Christ's Love for the Church
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Most everybody likes a good romance. And I'm not talking about a wishy-washy teen romance, but a good hearty love story where the characters have substance, face serious obstacles, mature, and come together in the end after much tribulation. Why is the love genre, or just a love story in a larger narrative, so captivating? Could it be because we were created to love, and we are longing to know and experience that perfect love that we so often only see shadows of?
True love is lived out by God himself for his people.
True love is understood and seen when we look at God's love. This love is lived out by God himself for his people. One of the most beautiful images in the Scriptures is Christ Jesus, the groom, and the church as Christ's bride.
This bride was one in need of redemption—she was a slave to sin. She was dirty—in need of cleansing. She was guilty—in need of righteousness. She was impure—in need of holiness. She was dressed in filthy rags—in need of a glorious wedding gown. None of these things that she needed could she manufacture in her own strength, and there was nothing about her that made her lovable.
Jesus willingly laid down his life so that his bride would be purified and united to him.
Yet, God the Father sent his Son to lay down his life for this bride, the church, a group of sinners who were at war with their God, guilty, and burdened under sin. And Jesus willingly shed his blood so that his bride, this group of sinners, might be brought into the love and favor of God, have eternal glorious life, and be united to Christ himself:
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us. (1 John 3:16a)
Even now, Christ by his Holy Spirit continues to purify the church, each and every believer, sanctifying them, building them up, and loving them:
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Rom. 5:5)
Christ’s love for the church is the most wonderful love story ever.
So if you are looking for a wonderful love story, look no further than to your Savior Jesus Christ and his love for you, a member of the church, his bride. For he loves you more than you know and will do so for all eternity:
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Rev. 21:2)
