THE BRIDAL PARADIGM

One of the greatest foundational truths about God and His people is that Jesus Himself is the eternal Bridegroom and we, as the Bride of Christ, are the ones chosen by God to be His eternal partner. Understanding this gives us insight into how we were formed and our reason for existence. Before the creation of the world, the Father wanted His Son to have a Bride. All of history—from the fall of man to the cross of Christ and every instance of repeated sin and offered redemption—builds toward the great climactic event called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-8).

Jesus’ death on the cross served a dual purpose. It provided redemption for humanity while simultaneously providing a way for the Son to have a worthy Bride, a partner equal in every way. We are familiar with the Cross and how it buys us redemption, but we don’t always consider the fullness of why we were re- deemed. Why has God closed so wide a gap and walked out so baffling a mission? It was for the purpose of bringing mankind, the redeemed saved by grace, into the embrace of a Bridegroom King. We will never understand our longings—desires crying out night and day and refusing to be silenced—unless we first understand this truth about God as a passionate Bridegroom and begin to relate to Him from the standpoint of a cherished Bride. I often describe this perspective on life, this interpretation of who we are to God and who He is to us, as the “Bridal Para- digm.” It is a paradigm or perspective of a God who enjoys us and is filled with affection for us, embracing us even in the midst of our weakness and stumbling.

A paradigm is an example that serves as a pattern or model for thought. We are not always aware of the paradigms with which we view life; however, our paradigms color every experi- ence we have. What we think, how we speak, how we inter- pret the past and how we anticipate the future—all these things are affected by our paradigms. A visitor to Washington, DC, for example, looks at the Capitol Building with a very different paradigm than a powerful senator. Both have a right to be there, but one walks with much more confidence than the other. The senator understands he is expected to be there. Within the brief- ing rooms and the Senate Chamber he commands a measure of respect. Likewise, he knows who the senior members of the Sen- ate are and when to defer to them. The senator operates with an authority paradigm. The tourist who just stepped off the train, unfamiliar with the security precautions and many protocols of the Senate, walks tentatively. He is welcome in the Capitol Building, but the business of the country does not hinge on his contribution. Interestingly enough, the tourist notices things the senator has long ignored, like the ornately-carved ceilings or

vast tile floors. He operates with a visitor’s paradigm. The tourist and the senator will walk the same hallways, see the same sights, and meet many of the same people, but will have very different experiences because of their very different paradigms.

The Bridal Paradigm describes a specific perspective of the Kingdom of God. While it is not a term found in Scripture, it is a helpful phrase that conveys this distinct paradigm of God and so is essential to our spiritual journeys and pursuit of Him. This focus draws together specific biblical themes relating to the beauty of Jesus as the heavenly Bridegroom and the impartation of His beauty to His eternal Bride, the Church. The Bridal Para- digm changes the way we understand and absorb many Scrip- tures because it honors the larger body of truth in the Bible. It enables us to rejoice in the whole of Scripture. Written over thousands of years, by forty different authors (most of whom did not know one another), it is astounding how the Bible shows such unity in theme and purpose. Out of the vastness of Scrip- ture, the Holy Spirit will often draw us into a particular focus for a season. Such a focus functions as a smaller current within the great river of the Gospel of Christ.

The Bridal Paradigm of the Kingdom of God is one such fo- cus that has a glorious impact on our hearts (though, of course, the whole of Scripture is necessary). I have found it helpful to name this focus in order to more clearly identify the power of its elements. The real strength of this paradigm is seen in its unique combination of the truths captured in the whole package. The more you study, the more you will find hints of the Bridal Para- digm throughout the Word of God.

When you search the Scriptures, you find many different pictures of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is lik- ened to the fishing industry, as we are told to be fishers of men. Those who are evangelists live with a fishing paradigm. Wher- ever they go, they see people who need Jesus and “cast a net.” The metaphors of sowing, pruning, reaping and grafting lend themselves well to the Kingdom’s likeness to agriculture. West of Kansas City, the Great Plains area spreads a thousand miles

north to south. To the families who farm those fields, the ag- ricultural paradigm is very real. They understand well the na- ture and process of reaping and planting. The Kingdom is often referred to in a war paradigm, with Scripture passages about fighting, sacrifice, suffering and government. Any soldier can quickly offer you countless examples of how authority relates to the Kingdom of God.

All of these paradigms are genuine and worthy of study, but as we near the return of Jesus, I believe the spiritual paradigm God is emphasizing with the greatest urgency is the Bridal Para- digm. I often speak of the generation in which Jesus returns as the “Bridegroom generation” because in that generation many believers will interpret the Kingdom of God in this light. This view of God and of ourselves will equip our hearts with holy affection to endure the greatest trouble in all of human history, and will prepare us to stand in pure love and bright righteous- ness at Jesus’ return.

In His last public sermon before His crucifixion, Jesus de- clared, “the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain King who ar- ranged a marriage for His Son” (Matthew 22:2). Knowing what has now been revealed to us, we can imagine the gleam in Jesus’ eye, understanding that His Father was the “certain King” who was planning His own wedding. Scripture makes it clear that God possesses a hidden plan in His heart that will culminate in a wedding celebration at the end of natural history (Revelation 19:7-8). By the indescribable grace of God, this human Bride, the promised inheritance, cleansed and freed from sin, will be enthroned, embraced and adorned by Jesus Himself as she rules with Him (Revelation 3:21). This is the purpose for which we were created. From Genesis 1 on, the Bible makes this clear. Out of the burning heart of Jesus comes forth a river of longing for His people that will be satisfied in the fullness of history—and it is our story!

I firmly believe that the Bridal Paradigm of the Kingdom, given by Christ in His final earthly message, is the most pow- erful method used to transform the human heart. It is the last

paradigm Jesus emphasized at His First Coming and it will be the final one the Holy Spirit emphasizes to the Church world- wide before Jesus’ Second Coming. I realize that this is a bold statement, but I believe it is a scriptural one.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” (Revelation 22:17)

This passage records a cry that will arise from both the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Christ. They will join voices in one clarion call to Jesus. The Messiah will return to be enthroned on Earth as God’s human King—fully God, fully man. But what ushers this in? The joint call of the Spirit and the Bride. Although there will be unprecedented spiritual warfare at the end of the age, Scripture does not say, “The Spirit and the army.” Although we will function as a spiritual family, it is not “the Spirit and the family” crying out for Jesus to return. At the end of the age, He’s coming back in response to the Spirit-led cry of the Church in her primary identity as the Bride.

People obey God for a variety of reasons. Many are mo- tivated out of a fear of punishment. Like whipped dogs, they cower in the corner and watch for the twitch of the master’s hand. In their minds, God spends most of His time angry, and if they misstep, the fury of heaven will be unleashed upon them. Ironically, these people often serve as the volunteer base of the local church. They may be serving in the wrong area of ministry, but they stepped in to fill a hole out of fear that God would pun- ish them if they didn’t. Misery becomes a part of their identity in Christ. These people often make the right decisions for holi- ness but are empty, and sometimes even angry, while doing so. Unbelievers watch them and think, “Surely this is the worst of both worlds.” Other believers are motivated out of a sense of su- periority. Their obedience displays that they have, in fact, heard the voice of God and responded. In their minds, it’s important to be known among the brethren as ones who are radically obedi- ent, because it makes them feel better than the rest. Like those motivated by fear, these people also often make right decisions.

Unfortunately, they receive the majority of their reward before men in this age (Matthew 6:1-18). At the end of their days, they will have lived long, obedient lives that have been primarily mo- tivated by the fear of man.

Affection-based obedience is an entirely different thing. Af- fections are unique to human beings; there is nothing in the Scripture about angels having affections. They have joy and other emotions, but these are not affections. Only human be- ings have been given the dignity of possessing burning desire and affectionate love. God gave us this nobility so we might vol- untarily choose Him in love with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength. A life characterized by affection-based obedience is a life in which a person knows that he or she is so loved by God, and so loves God in return, that obedience is the only rea- sonable response to anything God wishes. For the sake of love, they give everything and find no sacrifice too great. This is what God intends for all of us. As we view ourselves and position our hearts in the spiritual identity of voluntary lovers, rather than timid or manipulated workers, something powerful begins to be awakened. This truly is who we are. And this is the Bridal Para- digm. God uses this mindset, this Bridal Paradigm, to motivate us to affection-based obedience and lovesick holiness.

Before the return of the Lord, the Church will have a fierce and determined spirituality based in affection for God. Passion for Jesus accompanied by extravagant obedience will be the norm among believers around the world. Two great trends will occur in the Church at the same time. One, the great falling away of the Church, will be countered by the other, the great ingather- ing of souls and maturing of the Church (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Revelation 7:9-14). Paul described a Church worldwide that will be spotless and blameless in character (Ephesians 5:26-32). This character will be both the product of the Holy Spirit’s work and the by-product of the unprecedented circumstances called the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). The Bridal Paradigm will be the most effective way to live in that time; this passionate view of God will empower us to stand fearlessly in our obedience.

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