Can I confess something? I get angry and frustrated with the church sometimes because she is full of people who are guilty of all the stupid and sinful things that people do, (including myself and you).
I wonder, “Why did this one do that?” or “Why didn’t they do that?” The people of the church have done some incredibly stupid things since Christ left. Crusades. Bad teaching. Inquisitions. Self-centeredness. Unscrupulous “healers”. I could go on and name a hundred more things without thinking.
Sometimes the people of the church tell a good story, but the reality is different. We talk about caring on Sunday, then cheat and steal on Monday. We talk about being welcoming, but woe betides the visitor who sits in Grandma’s pew. We talk of freedom, but then we walk in bondage.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a house church, a pretty little country church, or a megachurch congregation with attendance at every service larger than some communities I’ve lived in. Regardless of theological stripe or denomination (or non). It happens across the entire spectrum of the visible church.
I guess that means I get frustrated with the people in the church, rather than with the church. When I take the time to stop and think about it, I remember that the people of the church aren’t supposed to be perfect yet, that comes later. Jesus loves us just the way we are. He’s changing us day by day, but He loves us.
When I stop and think about it some more, I remember that I love the church herself, complete with all of her problems, confusion, and tension. The true church is the body of believers worldwide and is the bride of Christ. She’s imperfect but she is growing more like Him every day, and when the marriage does happen, all will be made whole and right.
In the Middle East 2,000 years ago, there were elaborate rituals before a wedding. The groom or his family often paid a price for the bride.
The betrothal was an extended period during which both parties were to remain pure. During this period, the groom often went away to prepare a home, either by adding onto the family home or building one from scratch. When it was done, great effort was made to have the groom sneak back and claim his wife. The exact timing was to be a surprise. After his surprise return, there was the formal wedding and a time of feasting and celebration.
Knowing a bit about these customs helps us appreciate the wonderful picture of believers as His bride.
He’s gone away to build a home for us.
There’s going to be a wonderful banquet.
The similarities are far more extensive than that. It would take a book to cover them all in detail, but the people of His day understood what Jesus talked about when He called the church His bride. They knew of His deep and sacrificial love for the. They understood that He would come again.
Until next time may you come to a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of the true church and eagerly await the return of your groom. Let’s also remember that all those people in the church who frustrate us are His bride to and learn too love them as well.
Be blessed
Kevin
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