Are You A Faithful Bride?

Dear Saints,

 

I have a friend who has been married for some time now. She was very excited about her wedding. She has been living with her husband happily. With her husband’s support, she has overcome some life challenges. I met her husband. He is very kind, gentle, and a great provider. He would do anything for anyone. Honestly, no one has a better husband than this bride.

 

There’s, however, a significant problem in the relationship. You see, this wife is only excited about her husband in her house and when she goes to church. Most of their neighbors don’t know that she is married. She has not consciously tried to introduce her husband to the neighbors and the many others she meets.

 

When she goes out, she mainly talks about everything except mentioning that she’s happily married to a wonderful husband. As a result, many think she’s single, and often other men make unwanted advances to her.

 

She spends more time outside their home shopping and buying things that normally her husband would not buy. She has little time to relate intimately to her husband. She is very busy with things that often do not interest her loving husband.

 

I often wonder if she is ashamed of her loving husband. I am even suspecting that you may know this bride. Please do not be offended, but as the bride of Christ, is it possible the above, though absurd, may describe to some degree, your relationship to Christ or someone else you know? I am equally examining myself in this regard.

The Scriptures teach that we are the bride of Christ, especially in Ephesians 5.

 

Today, we end our study of 1 Peter. In the end, Peter wrote to the suffering pilgrims mentioning a faithful brother/bride, Silvanus. Let’s read and listen to the end of this epistle:

 

“By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:12-14.

 

Did you hear that? “Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him.” Peter could have equally said, “a faithful bride.” Do you know how Jesus would greet His people at the end? “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:21.

 

Silvanus probably wrote down 1 Peter as apostle Peter dictated. He may have also delivered this epistle to the recipients. If Silvanus had not done his job, you and I would not be reading this epistle today that has transformed many lives over the years of Christianity.

 

But look at the message Silvanus carried. “The true grace of God in which you stand.” Friend, this is the gospel that saved us. I stand on this rock, Jesus, “full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). Grace and truth set us free and will do same for anyone else who would believe  and trust Jesus Christ.

 

Silvanus was as ordinary as you and I. Wouldn’t you like to be described now as a faithful brother/sister? And in the end, wouldn’t you want to be welcomed by Jesus, “well done, good and faithful“?

 

Jesus said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.

 

The Holy Spirit will witness through you to others when you open your mouth, speak, and live a life of righteousness in Christ. A witness is not a “super apostle/Christian” but one who has encountered Christ and is full of faith and the Holy Spirit. 

We must be intentional about “making disciples of Christ” Mark 16: 15-20 and Matthew 28:19-20. Do you have a plan? At least carry some Gospel tracts with you. Yes, buy and use it; after all, we buy everything else.

 

Are you going to be a faithful bride of Jesus? Peter said, “she who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you “ That’s another church (the bride of Christ) living in Babylon of all places. America and the rest of the world are now a Babylon where everything and all evils thrive.

 

Yes, we can be a faithful brides wherever we are  in our daily ordinary living to talk about Jesus, the greatest lover of our souls. I am glad I am married to a husband who died and rose again. I will never cease to live for and talk about Jesus, my groom. I am eagerly waiting for Him to come and take me home. How about you?

 

Friend, don’t be ashamed of Jesus (Luke 9:26-27). Be bold by the power of the Holy Spirit and go live out and tell the gospel to your neighbors and everyone. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7. Let love for others motivate you and be disciplined “sound mind” sharing Christ with all. Tell your Christ-story. It is the best story ever. Amen.

 

Also, Peter mentioned, “Mark my son,” another faithful brother. Though Mark did not get it right at the beginning, however, he turned around. He is believed to have written the Gospel of Mark. The best you can give anyone is Jesus Christ, the Word of God, who became human. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation from sin and the wrath of God that is to come.

 

Note Peter’s instruction for us to love one another, by implication of “a kiss of love”. Peter ends, “Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.” Are you in Christ and a bride of Christ? Then, receive and give His peace to all. Amen.

 

We pray for the families of over twenty-five thousand who died in the Turkey/Syria earthquake this week. May God comfort the living, heal and grant them the grace to know Jesus. I wonder how many dead are without Jesus to face eternity in hell. People need the Gospel more than anything else.

 

If Jesus is not your Christ and savior, please confess and repent of your sins, and ask Jesus to forgive you and be your Lord and Savior. Be filled with the Holy Spirit to live the new life in Christ. Amen. 

Let's keep in mind that the people who died were alive seconds before the earthquake and never knew it was coming. We are not guaranteed the next second. Let us watch, pray and introduce people to Christ the Lord and Savior..

 

Lord, I thank you for dying, sacrificing your life for me, and forgiving all my sins. I repent of the many ways I have not been faithful to you in the things that are most important to you. Please help me be a ready, faithful bride who loves you and the people whom you died for and rose again to redeem. Please continuously fill me with your Holy Spirit to live for your glory and never be ashamed of you. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Go, talk about Jesus Christ, your loving husband. Never be ashamed of Christ. Amen.

Ps. We will be a break and start the study of 2 Peter in March, 2023.