1 Behold, what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as
he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1
John 3:1-3)
I consider the word, BELOVED, to be the most beautiful in the
entire Bible. In its use in 1 John 3, it is the Greek word, ἀγαπάω, meaning ‘inordinate’
love which supersedes brotherly love. BELOVED appears in the King James
Bible 113 times.
Last week I conducted a wedding ceremony for two people who are
dear to my heart, and I did so before a congregation who, likewise, are dear to
my heart. In the traditional Church of England Book of Common Prayer, The
Form of Solemnization of Matrimony, opens with these lines:
DEARLY beloved, we are
gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to
join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable
estate, instituted of God, signifying unto us the mystical union that is
betwixt Christ and his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified
with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is
commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men . . . .
In this context, the term BELOVED is a rare singular/plural in the
English language. It most often is a plural form referring to many people in
the New Testament. I mention this in connection with the Wedding Service to
illustrate a great truth and principle of biblical faith. The Beloved Bride of
Christ is comprised of thousands and millions of saints both in the Church
Militant and the Church Triumphant. But all combine to form One Entity – the
Bride of Christ! Each member of Christ’s Church is Beloved, and all in total
are Beloved.
Our
leading text from 1 John 3 was written by none other than the beloved Apostle
John.“Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus
loved. (John 13:23) Quite naturally,
the Apostle who mentions love more than any other is John. He was the Apostle
of tender years whose heart was not exposed as often to the immorality and
wickedness of the world as was others. Love begets love as surely as rain
begets plant life. It is the mark that distinguishes the people of God from all
other faiths: 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love
is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth
not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was
manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to
be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if
God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (1 John 4:7-11)
Let
us get back to the words of the Wedding Ceremony: DEARLY BELOVED. This opening
term applies to all who are gathered together in the Name of God to witness a
Holy Event – the Wedding of a Man and a Woman who have agreed to the Wedding under
the terms of a Holy Oath and Pledge. In the Church Service the two parties
agree to receive each other in the bond of love “till death us do part.”
The man repeats this vow and pledge: “I, John Doe, take thee, Jane Doe, to have
and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, in sickness and in
health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s Holy
ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth. (I pledge my faithful oath)” The
woman repeats the same pledge. This is no ordinary oath or vow. It is a Holy
Vow made publicly in the presence of Godly witnesses – not to be revoked for it
is self-perpetuating in its tenure forever.
To
be beloved by our spouse in marriage is a satisfaction of ultimate proportion.
It gives comfort and trust to each party that there is none other under the
heavens that can take their place. The institution of Marriage was the first
that God instituted in old Eden. It was not an experiment, or a sojourn in a
different order of life, but for as long as life continues. Why did God
institute marriage to be between a man and a woman? Because it satisfied his
Holy purpose in propagating the human race throughout the far reaches of the
world. Such a purpose was expressed in God’s first commandment to mankind:
So
God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
MALE and FEMALE created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Gen 1:27-28) This reveals the grievous sin of homosexual marriage and abortion
– both are Satan’s weapons to stop the Creation Model of God and reduce mankind
to absolute zero.
There
is another related purpose of God in Marriage as a Model for the Kingdom of
Heaven. It represents that same relationship between Christ and His Bride (the
Church) as between a committed man and woman in marriage.
It
may seem a bit strange Paul, in Ephesians, does not mention a woman should love
her husband but rather the husband should love the wife. 21 Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and
he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as
the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to
their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love
your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for
it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might
present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men
to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth
himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh;
but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are
members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause
shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and
they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great
mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Eph
5:21-32)
Why is this the case?
I
believe it follows in the direct line of how the Model of Marriage typifies the
relationship between Christ and His Church. If the husband dearly loves,
appreciates, and respects his wife, the woman, being of a more tender
disposition, cannot help but return that love – just as the Church echoes the
love of Christ. Did the Church randomly fall in love with Christ? No, the
Church was loved by Christ first, who gave His life in its purchase; otherwise,
we could not have loved the King of Love. I bring the words to the bar of the
Apostle of Love, John: We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19) The love of God for each of His children, and we are all children
in His eyes, exceeds anything our imaginations can conjure up. The Church has
fallen down in keeping her vows to Christ. Remember the first oath in Holy
Matrimony to which both parties respond, “I will?” Read the words of that
pledge: “Wilt thou, John, have this Woman, Jane, to thy wedded wife, to live
together after God’s ordinance in the Holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love
her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness, and in health; FORSAKING
ALL OTHERS, KEEP THEE ONLY UNTO HER, SO LONG AS YOU BOTH SHALL LIVE?” Has the
modern church done this? How about some American Episcopal Churches that have
included prayers to Allah in their services, or entertain the prayers of
witches and witch doctors? How about those churches that have given
respectability to the dirge of homosexual marriage? Have we forsaken all others
but Christ when we commit such abominable sins? The marriage of the Church to
Christ is a special union. We were chosen by Christ, but our wedding was also
an arranged one by the Father.
4 According as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according
to the good pleasure of his will, (Eph
1:4-5)
Is
it not a blessing of untold beauty to be chosen and adopted as the Bride of
Christ? Even in our waning moments of this life, He loves us and holds us
tightly to His loving breast. As the shadows lengthen and the candle dims, we
know He is at bedside holding our hand – not to bury a dead body, but to bear a
living soul to Paradise and His home beyond the clouds. Will He not speak words
of comfort and joy as we arise from the couch of our earthly expiration? 10 My beloved
spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For, lo, the
winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers
appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and
the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; 13 The fig tree
putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape
give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song 2:10-13)
