Characteristics of the Bride

by Sergio Valori

or the most part, the return of the Lord has become either a dead doctrine or an intellectual fact to most believers. Very few seem to live in a state of expectation or preparation for this glorious climax of the age. The common mentality is, "I am saved and going to heaven." We seem to place our hope in a sudden rapture which will whisk us away regardless of our condition.

Yet, the epistles of Paul reveal that he always labored with this grand event in view, in hope of being able to present to Christ a glorious Bride, holy and without blemish. His vision was of a virgin church, undefiled by the hands of man and preserved from the influence of 'another gospel, another spirit or another Jesus.' His rejoicing would come from saints found in Christ, mature and in His likeness. Also, the Apostle John exhorts the saints to 'abide in Him', lest we would 'shrink in shame from Him at His coming'. (See I John 2:28 Rev.) We could quote dozens of other verses which reveal that the Christian is to pursue holiness and righteousness and be found in a condition acceptable to Him.

Preparation

Our text from Revelation indicates there will be a people who will be involved in preparation for the day when the Bride shall be united in marriage with her glorious Bridegroom, our Lord Jesus. This people will have a different mentality from the masses. Whereas the majority continue in their carnality, immaturity and self-centeredness, these will be circumspect to make themselves ready for the Lord.

How can we make ourselves ready without getting into our own works? The scriptures indicate that we should and we can.

Righteousness

First, the matter of righteousness. The fine linen robe in which the Bride shall be clothed at the marriage day is actually the righteous acts of the saints. Therefore, the members of the Bride have progressed from the gift of imputed righteousness to manifest the fruit or acts of righteousness. All of us believers very much appreciate the gift of His righteousness whereby we are saved and we know that we do not stand by virtue of our own works. However, the Lord expects that imputed righteousness be followed by manifest righteousness that He might be glorified in our lives. Christ's righteousness is for the Father to look upon that we might be accepted, but manifest righteousness is for the world to look upon that the Father might be glorified. (Read carefully Philippians 1:11; 1 John 3:7-10)

Thus, the lives of the members of the Bride will be faithful to obey the Holy Spirit as He prompts us unto good works. These works will not have their origin in our own thinking, but in the leading of the Spirit. Neither will they be done in our own strength, but by the anointing and enabling of the Holy Spirit. (For the importance of good works, please read Matthew 25:31-46)

Purity

Second, is the matter of purity. We see in 2Corinthians 11:2 the intense yearning of the Spirit (through Paul) that the Church be preserved as a chaste virgin. Surely the Bridegroom is more than worthy of having a virgin for His Bride! Yes, His Bride will be a chaste virgin, characterized by purity of heart and character. In his letter to Titus, Paul again refers to this working of the Spirit when he summarizes the essence of the gospel message: "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:14) The conclusion we come to in this is not that we were instantaneously purified at the moment of our salvation, but that purification is an on-going process in the lives of those who will allow it to happen. Such will be the case with the members of the Bride. John the Baptist said of Jesus, "...he will thoroughly purge his (threshing) floor..." (Mt. 3:12)

The members of the Bride are those who take seriously the possibility of becoming pure as He is pure and truly becoming like Him (our Lord Jesus Christ). Indeed, it appears impossible. We are easily overwhelmed at the very thought, but the promise is in His word. "...it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him..." (1 John 3:2) Continuing: "And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he (Christ) is pure." O, beloved, do we have this hope in our hearts? Do we believe we can be thoroughly changed and made like Him?

We see that at least three ingredients must be present: (1) a living hope (2) a powerful working of the Holy Spirit and (3) our obedience and yielding to the Spirit.

Now Hebrews 11:1 informs us that 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' How great is our hope? What are the things we are hoping for, that is, believing God for? Is it tomorrow's food supply, a place to live, a better job, a proper mate, safety in travel? All these things are certainly legitimate, but many times our hope is limited to earthly, natural things and does not include spiritual things like our transformation and our being made like Christ. Members of the Bride will be characterized by a hope large enough to include being made into His likeness.

The Spirit will be faithful to work. This is promised us in Philippians 2:13: 'For it is God that worketh in you inspiring both the will and the deed.' (NE translation) To the Spirit-filled Christian, this is a common, daily occurrence . The Spirit is our guide, and sons of God will be those led by Him. He is constantly at work to inspire our will and guide our actions in the pathways of God's will and purpose. Romans 6 confirms that the Christian can obey either the flesh or the Spirit. And it is by obedience to the Spirit that we are gradually purified. It is obedience to the Spirit that mortifies the flesh and causes the Spirit-man to experience transformation. (See 1 Peter 1:22 and Romans 6:16)

Thus, the Bride will be a company of people that will be righteous as He is righteous and pure as He is pure. May we not be overwhelmed, but believe and trust, for He that promised will also do it. (1Th.5:23,24)

Intimate Relationship

"...let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice..." (S.O.S. 2:14)

The Song of Solomon is a love story between a maiden and a king, typifying the believer's relationship with the Lord. As we proceed through the story, we cannot help but note her ardent love for and pursuit after Him. Her utterances reveal her passion for intimacy:

"Draw me, we will run after thee.."
"...we will remember thy love more than wine.."
"...I sought him...whom my soul loveth..."
"I found Him whom my soul loveth..."
"I held him and would not let him go.."
"...he is altogether lovely..."

Those who carry the spirit of the Bride will be characterized by an intense passion for Christ. Even as a bride-to-be in the natural has her affections focused only on her beloved, so will the heart of the Bride of Christ be fixed solely on Him. The Bride will not be satisfied with blessings, signs and wonders, prosperity and all the offerings of man's gospel. Like Paul in Philippians 3, her heart cry is single: "That I may know Him..." She will be concerned not with things but with a person. Her goal is not an occasional encounter or a weekly meeting, but marriage, full and complete union with Him.

Ministry to the Lord

So many today gather for the purpose of being blessed, feeling good or finding ways to enhance their own lives. Their 'praise and worship' is really not for the Lord but for themselves. As A.W. Tozer expressed it: "Whereas the altar used to be the place where one would give his all, today it has become the place of getting." But another motivation will pervade the spirit of the Bride. She will be intent on ministering unto Him out of a heart of love. Her worship will be the broken alabaster box, all for Him, the heart surrendered, the life poured out. The self-life will have been dealt with, the ego banished, the affections realigned. She will be the Lord's delight.

Oneness With His Works

And the armies which were in heaven followed him..." (Rev.19:14)

When the terms Bride and Bridegroom are used, the natural mind usually thinks of marriage as it is undertaken among men. We think of it as an arrangement whereby man and woman can enjoy life together. Thus, a prevalent mentality in shallow Christendom is that marriage to the Lord simply means a happy life and a blissful eternity.

But the Lord's concept of union is not quite like the above. A people who are truly pursuing Him will come into oneness with his mind, his will and his works. When Israel crossed Jordan, they could not simply enjoy the fruits of the land, for they had work to do, a fierce warfare designed to bring judgment to the heathen and their gods. Later in Isaiah 41:15, God said of them, "Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small." Then in Zech.10:2, the Lord calls His people His 'goodly horse in the battle.'

As Israel's history unfolds, we see her becoming an instrument in God's hands to accomplish His purposes in the earth.

As Israel was in type, so the Church, the Bride, is to be to the Lord Jesus Christ today and in the upcoming time of the Kingdom. She is not to be involved in a multitude of her own programs and activity, but to minister carefully in union with her head, the Lord Jesus.

What a frenzy of activity pervades the church scene today! We have multitudinous 'ministries', campaigns, crusades, seminars, etc..etc.. But I wonder how many of them are truly aligned with the mind and will of God? One of the greatest manifestations of flesh today is 'good flesh' that is working for God in its own strength. It is truly a time when many workers of iniquity are on the scene, prophesying, doing miracles, casting out devils, etc. etc... But, in the day of reckoning when the time of the Kingdom arrives, He will say to them, "I never knew you...", meaning "...you were never in union with me..."

The Bride will be a disciplined people, having learned the government of the Spirit. Even as Jesus spoke only the words of the Father, so will the Bride limit herself to what the Spirit is saying. Even as Jesus did only what He saw the Father do, so the Bride will refrain even from good works, unless she is given a directive by the Spirit.

It is time now to learn discipline, to be harnessed unto Him in vital union. These are days for the molding and preparation of the Bride, for the Kingdom is coming! He will indeed have a people who will walk in full union with Him.