How Does the Bride Work?

The bride’s work and development go hand in hand, just as the harlot’s do. She develops as she works, and works as she develops. Earlier, when we saw how the harlot works, we also saw indirectly how the bride works. Just as we have seen that adultery is the work of the harlot, so faithfulness is the work of the bride.

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simple faithfulness that is in Christ.” 2 Cor. 11:3. This Scripture passage makes it clear that faithfulness is the same as obedience, and we should fear lest we depart from that simple faithfulness, or obedience, that makes no excuses. This relationship of obedience is something that the harlot can never attain with her many men. All she wants to do is enjoy herself and receive gifts and have advantages. Paul’s mission was not only to bring about faith, but the obedience of faith among the Gentiles. Rom. 1:5. The Romans had become obedient to such an extent that it had become known to all. Rom. 16:19.

Instead of sharing her affections with several and making a mixture of things, the work of the bride is to separate, cleanse, forsake everything, and be faithful to the One who has chosen her. She also has the golden cup, God’s Word. But consider the wine, the old, clarified wine that is in the cup—the spirit that accompanies the Word: “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God . . . . Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:4-9.

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? . . . Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? . . . Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’” 2 Cor. 6:14-18.

“Full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Heb. 9:14.

“So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 5:21.

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 2:1.

Having drunk wine like that, it is not fitting to say, “Surely this isn’t sin, is it? Aren’t we allowed to do anything? Is it really necessary to be so fussy?” No, it is more appropriate to say, “Is there more from which I can be cleansed? Give me more light! Let me know your will, O Jesus!” This is how the bride works.

It is significant that the work of the bride is to make disciples of all nations and to teach them to observe all that Jesus has commanded. Matt. 28:18-20. The work of getting people to become disciples is extremely difficult. This is where we come to the “eye of the needle.” It is a difficult enough work to lead people to the forgiveness of sins, but most people who have received forgiveness are still a long way from becoming disciples. In fact, most of them never do become disciples. Listen to what Jesus says: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26. “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Verse 33.

Here we can see that being a disciple of Jesus is the same as dying. It means to forsake your family, all your possessions, and even your own life. Jesus died for us so we could have our sins forgiven, but we have to die with Him to be His disciples. Therefore Jesus says that we should make disciples, baptizing them, and baptism is a burial. “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Rom. 6:3-4.

Unfortunately, there are not many who know this. When they get baptized, they make a big show of it and call it “going all the way with Jesus.” However, when they come up out of the water, they live the same life as they did before. No, baptism is not “going all the way with Jesus.” It means death to myself and all that is mine; it is the strait gate, the signing of a contract of apprenticeship, and afterwards comes the way: “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” (Emphasis added.) This is the narrow way.

The first world perished by water, but the present world is reserved for fire. 2 Pet. 3:6-7. “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Pet. 3:21.

The first world is the world I lived in according to the leading of the first man—the flesh. It is the visible things, the things of this earth. Baptism is a symbol, a covenant confirming the fact that the first man and his world are dead and buried. “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Col. 2:11-12.

This is what happens in baptism when we immerse a person in the water. Then he enters into the death of a disciple. But now the question is how will it go with him when he is raised up from the water. We might be tempted to think that it would be best to keep him under the water, for then we would be safe from him. However, Paul says that we raise him up again by faith in the power of God who raised up Jesus from the dead. Therefore Paul continues and exhorts the Colossians: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Col. 3:1-2.

We see from the above that there is no wine of adultery in this golden cup—the heart is not divided. Yet there is something significant about the way the harlot baptizes. She sprinkles three handfuls of water on the baby’s forehead. This is a true illustration of the fact that she gives up no more of the world and of her own life than this amount of water covers the body.

But then you may ask: “Don’t you feel anything of the old life after you have been baptized, or buried?” It is evident that many who have been baptized continue to live the old life. However, we must remember that baptism is a covenant with your conscience, and that not everyone who makes a covenant keeps it. We need to remember that the first world perished by water, whereas the present world is reserved for fire. This also applies to us. “Our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed.” Our old man, which is our will to sin and to do everything we know to be sin, was crucified, or buried. But when we come up out of the water, we bring with us our body of sin—unconscious sin—the desires and passions in the flesh. This is where the fire is meant to do its work. Peter says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38; 19:5-6.

In these verses we see that when they were baptized, they were sealed with the Holy Spirit. The offering was laid on the altar by baptism (indicating the death of the disciple), and God could now answer with fire. “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Luke 12:49. And John the Baptist says, “He who is coming after me . . . will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matt. 3:11. The fire is to destroy the body of sin. There are many who have been baptized and have received the Holy Spirit; but when the fire begins to do its work, they draw back and are not faithful to keep their covenant, so the Spirit leaves them. That is why many of those who were baptized with the Spirit are now wandering around forsaken by the Spirit and living according to their lusts.

The bride has an immense work to lead people to the obedience of the faith, for when she has made a disciple, she must also teach him to obey everything Jesus has commanded.

Paul writes about this to the Colossians in Chapter 3:3: “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” We have died; that is the covenant. We hate our own life, and death is contained in this hate. But has it become reality yet? No, it becomes reality gradually as we continue to live. Paul explains it further in verse 5: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” For this we need the Holy Spirit and fire. Therefore the promise was that they should receive the Holy Spirit after they had been baptized.

This is the way Jesus went before us. Walking on a way to get to the goal is the opposite of conjuring yourself to the goal. You cannot be Jesus’ friend unless you do what He commands. You cannot say that you are in Him unless you walk as He walked. You will not be cleansed from your sin unless you walk in the light. You are not a child of God unless you are led by the Spirit. You are not of the bride unless you follow the Lamb wherever He goes. You will not receive a bridal garment unless your deeds are holy and righteous. You will not inherit together with Jesus unless you suffer with Him. You will not live with Him unless you have died with Him. Etc.

Just as the harlot has three words for her sorcery—faith, grace, and the blood—so the bride uses these three words, not to bewitch people but to help them go the way. She does not use “faith” instead of obedience—as something imaginary. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen . . . . By faith we understand.” Heb. 11:1-3. Then we read further how these heroes were obedient by faith and went the way, thus obtaining the promises.

The harlot wants to be justified without works, just like Abraham. Rom. 4:3. But she does not want to offer up her Isaac as Abraham did, so she can be justified by works as he was. James 2:21. The faith of the bride, in contrast to that of the harlot, is active through her works, and her faith is made perfect by her works. Verse 22. “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” Verse 20.

In other words, faith is the hand by which we receive from God everything we need for life and godliness. By faith the Scriptures become living for me. By faith I understand. By faith I receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, power from on high, and by faith I lay down my life. Heb. 10:38-39.

Faith does not put you in an easy chair with your hands in your lap and let you imagine that you are and have everything the Scriptures speak about. Faith makes you active. Here are a few examples of how faith is made perfect by works: by faith Noah built the ark; by faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; by faith he kept the Passover; by faith Peter cast the net out on the right side of the boat; by faith Luther burned the papal bull. All the works of the saints were done by faith; this is precisely why they shine so brightly down through the centuries. By faith we put to death our members that are on the earth, put off sin, and put on the new man; and if you don’t do this, you do not believe. Those who do not overcome sin are unbelieving, no matter how much they speak about faith.

Grace is not meant to replace a God-fearing life or cover up ungodliness—grace is help. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 4:16. Jesus came “full of grace and truth.” “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14 and 17. We see from this that grace is not meant to cover up anything, because grace and truth belong together. The law—what is required of man—came by Moses, but he could not help the people with the burden the law placed on them. Jesus came with help. He said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.” That is why Paul said, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Rom. 6:14. If we were still under the law, then, of course, sin would continue to reign, because all we would have would be our own strength. But we are now under grace—help in Jesus—so sin need not have dominion over us. Therefore those who commit sin are not under grace, because if they had received help from Jesus, they would not have sinned. They are, in fact, under the law. The harlot’s sorcery of substituting grace for a victorious life does not help them at all.

“Yes,” you say, “but doesn’t grace cover our old life?” You have to realize that your old life needs to be confessed—it has to be brought into the light; and then the blood, by faith, will cleanse you from all unrighteousness. This is what grace really is; it is help. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand . . . .” Rom. 5:1-2. None of us have deserved this; it is grace (help) which Jesus brought in its fullness.

“But,” you say, “if we are so victorious and become so God-fearing, won’t this make the blood superfluous?” Just listen for a moment! When we talk about victory, it is obvious that you cannot have victory over the things that you do not have light over. Your conscience does not condemn you for anything you are not aware of, does it? But don’t you believe that in spite of this, God still sees some ugly things in you? “The heavens are not pure in His sight.” Job 15:15. And Paul says, “For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.” 1 Cor. 4:4. We must go from light to light. It is precisely because we are under grace that the sin which we are unaware of does not condemn us. Nevertheless, grace is followed by truth; therefore it is grace that the truth is revealed to us little by little. This is where we need the blood of Jesus for cleansing. As I walk in the light, the blood cleanses.

This is illustrated in the old covenant. “For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” Rom. 5:13. “For where there is no law there is no transgression.” Rom. 4:15. “But when the commandment came, sin revived . . . .” Rom. 7:9. Israel knew nothing of sin before the law came. Sin was definitely present, but it was not imputed to them. But when they received light—when the commandment came—they saw that they had lived in sin and needed cleansing. “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people.” Heb. 9:19. As long as this process of sanctification is not complete in us—as long as the disciple is not like his Master, Jesus—we need to go from light to light and gradually be cleansed in Jesus’ blood. This will continue throughout our whole sojourn here on earth.

Yet the harlot does not want to hear about victory; she just pleads grace and the blood. She wants to continue to lie, backbite, and be bad-tempered; then the blood is supposed to cleanse her. Then when she becomes bad-tempered, lies, and backbites again, the blood is supposed to cleanse her anew. This is witchcraft! This is not according to the laws of the Spirit in Christ Jesus. John wrote to them that they might not sin. But if anything that bad should happen, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 2:1-2. In other words, we must walk in the fear of God.

This is how the bride labors and strives mightily, exhorting every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that she may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Col. 1:28-29. This is why we see certain words recurring again and again in the Scriptures, such as work, exercise, strive, labor, give all diligence, and flee. Phil. 2:12; 1 Tim. 6:11 and 4:7; 2 Pet. 1:4-10 and 3:11. These words are a great offense to the harlot. They are totally contrary to all her sorcery, which is why she calls them bondage.

“You don’t think you are going to help God with your salvation?” she cries. She claims that, as if by magic, we are suddenly made perfect in Christ. We become the bride, king, and priest, and then we can sing:

Just as I am, my Savior dear,
Me in His arms to heaven will bear.
An entrance is mine, His bride I shall be.
I’ve nothing to do, He did all for me;
To heaven I sail, amen, yea, amen,
Just as I am, just as I am.”

Can you not hear that these words are the exact opposite of the sound teaching of Paul? 2 Tim. 1:13. They have turned to fables. 2 Tim. 4:3-5. This is not surprising, because they want to make a business out of it all.