The Answer to This Mystery Makes for an Amazing Marriage
The Bible is full of fantastic metaphors that illuminate our
relationship with God. We are His sons and daughters, heirs to all that He has.
We are the body of Christ, with each part playing an essential role. We are the
house of God and a royal priesthood. We are servants, sheep and soldiers.
relationship with God. We are His sons and daughters, heirs to all that He has.
We are the body of Christ, with each part playing an essential role. We are the
house of God and a royal priesthood. We are servants, sheep and soldiers.
But to me there is one metaphor that holds more power and beauty
than all the rest. In fact, it isn’t merely a metaphor; it is actually our
title. We are the bride of Christ.
than all the rest. In fact, it isn’t merely a metaphor; it is actually our
title. We are the bride of Christ.
The truth is, from the beginning of time God always intended us to
be married to Him. He had this in mind way back even before He created the
first marriage in the Garden of Eden. The whole Bible is a story of a Lover in
pursuit of a beloved. It’s a marriage story from beginning to end, from Adam
and Eve in the first chapters of Genesis, all the way up to the wedding
feast of the Lamb and His Bride (that’s us!) in Revelation.
be married to Him. He had this in mind way back even before He created the
first marriage in the Garden of Eden. The whole Bible is a story of a Lover in
pursuit of a beloved. It’s a marriage story from beginning to end, from Adam
and Eve in the first chapters of Genesis, all the way up to the wedding
feast of the Lamb and His Bride (that’s us!) in Revelation.
When God put us here on the earth, he could have set up our
relationships to each other in any way he wanted. After all, He is God. But he
specifically chose marriage to be the center of our human existence so that we
would get a glimpse into the way he loves and desires relationship with us. The
Apostle Paul makes this clear in Ephesians:
relationships to each other in any way he wanted. After all, He is God. But he
specifically chose marriage to be the center of our human existence so that we
would get a glimpse into the way he loves and desires relationship with us. The
Apostle Paul makes this clear in Ephesians:
“For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one
flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about
Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32, NIV)
his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one
flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about
Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32, NIV)
The fact that we are to be one with Christ in the same way that a
husband and wife are joined as one in marriage is indeed a profound and
beautiful mystery, full of many amazing implications. This beautiful mystery is
what some call the “bridal paradigm.”
husband and wife are joined as one in marriage is indeed a profound and
beautiful mystery, full of many amazing implications. This beautiful mystery is
what some call the “bridal paradigm.”
Unpacking the Bridal Paradigm
Over at my blog, Journey to Surrender, I spend
a lot of time unpacking the mystery of this bridal paradigm. Throughout my 30+
years of marriage I have continually bumped up against the many ways in which
my relationship with Jesus informs my understanding of my relationship with my
wife. It works the other way around too, with my marriage providing insight
into my spiritual life. Mystifying indeed! (My blog has a more detailed
look at what it means to have a bridal
paradigm marriage)
a lot of time unpacking the mystery of this bridal paradigm. Throughout my 30+
years of marriage I have continually bumped up against the many ways in which
my relationship with Jesus informs my understanding of my relationship with my
wife. It works the other way around too, with my marriage providing insight
into my spiritual life. Mystifying indeed! (My blog has a more detailed
look at what it means to have a bridal
paradigm marriage)
One of the most amazing truths I have discovered is that I can’t
fully understand my role as a husband until I learn how to be a bride. Sounds
weird, right? But I’m not talking about cross-dressing here. No,
I’m referring to the fact that I can best love my wife when I love
her like Jesus loves me – that’s my biblical mandate. That’s a pretty tall
order, and I have come to realize that if I don’t fully understand the love of
Christ for me, I can’t possibly love my lovely bride as God commands me to.
Paul prays in Ephesians 3 that we would comprehend what he describes as the unknowable,
immeasurable love of Christ. Fittingly, this prayer is the prelude Paul’s
chapter on marriage. More mystery.
fully understand my role as a husband until I learn how to be a bride. Sounds
weird, right? But I’m not talking about cross-dressing here. No,
I’m referring to the fact that I can best love my wife when I love
her like Jesus loves me – that’s my biblical mandate. That’s a pretty tall
order, and I have come to realize that if I don’t fully understand the love of
Christ for me, I can’t possibly love my lovely bride as God commands me to.
Paul prays in Ephesians 3 that we would comprehend what he describes as the unknowable,
immeasurable love of Christ. Fittingly, this prayer is the prelude Paul’s
chapter on marriage. More mystery.
My lifelong journey into comprehending the love of Jesus is the
key to my lifelong journey in loving my wife.
key to my lifelong journey in loving my wife.
I am discovering that there are countless direct parallels between
my spiritual life and my marriage life: intimacy, passion, freedom, grace,
trust, faithfulness, and pleasure. All these and many more are not only
part of my walk with God as His beloved, but also translate directly to the
journey of my marriage to my beautiful and amazing wife – my beloved.
my spiritual life and my marriage life: intimacy, passion, freedom, grace,
trust, faithfulness, and pleasure. All these and many more are not only
part of my walk with God as His beloved, but also translate directly to the
journey of my marriage to my beautiful and amazing wife – my beloved.
We Have the Inside Track!
As married believers, we have an amazing advantage. We happen to
have an close relationship with the very one who created marriage in the first
place. We know the designer! We even know why he designed it like he did – to
reflect the love relationship he wants to have with each of us.
have an close relationship with the very one who created marriage in the first
place. We know the designer! We even know why he designed it like he did – to
reflect the love relationship he wants to have with each of us.
We see clearly how the relationship between husband and wife is
meant to reflect the relationship between our Bridegroom, Jesus, and us, his
bride.
meant to reflect the relationship between our Bridegroom, Jesus, and us, his
bride.
So if you want to take your marriage to the next level, filling it
with more intimacy, passion, trust, and grace, your first order of business
should be to take your spiritual walk to the next level in these same
dimensions. Discover the many ways in which your life in God can fan the
flames of your marriage journey, and vice-versa.
with more intimacy, passion, trust, and grace, your first order of business
should be to take your spiritual walk to the next level in these same
dimensions. Discover the many ways in which your life in God can fan the
flames of your marriage journey, and vice-versa.
Explore the mystery. The possibilities are truly endless.
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Scott is a marriage blogger who has been marriedto his wife, Jenni, for more than 30 years. He is also Dad to three lovely
daughters. His passion is to see the marriages in the church so strong, so
enduring and so passionate that the world comes to us for answers on how to do
marriage. Scott blogs at Journey to Surrender.
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