When Death Does Its Part

A painting of an ancient Jewish Wedding

"Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might be married to another: to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."

~ Romans 7:4

In most weddings, there are flowers, elegant dresses, and a scenic landscape for the venue. When Christ married His bride the church, it was through insults, humiliation, stripped of His clothes and hammered to a cross like a common criminal on the place of the Skull: Golgotha. And yet, so glorious and effectual was this wedding that Christ victoriously divorced His bride from sin and sealed His covenant with her through His blood.

Hosea purchased Gomer with every last penny he had (Hosea 3), and David paid the bridal price of the foreskins of 200 Philistines, but Christ purchased His unfaithful bride with the dowry of His own blood, until there was nothing more left for the Lamb of God to give. In every wedding, the vow is sealed until the end with the phrase: "Till death do us part", but Christ's vows to His bride are so powerful and eternal, even death cannot part them!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, seeing that we have been divorced from satan and sin, and since we profess like the bride: "I am my Beloved's and He is mine" let all of our heart, soul, mind and strength be His and His alone! If you lament and say, "but how do I give Him all my heart, seeing as I am oft so unfaithful?" then I encourage you Christian, behold Him in all His glory and beauty! To admire beauty requires no effort, for beauty causes praise to flow freely. Even so, throughout each day, use every opportunity and moment to meditate upon His word, for therein we behold His resplendence.

Consider how He is meek and lowly in heart, how He is the good Shepherd, how He is the rod of Jesse, the perfect Adam, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the valley... Surely there is no excuse for unfaithfulness when we are united to one so splendorous! And what a glorious, and most happy occasion that will be, when Christ returns for His bride: a people from every nation, tribe and language. That wedding shall be consummated with the angels, archangels and all creation celebrating and the Father joyfully gifting His Son with His bride whom He had set apart for His Son from before the foundation of the world.