The Myth of the Ugly Bride

I have titled this post the "myth" of the ugly bride because I don't think that there is such a thing as an "ugly bride" (I COULD be wrong...maybe that is where the tradition for the bride to wear a veil came from??  But there is some helpful info about brides and veils here assuming you might be interested in that line of thinking). Having just turned fifty years old I have had the occasion to attend, be a part of, or officiate over a LOT of weddings and in each case, I believe, in some how and in some way, to some person...the bride was beautiful. When speaking of brides during the month of October, our minds often move quickly to the image above...the "Bride of Frankenstein"...the quintessential "ugly bride."

Brides are an ongoing part of the biblical narrative (cf Jacob working to gain a bride [Gen 24]; The entire book of the Song of Songs; and the prophet Hosea who is told to marry a prostitute, etc...), however the most vivid depiction of a biblical "bride" is ongoing. In the closing chapters of the book of Revelation the Spirit shows John vivid imagery of a bride, a bridegroom, and the wedding of the Lamb (who can be known from the imagery in Rev. 5 as Jesus). Just like today...in biblical times brides, grooms, and wedding were BIG deals...sometimes they were parties that lasted for days! It is hard to believe that any account of such a thing could be in any sense "ugly."

However, if you are a user of social media, you know that the biblical bride of Christ (the Church) has taken a beating. Postmodernity rightfully leveled the playing field and here in America our illusion of a "Christian Nation" has come crashing down around our heads. The Church has finally been revealed for what it REALLY is: FULL of broken, sinful, hypocritical, well-intending but sometimes downright hurtful, PEOPLE who are in desperate need of redefining our relationship with Jesus.  The truth that no one is confessing is this...biblically, this has been the case all along...READ THE WORD!! The problem is that this fact, in the world of modernity, has been covered up and everyone was told that Christians, who make up the Church, were striving for perfection and it was really quite the "angel factory"--quietly pumping out morally superior humans who had their "stuff" together...but it was all an illusion.

All that being said...an astounding Truth comes to light...it has been that way all along AND in spite of THAT very situation (the illusion mentioned above) God has chosen the Church to carry his message to the world...they are to be His hands and feet. Paul says it like this...the Church are (yes I know that the form of the verb to be is improper but so is the typical grammatical use of the word "church"--by using "are" plural I am implying that the term "Church" means the people of Christ...NOT a structure) Jesus' AMBASSADORS to the world. I dislike the political connotation of the term "ambassador" but it IS correct..think of it in these terms...in the Ancient Near East an "ambassador" was someone who brought greetings to/from and on behalf of a king.  Paul's word picture here is simple...the Church (christians) are to bring a message from the King to the people.  The disappointing fact is that THIS is exactly what has been happening...the problem is that it has too often presented the wrong greeting and message.

Because of this the bride is looking a little "used" in our world today.  What once appeared as beautiful, and unsoiled...surrendered herself to the villain of the culture of modernity and lost her "first love." But the God who sent the Spirit to "call out" and create the Church on the Day of Pentecost...is a HUGE God...a God of a bigger vision, and fortunately for me...a God of second (read MANY) chances.

I am convinced that the Church remains God's greatest tool for reaching a lost and hurting world with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Are there problems that need to be corrected? YES! Do things need to change? YES! In spite of what you might have read or heard (and YES statistically it appears that the Church is declining..but stats don't often tell the entire story) the Church is NOT, and will not Die (until God is done with her!).  The Church remains the "bride of Christ" but she is not an "ugly" bride (a myth perpetuated by those who are broken but do not yet know that they need "fixed")--she may be down but she is certainly NOT out, she may be soiled but can be CLEANSED, she may have faltered or chosen unwisely in some of her relationships but she REMAINS God's instrument of love, grace, peace, and hope:

⁷ Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” ⁸ It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8)

I believe...help me in my unbelief.