Godly Women

From the Original Baptist Observer September 2010 Edition

Ladies, as a bride, or bride to be, how much time is spent in preparation for the wedding? How much is spent in preparation for the marriage? As we consider this life, limited by the flesh in time, let’s consider eternity and the life to come. As women that are born again, scripturally baptized, members of one of the Lord’s New Testament churches, we should be preparing for the wedding and marriage to our Espoused Groom, Jesus Christ. After all, that marriage will last much longer than any that we have here in this life!

In John 3:25-30 and Mark 2:18-20, John the Baptist and Jesus refer to Jesus as the Bridegroom. Those with Jesus are referred to as the bride. The ones with Jesus were His disciples. Jesus’ disciples were His church. In Matthew 26:17-30, Jesus gives the Lord’s Supper to His disciples. They sing a hymn in vs. 30 and go out. Psalm 22:22 is prophecy concerning Jesus singing in the midst of the “congregation” praise to God. This account of the Lord’s Supper is the only recorded place to fulfill this prophecy of Him singing. Hebrews 2:9-12 shows that He fulfilled that prophecy when He sang in the midst of His brethren, the “church”, identifying Jesus’ disciples as the church.

In II Corinthians 11:2, Paul is writing by inspiration of the Lord to the church at Corinth. (II Corinthians 1:1) He says that the church is the espoused, or engaged, bride of Christ. In John 14:1-3, He tells His church He is going to prepare a special place for them. Jesus, the Bridegroom, has made preparations for the wedding and marriage to His bride. The question is, have we been preparing?

I Corinthians 12:18 says that God adds us to the local, church body as it “hath pleased him”. So, ladies, as members of a local body, the church, (Colossians 1:18) we are to be working and functioning in that local body. (Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 2:19) This is how that we prepare for the wedding and marriage to our Espoused Groom, Jesus, that will last for all of eternity.

Our access to Jesus, as the Bridegroom, is through the local body that He placed us in. We have no ability to glorify God with our work outside of a local New Testament church. (Ephesians 3:21; Romans 16:27; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23) I Corinthians 12:12-14 says that the body is made up of many members, but it is one body. The Bible is clear that the local church, the body, is His espoused bride. Ladies, it would be to our advantage to search the Scriptures to see if our functioning and supplying in our local church bodies is according to His standards. (Revelation 3:8-13) Please don’t let the preparations be made in vain by ignoring His Word!

Jesus gave His life for His New Testament churches. (Acts 20:28) Ephesians 5:22-33 gives us just a small glimpse into how much that Jesus loves His bride. Jesus, our Bridegroom, is coming soon. Are we ready? Have we prepared for that wedding? Have we prepared for that eternal marriage with our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ? Are we functioning in the local body where He placed us and nourishing the body with the work we are doing according to the Scriptures?