He who saves.

So far this week I have been thinking just a little upon what it means that the church is the bride of Christ. I think it began with preaching on Sunday where one of my points was that we are not to be yoked with unbelievers in marriage, because we are already married to Christ who we are united to by the Holy Spirit. And so it got me thinking of a verse that has been significant to me for as long as I can remember due to its association.

There can’t be many people who have a verse from Song of Songs written on their grave stone but my grandfather is one of them.

He doesn’t have the whole verse, just the banner part, but I love it anyway. The verse it references is chapter 2 verse 4:

‘He has taken me to the banquet hall and his banner over me is love.’

What does it mean to be taken to the banquet hall?

It means to be those with a real and certain hope of being with Christ: ‘tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner…’ Matthew 22:4. Everything is waiting!

It means to be those who are the bride of Christ. Not simply guests or onlookers, but those who are actually betrothed to the Lamb: ’Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen bright and clean was given her to wear.’ Revelation 19:7-8.

It means to be those who despite being wretched and unfaithful sinners are ‘given’ clothes of righteousness to wear, being made clean through being washed in Christ’s blood.

It means to be those whom Christ delights in and over whom he has lifted high a banner of love. It was a love that as we recall was displayed when he experienced the horrors of separation from his heavenly Father, betrayal, torture and death upon a cross.

One of the things that strikes me is just how precious the church is to Christ. He is passionate about us! And for those of us who are husbands, it reminds us of what a high calling it is to love our wives as Christ loved the church: ‘Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…’ Ephesians 5:25

But it also reminds us that we have a great day to look forward to when we will finally say with all the faithful- my Grandmother included since she died last year (running Alpha in her late 90’s)- ‘he has taken me to the banquet hall and his banner over me is love’. What a precious thing to be able to say!