The concept of the Bride of Christ reveals a profound mystery concerning the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church. Jesus Christ is the perfect Bridegroom, setting the supreme standard for all husbands to emulate, as all marriages should mirror the union between Him and His Bride, the Church. The spiritual Bride of Christ, the Church, must look to the inspired written word of God for guidance on maintaining the right perspective and relationship with the Bridegroom. All baptized members of the Church are part of the Bride of Christ and must grasp this great mystery, which is of far-reaching importance and profound in its implications. This mystery, as described, is a secret of revelation made known through a special dispensation of grace, emphasizing the spiritual union between Christ and the Church. The Church is presented as a glorious entity, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish, awaiting the ultimate union with Christ. The apostle Paul stresses that understanding this spiritual union is essential to comprehending the true meaning of marriage, as it sheds light on both the divine and human relationships. Paul teaches that the Church is the body of Christ, intimately connected as members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones, reflecting a vital organic unity. This relationship draws from the analogy of Adam and Eve, where the woman was taken out of man, paralleling how the Church was taken out of Christ through His sacrifice. As Eve was of Adam's substance, so the Church is of Christ's, originating from His wounded side, highlighting the profound truth of being one with Him. The mystery extends to the concept of fullness, where the Church, as the Bride of Christ, in a sense completes Christ as the Mediator, filling a reserved place in Him until united in marriage. Christ, as the Head, and the Church, as His body, form a complete union, dependent on each other for wholeness. This sacred relationship underscores that Christ, in His role as Mediator, will not be fully complete until every saint is gathered into His Bride, the Church. Ultimately, this great mystery of Christ and the Church reveals a spiritual unity and oneness that transcends human understanding, yet it serves as a divine illustration for human marriage. The Church, as the Bride, is purchased by Christ's sacrifice, joined to Him eternally, becoming one flesh with Him, as He gave Himself entirely for her.

Marriage serves as a profound symbol of God's covenant with His people, reflecting the deep spiritual relationship between Christ and the church as the Bride of Christ. The unity, sacrificial love, and interdependence inherent in marriage help us grasp, in part, the unity, love, and interdependent nature of God's bond with His people. The New Testament imagery of the bride underscores essential truths: the Church-bride is chosen for God's purpose yet retains the freedom to choose; Christ, in His love, offers Himself to establish a covenant with His one Bride; His atonement acts as a betrothal gift; His love purifies and makes the Bride worthy of Him; and the Bride anticipates and prepares for the future wedding day. Christ's love for the church, as the Bride, is not merely theoretical but manifests in practical actions. He gave Himself for Her, a sacrificial act that forms the foundation of the church's existence. This love is demonstrated in His concern, pride, and protection over Her, shielding and guarding Her with unwavering devotion. Christ loved the church while She was still in sin, ungodly and an enemy, showing a love that persists despite flaws, culminating in His death for Her redemption. His purpose in dying was to redeem the church, purchasing Her with His blood to make Her His own, a unique and precious possession. Furthermore, Christ continues to sanctify and cleanse the church, setting Her apart for Himself as His exclusive possession and use. This sanctification involves moving Her from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of light, separating Her from the world to occupy a special position as His Bride. He does not stop at forgiveness but proceeds to prepare Her to be a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, driven by His desire to present Her to Himself in perfection. This process of sanctification is His work, an ongoing act of love that transforms and refines the Bride for the ultimate union with Him. As the Bride of Christ, the church is no longer free to belong to the world but is dedicated to Him, living for Him as He lives for Her. This relationship calls for a recognition of being set apart, a holy nation and God's special people, called out of darkness into His marvelous light to proclaim His praises. The practical question for every Christian is whether they are aware that Christ has separated them and is sanctifying them, preparing them for the glory they are to share with Him as His Bride.

In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul presents marriage as a reflection of the profound relationship between Christ and His church. He illustrates that the original creation of the husband-and-wife union was modeled on Christ's forthcoming union with the church as His body. As stated in Ephesians 5:23, 'For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.' Marriage, from the beginning, was created by God to be patterned after Christ's relation to the church. Thus, Paul's commands regarding the roles of husbands and wives exemplify God's ideal for all marriages at all times, mirrored by the relationship between the bride of Christ, which is the church, and Christ Himself, the Son of God. This doctrine underscores that a true understanding of marriage is only possible through the lens of Christ's bond with His church, elevating the marital relationship to a spiritual level.

Marriage is a reflection of and patterned after Christ's relation to the church, revealing God's ideal for all marriages through the relationship between the bride of Christ, which is the church, and Christ Himself, the Son of God. This profound teaching underscores that marriage can only be fully understood as we grasp the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the church. The second reason for the wife's submission to her husband lies in the relationship of the church to Jesus Christ, as seen in the statement, "As also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body." This illustrates the spiritual parallel where the husband's headship over the wife mirrors Christ's headship over the church, emphasizing the divine order and connection between earthly marriage and the sacred bond of Christ with His bride, the church.

The unity between a husband and wife mirrors the spiritual union between Christ and His Bride, the Church. This profound connection illustrates that just as the Church is subject to Christ, so should unity and submission define the marital relationship. The Church, as the body of Christ with Him as the Head, reflects a unity that should be evident in Christian marriages, emphasizing that a lack of unity with Christ hinders unity in earthly marriage. The apostle Paul underscores this unity by highlighting the Church as one body, bound by one Spirit, emphasizing an inherent spiritual oneness that believers must preserve. This unity, already established in the Church, parallels the unity in marriage, where two become one flesh, a physical type of the spiritual bond between Christ and His Bride. In marriage, this unity is further exemplified by the command for a man to leave his father and mother to be joined to his wife, reflecting the new unity formed, akin to the Church's relationship with Christ. The reverence and deference a wife shows her husband echo the submission of the Church to Christ, as prophetically addressed to God's Church, the Bride of Christ, in joining her heavenly Bridegroom. Christian marriage, therefore, serves as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His Church, where the husband's love mirrors Christ's sacrificial love for the Church, and the wife's respect parallels the Church's submission to Him. This analogy elevates marriage to a sacred bond, transfigured by the example of Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom, transforming all relationships in Christian life.

As Christians, we are privileged to be part of the Bride of Christ, a spiritual group united with Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom. This relationship bestows upon us remarkable privileges, reflecting the intimate bond between Christ and the Church. It is vital to recognize the dignity and honor of being members of God's church, the body of Christ, and to appreciate the profound significance of this union. Christ, as our Bridegroom, shares His life with us, making us sharers in His very existence. We are in Him, and He is our life, as expressed in the idea that eternal life is Jesus Christ Himself. We take on His name, becoming known as Christians, Elect, First-fruits, and Saints, signifying our transformed identity and the honor of bearing His name. 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 positions us as the light of the world, mirroring Christ's own light, and destines us for a future above even the angels, as we are to judge the world and angels alongside Him. Furthermore, we partake in His privileges, including the Father's love, which is bestowed upon us as it is upon His Son. This grants us access to the Father's presence, a right of entry as the Bride of His Son. We are also sharers in His possessions, inheriting all things as joint heirs with Christ, looking forward to the glory of the New Jerusalem. Christ shares His interests, plans, and purposes with us, making us co-workers in God's plan of salvation. As His Bride, we are privy to His secrets and revelations, called to rise to the privilege of being helpers in His mission. Additionally, we share His servants, with angels ministering to us as they do to Him, providing unseen protection and support. We are also sharers in His sufferings, bearing the opposition and ridicule of the world as He did, standing steadfast in witnessing God's way of life. Finally, we look forward to sharing in the glory of His prospects, prepared by Him to be a glorious church, holy and without blemish, to live and reign with Him over the universe in everlasting glory. This union as the Bride of Christ offers an awesome future, filled with spiritual privileges and an indescribable inheritance.

This insightful message delivered on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, explores the compelling spiritual significance of the ancient water-pouring ceremony from the Pool of Siloam, culminating in Jesus' declaration in John 7:37-39 that He was the true source of living water dispensing the Holy Spirit - fulfilling Irael's Messianic hope. This ritual foreshadows God's plan to prepare the Church as the Bride of Christ by refining her faith, obedience, and spiritual discipline, enabling her to be united with Him at His return. I Corinthians 2:11-13 teaches us that our daily choices build character that will endure divine testing providing Christ is the exclusive foundation. By aligning with God's divine order, we do our part in yielding to this active preparation. Isaiah 9-12 and Jeremiah 30-31 present prophesies Christ's role as the Word, orchestrating historical event to restore physical Israel as well as all creation under His government of peace. As Jesus Christ's perfected helpmate, the Bride will share in a redemptive mission, assisting, and teaching truth to the post-Tribulation remnant of Israel as well as preparing the splendiferous Holy City. The Eighth Day festival anticipates the universal offer of salvation, with the Bride, patterned after the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, actively serving alongside Christ. God's chosen saints should rejoice in their role, inviting all to partake of the "water of life" (Revelation 22:17) which symbolizes salvation and eternal unity with God's purpose.

In this insightful message, we learn about the breathtaking spiritual blessings and destiny of the Church-the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33). In the same manner as a bride gains a new identity, name, and inheritance through marriage, God's chosen saints, united with Christ, share His very life, glory, and eternal prospects. This divine marriage is everlasting, founded on love, sanctification and oneness, Sadly, many undervalue their precious calling, forgetting that being a part of Christ's body means sharing His very identity and mission. Key privileges of the Bride include sharing: 1 His Life: Because Christ shares His life with His Bride, God's chosen saints no longer live for self, through His indwelling presence (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:4). 2 His Name: Bearing His name equates to sharing His authority, character and destiny, identifying believers as citizens of God's Kingdom (Revelation 3:12). 3 His Dignity and Authority: Consisting of overcomers, the Bride shares Christ's throne (Revelation 3:2). 4 His Inheritance: As joint heirs with Christ, God's resurrected saints receive all that belongs to Him, including eternal life, heavenly riches, and participation in His divine purposes (Romans 8:16-17, I Corinthians 3:21-23). 5 His Interests and Servants: The Bride fully shares in Christ's mission and His servant's ministry, which include laboring with Him in His redemptive work (Revelation 2:17). 6 His Glory and Prospects: As God's chosen saints, our lives and future destiny are currently hidden with Christ in God, as we wait full revelation when we appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4; John 17:24). All that Christ possesses He graciously shares with His Bride. To be united with the Son of God is the highest privilege ever granted-an awesome destiny of eternal love and shared glory beyond all human imagination.