The Church is the Bride of Christ, a profound mystery that reveals the divine perspective on marriage. Jesus Christ, as the perfect Bridegroom, sets the supreme standard for all husbands to emulate, and human marriages should be fashioned after the union between Christ and His Church. This spiritual union, described as a great mystery, holds far-reaching importance and many implications, emphasizing a truth hidden from the world but revealed through Christ as a wonderful reality. The Church, as the Bride, is to be presented by Christ to Himself as glorious, holy, and without blemish, showcasing the exalted nature of this relationship. This mystery of the spiritual union between Christ and the Church illuminates the understanding of human marriage, while the human union sheds light on the divine relationship. The Church is described as the body of Christ, intimately connected as members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones, reflecting a vital organic unity rather than a loose attachment. This union parallels the creation of woman from man, as the Church is seen as taken out of Christ, originating from His wounded side, mirroring the operation performed on Adam to create Eve. The Church, as the Bride, completes Christ in a certain sense, filling a reserved place in Him as His fullness, just as Eve completed Adam. Christ, as the Mediator, considers Himself incomplete until united with His Bride, the Church, in marriage. This relationship underscores that Christ is the head, and the Church, His body, forms the fullness of His kingdom, highlighting the close and necessary union between Them. The mystery remains great, not fully comprehensible, yet it conveys the extraordinary unity and oneness between Christ and His Bride, a bond that surpasses human understanding but is revealed through divine grace. Christ's love for the Church is sacrificial, as He gave all of Himself to purchase His Bride, leaving the glory of heaven and enduring separation from His Father to save Her. This act of love establishes the Church as part of Him, united as one flesh, destined to be joined with Him throughout eternity. The call to husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church reflects this divine model, urging a sacrificial and sanctifying love that mirrors the profound relationship between Christ and His Bride.

The unity between Christ and His Bride, the Church, serves as a profound model for the marriage relationship, reflecting a spiritual union that mirrors the physical unity between husband and wife. Just as the Church is subject to Christ, so too should there be unity and submission within marriage, embodying the same spiritual principles. The Church, as the body of Christ with Him as the Head, illustrates an essential oneness that believers are called to preserve, not create, since this unity is already established through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If a professing Christian lacks unity with Christ as His Bride, the Church, it raises the question of how unity can be achieved in their earthly marriage. The apostle Paul emphasizes this unity by repeatedly using the term "one"—one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all—highlighting the perfection and inclusiveness of the Church's spiritual bond. This unity is not a matter of human effort but an inherent reality that believers must guard and not disrupt. Paul's teaching in Ephesians reveals that the Church's relationship with Christ is the ultimate example of unity and submission, where Christ, as the Bridegroom, acts in accordance with His Father's will. This spiritual union is reflected on earth in the oneness of God's family, with the Church as one body of one Spirit, transcending physical or man-made divisions. The invisible, spiritual Church of God, comprising diverse individuals united as one body, stands as the true essence of this unity, distinct from any visible organization. Marriage, as a physical type of this spiritual union, underscores the central principle of unity, which, when misunderstood or neglected, leads to broken vows and conflicts due to a focus on individuality rather than oneness. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, willing to deny themselves and promote their wives' happiness, just as Christ endured much to redeem His Bride. This love mirrors the nurturing and cherishing care Christ provides to the Church, aiming for her to be glorious and without blemish. Similarly, wives are to show reverence and deference to their husbands, akin to the Church's submission to Christ, recognizing the husband's headship in the new family unit. This mutual love and respect, grounded in the analogy of Christ and the Church, ensures that neither spouse abuses their role, fostering a marriage that reflects the divine pattern of unity and submission. Ultimately, the relationship between Christ and His Church elevates and transforms all Christian relationships, including marriage, enabling believers to live after the pattern and example of Jesus Christ, their Bridegroom.

The relationship between Jesus Christ and the church is portrayed as that of a husband and His bride, reflecting a profound bond of love and care. Christ sacrificed Himself for the church, not for His own person, but for the body which is the church, demonstrating a self-sacrificial love. He continues to sanctify and cleanse her, setting His personal affection on the church to purify her spiritually in an ongoing process. As a husband nourishes and cherishes his own body, so Christ nourishes and cherishes the church, bringing her to maturity and providing for her needs with tender concern, akin to a parent guarding a child from danger and neglect. Christ's care for the church is expressed through nourishing, which involves feeding and promoting her growth and well-being, and cherishing, which conveys warmth, protection, and personal attention. He provides spiritual food through the Bible and the ministry of the church, ensuring there is no excuse for ignorance or weakness among His members. This nourishing and cherishing is a continuous act, not confined to a past event, as He works toward the ultimate objective of presenting the church to Himself in glory. The ultimate purpose of Christ's work is to present the church to Himself as a glorious Bride, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. This glorification signifies a state of perfection, both externally and internally, where no stain or sign of age or decay remains. The church will radiate spiritual beauty and righteousness, sharing in Christ's own holiness, a positive uprightness far beyond the mere absence of sin. Christ Himself will present His Bride to Himself, emphasizing that the entirety of this salvation and preparation is His doing, looking forward to the day when He will display her in glory before the hosts of eternity. Christ's ambition for His Bride drives Him to ensure her perfection, using every means necessary to cleanse and prepare her for the great wedding day. He nourishes and cherishes the church with gentle teaching and encouragement, but if resistance persists, He may apply stronger measures to remove sin and perfect her. This ongoing process reflects His deep commitment to present the church as a glorious entity, holy and without blame, in preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb, where she will be clothed in righteousness and stand by His side in shared glory.

The Church, as the Bride of Christ, holds a profound and privileged relationship with Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom. This spiritual union mirrors the earthly bond of marriage, where the husband bestows certain privileges upon his bride, and likewise, Christ grants extraordinary blessings to His Church. As members of God's Church, we are called to recognize the immense dignity and honor of being part of this body, the Bride of Christ, a privilege that surpasses any worldly honor or position. Christ, as the Bridegroom, shares His life with the Church, making us participants in His very existence. We are in Him, and He is our life, as we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. He bestows His name upon us, identifying us as Christians, Elect, First-fruits, and Saints, marking us as belonging to Him in this intimate, married relationship. This name signifies our new identity, a public testament to our union with Him. We also share in His dignity, reflecting His magnificence and glory. As the Bride, we are seated with Him in heavenly places, sharing His position and standing, regardless of our past. This dignity calls us to uphold our responsibilities, knowing that we are the light of the world, as He declared, reflecting His light in a dark world. Furthermore, we are destined for a position above even the angels, a remarkable aspect of our dignity as His Bride. The privileges Christ grants include sharing in the Father's love, just as the Father loves His Son, giving us access to His holy presence. We are joint heirs with Christ, inheriting all things, including the universe and the glory of the New Jerusalem to come. As His Bride, we are partners in His interests, plans, and purposes, co-workers with God in His plan of salvation, with secrets revealed to us and more to come. Christ shares His servants, the angels, with us, who minister to us as heirs of the world to come, providing unseen protection and support. We also partake in His sufferings, bearing with Him the opposition and ridicule of the world, standing steadfast in witnessing God's way of life. Finally, we share in the glory of His prospects, looking forward to everlasting glory with Him, living and reigning over the universe as His Bride, a future of indescribable splendor prepared for us by our wonderful Husband.

Brethren, the bride of Christ has done whatever it takes under the direction of the Bridegroom to be fully ready when Christ returns. He has supplied all the fine garments to be worn by His bride, and the bride has carefully participated in the preparation to be the fulfilling and perfect helpmate of Jesus Christ within all that He could provide. This is a place set apart for rejoicing and refreshment, as well as intense training to be the bride of Christ. Revelation 19:7 tells us the bride has made herself ready, and verse 8 shows us it is only through the humble cooperative effort with Jesus Christ, who supplies everything we need to finish the training of perfection, that this will be an accomplished end. We are preparing to be Christ's helpmate for eternity and a living witness of the perfecting work that only God can do through Jesus Christ. We must understand the distinct and priceless gift that we have been given right now as we come together this week for this very purposeful training and rejoicing. We are in training to be ready for Christ's return, to be His wife, His helpmate in a way that no other group has been called to be. The bride of Christ is the perfect helpmate, helper, and witness to all that would come after as He draws them to the living waters of life, having made herself ready by submitting to the perfect preparation through Jesus Christ. God has called the weakest and the basest of men to be the very bride of Christ, to be the helpmate of Christ and an eternal witness of the work of God to bring all men to salvation. We have been called to tabernacle with Christ, to be spiritually as intimate with Him as a husband and wife, bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. We are to be part of Jesus Christ, His bride, using this precious time of preparation and joy, knowing that God is carefully doing His work so that the bride has made herself ready as the perfect helpmate of Christ. This should produce both overwhelming joy and the driving motivation to do our part right now, preparing to serve as Christ's helpmate and to pass the rope to everyone who will come after us into the Family of God.