Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), therefore please read the scripture references that are given.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church, for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:25-32).”
“And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord (Hosea 2:19-20).”
“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:16-18).”
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, and saying alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God (Revelation 19:6-9).”
The bride of Christ (God’s saints) is supposed to make herself spotless, but not in her own strength as God is the only one who is able to remove our sinful stains. This is done through the sacrifice of the groom who died for our sins and made His blood a covering. So when the Father looks down upon us He does not see our sin, but rather the innocent blood of the groom Jesus Christ. Paul mentions the mystery of marriage and stating that he is not really talking about a marriage of flesh that is done upon the earth, but one that is of the Spiritual realm. Whereas the marriage on earth makes two people to become one flesh in the natural, marriage in the spiritual sense makes us one with Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. We, as Christians, are referred to as the bride of Christ, but when we receive Jesus we also receive the Father and the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:8-9). Though we are made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ when we are saved, we are still imperfect vessels that have a sin nature and we will sin (Romans 3:10-12). We may be the best Christians upon the earth, but, everyone sins and falls short of the glory of God. No man or woman is perfect, that is why we need Jesus to save us from sin, for Salvation is an ongoing process. I am not saying we lose our Salvation, but when we sin we separate ourselves from God the Father because of the blemish of sin that comes upon us when (not if) we sin. These accumulating blemishes from sin are what need to be removed from us to make us a bride without spot or blemish. This is done by coming boldly before the throne of grace and asking forgiveness and receiving His cleansing (1 John 1:8-10).
Maturing in the Lord is a key principal of changing our way of thinking through the renewing of our minds that we will mature in Christ and allow Him to put to death our sin-nature. When we marry Christ it is desired that we will come to know the Lord as we come to know our earthly spouses. “Delight thyself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). This does not mean God will give us a $75,000 Cadillac if we want one, it means He will give us the Godly desires we should have in your hearts. God changes us by watering us with His own word and our minds will be renewed (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 5:25-27).
“But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder (Mark10:6-9).” When we are betrothed to Jesus Christ we leave our father and mother, but upon the earth who is our father and mother. I am not talking about our moms and dads literally, but about our former father Satan and our mother (the wicked desires of our former “household”). They are our father and mother upon the earth who have kept us from God’s proposal of marriage (Salvation) and when Christ saves us and we are no longer bound to this wicked father and mother (John 8:42-44). This essentially is leaving the households of our father and mother of sin. When we are saved we become one in the Spirit with God through Jesus or what is called becoming the bride of Christ. We have left sin behind and it is desired by God that we learn of our new spouse of Salvation, Jesus Christ, our new Father in heaven, and the Holy Spirit with his gift(s).
I understand that Jesus is the one who covers our sins in the presence of the Father, but un-confessed sin causes more spots and blemishes. And though we cannot remove our own sin and cleanse ourselves, it is our responsibility to go boldly before the throne of grace that we may be forgiven and cleansed. Are we leaving ourselves spotted or blemished by not confessing our sins to the Father and asking forgiveness in Jesus name? Or are we constantly confessing sin and not allowing our former father or mother to gain a foothold on our lives again. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For, they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:1-8). It is the word of God, Jesus, who cleanses us to present us without spot or blemish before the Father, so take time to go boldly before the throne of grace and get His cleansing that will remove all spots, blemishes and wrinkles, so that Jesus will be able to present us Holy and without blemish to the Father.
Jesus is asking all of us: Do you believe that I came to forgive and save you from your sin(s), was crucified until death, buried in a tomb, and then resurrected from the dead that you could become my bride and follow me all the days of your life? That puts the ball “in our court” for Jesus has already proposed to every man and woman upon the earth. Now the question remains: What is your answer to Jesus?
Sam Chadakovsky-a friend of Jesus
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