VCL_34_Free_Part_4a
D. MARRIED TO CHRIST
Nabal is dead. He is no longer our master; the marriage bond has been broken. We have our new David-Christ husband-nature and are free. For what? Listen to these words from Paul’s pen:
“Your old sin-nature died with the body of Christ on the cross and you are free from the law. This happened that you might be married to Another. I am speaking of Christ who was raised from the dead – that we might bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom 7:4 smf).
Married to another. Who is Paul talking about? Jesus! You have been freed from Nabal that you might be married to the Lord. You are a true spiritual Abigail – the Bride of Christ!
We have not been set free to live on our own as we might wish. We have been set free to live with another and respond to His great love for us.
Because of that love, we can trust Him completely and seek to please Him in every way. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” the Apostle John adds, “…and it is not a grievous and difficult duty” (John 14:15; 1 Jn 5:3 smf).
Seeking to please the Lord in all things means we will happily obey Him.
Because He is the Head and Husband of His Church – we will want to submit to His covering and authority.
Paul deals with this relationship in his Letter to the Ephesians: “Wives, submit yourself to your husband’s leadership in the same way you submit to the Lord. For the husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his Bride, the Church. He gave his very life to be her Savior.
“As the Church obeys Christ, so should a wife submit to her husband. Husbands, however, must love their wives as Christ loved the Church – his Bride – and gave up his life for her” (Eph 5:22-25 smf).
We clearly see that we have been set free that we might love and serve Christ and one another. Christ is the perfect husband, and it is our glorious privilege to be His bride. We should seek to serve and please Him in all that we say and do.
Paul goes on to describe what this means to him personally in his Letter to the church at Corinth:
“I am free in every way from the control of anyone. However, I have made myself a servant to every one that I might win them to Christ” (1 Cor 9:19 smf).
Paul was free from all to be a servant of Christ to all. He wanted no earthly relationships which might keep him from Christian service to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Paul’s great desire was not to please himself or even others, but the Lord alone.
This is Paul’s anxious and deep concern for us as well. He states it strongly and with great feeling when writing to the Corinthian church:
“I have a great concern for you with a divine jealousy. I have promised to give you to Christ alone. He must be your only husband. I want to give you to him as a pure and holy bride” (2 Cor 11:2 smf).
2. Wedding Vows Renewed
Dear Reader, this too is my concern for you. I have sought in this study to show you how you have been released from your Nabal-nature to be married to Another. As Abigail became David’s bride, so you are the Bride of Christ. As your divine Husband. He is forever yours, and you are forever His! As Abigail of old, may you ever seek to be a loving and loyal servant in the Kingdom of your Lord.
I feel this would be a right and proper time for us to renew our wedding vows to our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can follow the pattern which is found in Romans 6:11:
“I reckon [declare as so] myself to be truly dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ my Lord.
We will repeat these vows phrase by phrase as outlined below. Please picture yourself as looking right into the eyes of Jesus and speaking to Him from the depths of your heart:.
I (your name), reckon and declare myself…
To be dead unto sin…
But alive unto God…
Through Jesus Christ my Lord…
Who is my heavenly Husband…
Now and forever. Amen!
No wonder the Scriptures say there is great rejoicing in Heaven among the holy angels when one sinner repents (Luke 15:10). Another member has been added to the Bride of Christ! It is a time of joyful celebration, as it was when Abigail was married to David.
We too have found our David in Christ Jesus. One day our joy will be complete as we sit together at the “marriage supper of the Lamb.”
And the Scriptures promise us – with divine assurance – that we will all live together, happily ever after!
Always remember – and never forget:
YOU ARE MARRIED TO CHRIST FOREVER