heirs of the world to come, the betrothed bride.

And since they are unseen and not visible, we might tend to neglect appreciating the ministry of the angels. We might not be as thankful for them as we should be. But whether we realize it or not, angels are watching over us under the Groom's direction. They are always with us, providing physical and spiritual protection and meeting other needs in our lives. Although we do not see them, that does not matter. We often overlook the most important things, and we only notice the temporary and visible ones in this life, for the most part.

Still, we are surrounded by angels, and they are assigned to watch over us and serve us. Christ's servants are our servants because He is the Bridegroom and we are His betrothed bride. They are working on our behalf in ways we do not understand. Since their creation they have served God and Christ, and because of our new relationship they are now our servants who serve us, not fully, but in a temporary sense until we are changed into spirit of beings.

But it is essential to recognize that ministering spirits being surround us and nothing can harm us unless God allows it. So we should not fear. The angels are sent by Christ under His Father's authority to watch over us.

Let us turn over to Colossians 3, verse 1. The last point is that we share in all the glory of His prospects and expectations.

Our new life is hidden with Christ in God. Eternal life is a precious treasure stored up with Christ in heaven where God is, and since our treasure is laid up in heaven, we should not focus on the things of the earth.

Colossians 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on the things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

We cannot wait for that! We have a certain glory as human beings that God created in us, but for the glory that is the glory of Jesus Christ and God, we just cannot wait to receive that.

This means that Christ must prepare His bride ahead of time, as Paul says in Ephesians 5:27. He says there

Ephesians 5:27 That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot a wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Please turn over to John 17, verses 24 through 26. We can look forward to sharing everlasting glory with the Bridegroom Son of God. From this it follows that we should regard ourselves as living for the Kingdom of God.

Notice Christ's prayer in John 17.

John 17:24-26 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these disciples have known that You sent Me. I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You love Me may be in them, and I in them."

We share God's love for Christ, and we will share it with Him throughout all eternity. Is there anything comparable to this, to being Christ's bride and members of His Body?

Proverbs 31:10 and 30 say,

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.

Her worth, at least to Christ, is far above anything physical and far above almost anything spiritual.

Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord [and I should say reverences Him], she shall be praised.

A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. So this woman excels in her fear of the Lord and stands as a model of the character traits and wisdom taught throughout the book of Proverbs.

The appearance of this woman's fear of the Lord at the end of this list also reminds us that this quality is more important than great skill or talent, and is foundational to the wise and proper use of all words, activities, and skills. Verse 26 says, "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness."

For a final scripture, please turn to Revelation 21, verse 1. A godly woman may possess outward charm and beauty, but these are secondary to her godliness.

Here in Revelation 21, we are going to just read verses 1 and 2. This is where all things are made new.

Revelation 21:1-2 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

So the church, as the bride of Christ, shares in all that belongs to her heavenly Bridegroom. In divine love and grace, Christ unites Himself with His bride in an everlasting covenant.

He gives His life, conferring upon us His name, investing us with His dignity, and enriching us with His privileges and possessions. His servants minister to us, and His prospects of glory are shared with us.

As He lives, we live; as He reigns, we shall reign. Our union is perfect, holy, and indissoluble, founded upon His eternal love, sealed with His precious blood, and destined to be fully manifested when the Bridegroom returns to receive His bride.

May we rejoice in our sacred relationship. The church's highest honor and eternal joy are found in this blessed union—to be one with Christ, now and forever.

May God grant you the eternal privileges!

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