CHAP. 5:22. 6.―THE HEAVENLY BRIDE AND THE HEAVENLY WARFARE.
BEFORE speaking of the conflict with the heavenly principalities and authorities into which the saints are brought in their responsibility of faithfulness to Christ, in His place of supremacy, as against the spiritual power of wickedness in the heavenlies, the apostle takes occasion by the relationships of nature, and his exhortations as to these, to develop fully the doctrine of the assembly as the bride of Christ.
As previously remarked, Paul learned, when Saul of Tarsus, the essential principle of Christ’s heavenly relationship to the assembly in those striking words, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” the first and last spoken from heaven by Jesus of Nazareth audibly to the ears of men on earth. Those poor trembling sufferers on earth whom Saul was haling to prison were one with that heavenly Man who was his Lord. This was the great substratum underlying all Paul’s teaching, though only here and there coming to the surface. Twice already in this epistle it has been introduced — at the end of chapter 1., where Christ in supremacy is head over all things to the assembly, which is His body; and again in chapter 4:16, where the body is seen to derive its nature and constitution from the Head, love and union by the Spirit, and divine-beauty being produced in power by the harmonious working of the members (see vers. 4-12). In the passage now before us (vers. 22-32), while referring again to these two aspects, the apostle in his exhortations to the wives and husbands brings out the third form of that union of Christ and the assembly, namely the union of association, as of a man united to his wife.
The relationship of obedience is first before his mind. For the wives, as for the assembly, submission is the prime essential, since the Head is in supremacy. And if joined to him, as the assembly is to Christ, it is nevertheless in subordination (ver. 24). But the union is one of mutual responsibilities, to be fulfilled on the husband’s part in love. In the case of Christ and the assembly, His love has been already absolutely shown in identifying Himself, by sacrifice, with us in all our sinful state, the judgment of which gave occasion to the expression in Him of all that was divinely fragrant and precious to God, as the answer morally in Man to all that He is in Himself. In love He delivered Himself up, but it was in order that He might sanctify the assembly, purifying it by the washing of water by the Word. The thought here is not the putting away of our sins, necessary as this was, but the procuring of that which was in perfect consonance with Himself. The type of this we have in Eve, formed out of a rib taken from Adam’s side while in a deep sleep, and brought to him, of whom he said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.”
Accordingly the thought, not now of subordination, but of derivation of nature and constitution from the man is here in view. So the assembly is purified by the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself glorious, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless, in perfect conformity with His own nature and character. This aspect of union to Christ is special to the body of which we are members (ver. 30), thus coming under His peculiar consideration and tender care (vers. 28, 29).
Another form of union, as a moral consequence of the preceding, is now introduced, namely, that of which the bride is the particular figure. The responsibility of the Man, in love and devotedness, is still the question; and the great fundamental principle of marriage, laid down at its original institution (Gen. 2:2525And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:25)), is here insisted on. The man shall leave his primal condition in order to be united to his wife. This is the union of association, not now of subordination or derivation, true as these are. How divinely this has been accomplished in Christ need not be said, emptying Himself of the form of God, yet ever God Himself, to be a servant in manhood for love to His Father, and to possess us in the association of love, as one with Himself! It is the great mystery of Christ and the assembly.
Love on His part and the obedience of loving fear on ours are the morally divine qualities that give present, as well as the eternal, realization of this unique relationship.
Obedience is the unchangeable and divine link with eternity in all the relationships of dependence, such as children and bondmen — obedience found now in a passing scene of time and nature, but continuing uninterruptedly till the new creation, when love, dependence, and obedience will alone abide. To these therefore, now the exhortations of the Spirit chiefly refer. Children in the flesh we are, or have been; and servants have masters now according to the flesh. By-and-by, when parents and masters exist no more, we shall still be children, but in relationship with God alone; and servants we shall remain, of Christ alone. But whether then or now, obedience abides as the one constant, enduring principle of good.
Having thus considered the Christian walk, both in connection with the unity of the Spirit as well as in the relationships of nature, together with the morally divine and heavenly qualities concerned in it, the apostle turns his thoughts finally towards the activities of spiritual evil and the machinations of him who in subtlety opposes the purposes and thoughts of God. His teaching as to this and the warfare involved assumes a heavenly character, as indeed all the doctrine of the apostle does.
Here it is not grace and gift (cf. 2 Tim. 1:6, 2:1), as in chap. 4., and every foe annihilated by another, but we are to’ be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. It is a warfare in which no grace can be shown, and no peace made with the enemy; and the panoply of God is needed to resist him. The struggle is in respect of his artifices, yet not with him as the serpent and his deceits, nor the adversary, Satan, and his practices (as the dragon he has not yet appeared). We have to meet him in the heavenly places and under the eye of God, as the accuser in whose person is centered all the activity of spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies, set in dignity as they are, and exercising authority. As zealous for righteousness, and exposing, as a heavenly luminary, the character of what comes under his cognizance, he seeks by artifice, bringing accusation against those who are before God on behalf of the interests of Christ in His saints, to discomfit and baffle them, occupying them with their own state necessarily, as failing men, instead of with the service and glory of Christ. In a word, his aim is to prove them fit only for the confessional, but inefficient for the fight. Therefore the need for the panoply of God, for it is an evil day. Till its close, we are responsible for the glory of Christ, and are placed at the source of all power in God to maintain it.
But on our part, as warriors on the side of the divine and heavenly Man, we must be invulnerable to the enemy’s attacks. No chance of alleging inconsistency with our heavenly character must be given. The loins must be girt about with truth — all our motives and purposes kept within the compass of what suits an ascended Christ if not, our state of soul would falsify our prayers for His glory in the saints. How quick to note it would the accuser be; and quick the answer of the throne! Confession, then, and not conflict, would become us.
The breastplate of righteousness must also be put on. This is the practical answer in walk to our place in Christ; for if this were lacking, the enemy would surely bring a charge to our discomfiture. Not less so if our feet were not shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. For how could we consistently be engaged in the concerns of Christ if not perfectly at peace as to all that concerns ourselves, and in our ways with others?
Moreover, as necessary to give effect to all the rest, there is the shield of faith — that perfect confidence in God in regard to His counsels for the glory of Christ and His saints. Without this, how could the Christian warrior stand unmoved amidst all the havoc wrought by satanic mischief in the assembly? The saint knows God’s purposes cannot fail; and however thick and fast the inflamed darts of the wicked one may fall, and great apparently his success, the certainty of Christ’s triumph already known to faith nullifies the foe’s attack, quenches his darts, and enables the heart to rest confidently in God, and continue in unceasing intercession for His saints. For himself the helmet of salvation roves all fear; and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word applied to govern his heart and ways, protects him, while it discovers and defeats the wicked one. The Word of God being the revelation of grace in Christ, detects the artifices of the enemy in his pretentious zeal for righteousness, as an angel of light. It is, moreover, a guard to us in leading the obedient heart by a divine path wherein the wicked one toucheth us not.
Thus equipped and armed, the warfare is waged in praying at all seasons with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. For if in answer to our prayers God intervene, the saints prevail; but if the devil’s accusations are made good, then he prevails. And as Christ’s glory is linked with all His saints, supplication must be made for all with perseverance, and watchfulness so as to apprehend their needs. Moreover in our prayers the preaching servant, as Paul was, must have a special place, that utterance with boldness in the mystery of the gospel may be given him, for Christ’s interests are bound up with the affairs and state of such.
But no conflict can disturb or touch our relations with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom there is ever the uninterrupted outflow of peace to the brethren, and love with faith — a grace which is with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
Secure in all things Godward, protected in all points against the devil — the spiritual power of wickedness in the heavenlies — the brethren can withstand in the evil day, bearing onward in prayer for all saints the glory of Christ until the end. W. T. W.