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THE INSEPARABLE DUO!!!
Crack! Crack! Crack! The whiplashes on the bared back of innocent ”Majnu” in the Laila-Majnu Movie made me move
uneasily in the Cine theatre seat (I was all of 10 years then in 1976). The background musical effect of
that musical maestro Madan Mohan (who died before completing the film whereby the baton was carried forward by
Jaidev, seamlessly) added a ring of agony to that tragic melodrama being played out on the Big Screen.
Lo and behold...something unbelievable was unfolding in front of the movie audience!!! When Majnu was getting
whipped, the scars of whipping were appearing on his sweetheart Laila’s back also (who wasn’t far away from the
whipping scene), leaving an Arabic King who had ordered whipping of Majnu dumbfounded at the intensity of
passionate love between these two legendary lovers’. I would stop here. I am rewinding in using this “Bollywood”
related illustration merely for the sake of making a point about “union of hearts” between two lovers’.
By the way, I bade goodbye for good to the World of movies in October 1983 after accepting Christ as my Saviour.
He has given me all the “joy”
(John 15:11/
John 16:24)
since, which no entertaining media can give. Proof of the pudding
is in the eating thereof!!!
Coming to the ”made for each other” relationships in the spiritual realm, one doesn’t have to look beyond
“God-Israel” consanguinity of OT Dispensation “Christ-Church” Covenantal relationship of Grace Age to understand
the subject better. Didn’t the Heavenly Father say to the persecuted Jews “for he who touches you touches the
apple of my eye”
(Zech 2:9)
and didn’t Christ confront Saul the persecutor of the Early Church with these words “Saul,
Saul why are you persecuting me”
(Acts 9:6)?
In this message by dwelling on the inseparability of Christ and His
Church, I would like to bring forth the deep similarities between the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride
(the Church comprising of His blood-bought Christians’).
Creation...
If the virgin birth of Christ was a miracle wrought purely by the power of God
(Luke 1:35),
then the spiritual birth of a Christian too on receiving Christ as his personal Saviour is a singular act of the Almighty with
no human plan or passion involved. Let the Scripture take over at this stage...
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of
blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”-
John 1:12-13
In fact, John goes onto record in his first epistle that in every saved individual who has received this new life from the
El-Shaddai God there is a “Seed” (in Greek “Sperma” the root word for the English word “Sperm”) of God present, giving the person
concerned at once the Holy Character of the Omnipotent One
(1 John 3:9).
Yet another similarity, we need to focus on at this stage is the means the Heavenly Father used.
If He sent the Holy Spirit upon Mary to bring about a miraculous conception, then on the Day of Pentecost the
Heavenly Father sent the same Holy Spirit upon the Apostles to bring about the Birth of a Church ...with the laity
numbering up to about 3000
(Acts 2).
If Virgin Mary was the means to bring about the birth of the Bridegroom, the Apostles were the God-ordained
instrument to bring about the birth of the Bride.
On the Birth of the Church on the Pentecostal Day, doesn’t the Infallible Scripture speak of how genuine
repentance preceded the Salvation experience of the 3000? It says “Cut to the heart” (read thoroughly convicted of
their sins) on hearing the Gospel, in contrite spirit they accepted Christ
(Acts 2:37).
Has not the new-birth experience of every Christian in the last 2000 years borne the same pattern?
Progression...
If Jesus grew in stature and wisdom in the eyes of man and God by humbly obeying His earthly parents
(Luke 2:51-52),
the Early Christians (who I reiterate are a role-model for all the Christians who followed thence) too grew
spiritually by listening to their “spiritual earthly parents” (read Apostles-
Acts 2:42)
besides giving themselves to prayers and fellowshipping. Hey, in matters of spiritual growth it pays a new
Christian well to carefully follow the advice cum the example of his “spiritual parent” who preached the
Gospel to him whilst winning him over to Christ
(1 Cor 4:15-16)!!!
Mind you, “New converts of the Pentecostal day” of the Early Church did not stand beside the Apostles to
preach nor were they used in the Ministry within 24 hours of receiving “new life” from God!!! If New birth is
a great spiritual experience, the one of being ushered into Ministry with due passage of time (No leadership
positions please for new Christians commands Apostle Paul-
1 Tim 3:6)
would equally be a memorable one.
Subjugation/Qualification...
Matt 4:1-11
Acts 10:38
Jesus Earthly life can be divided into three parts ...Preparation (at Nazareth), Proclamation (Ministry largely in
the Northern Galilee beginning after the arrest of John the Baptist-
Matt 4:12-17)
and Passion (in Southern Jerusalem). If Proclamation phase involving mighty anointing
(Luke 4:14/
Acts 10:38)
was preceded by His triumph over temptations of the craving flesh
(Matt 4:1-4),
lust of the eyes
(Matt 4:8-10)
and the Pride of life
(Matt 4:5-7),
in a Christian’s life too after he subjugates these temptations
(1 John 2:14-16)
comes the needed anointing which is a qualification for any of the five Ministries
(Apostolic, Evangelical, Prophetical, Pastoral or that of teaching-
Eph 4:11-15)
Christ would use Him in, for enhancing the boundaries of His Kingdom and for building up the Church to a
state of full maturity. Apostle Paul sums up the subject on how subjugation of temptations precedes anointing
for Ministry aptly in
2 Tim 2:21...
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use,
set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”
It is pertinent to note that the Greek word used for “being set apart as Holy” is hagiazó
which means consecrated or anointed.
Virtually by subjugating the temptations, a Christian has proved his trustworthiness to be entrusted now with
greater responsibilities.
Doubtless, when Peter wrote his epistle to some of 3000 who received the Lord (in Pontus, Cappadocia-the very
places from which they had comeon the Da y of Pentecost-
1 Peter 1:1),
they having stood firm in the midst of
fiery trials
(1 Peter 1:7-8)
had already been “anointed” in the intervening period for Peter exhorts them in the matter of matter of Gifts
(1 Peter 4:10-11)
and Pastoral Ministry
(1 Peter 5:1-4).
Be it as it may what every Christian has to do at all times whether he is a clergy or laity is be a good
witness for the Lord through his life and lip.
Of course, I hasten to add here that anointing also doesn’t make a Christian completely Christ-like, though
it’s a great experience in itself. There would still be rough edges which can be smoothened only with consistent
Cross-bearing over a period of time
(Romans 5:3-4/
James 1:2-4).
While, I have lain before my readership, the general pattern of spiritual occurrences’ in a Christian’s life
using my life as an example, the Holy Spirit who is like wind (does wind follow one set pattern? -
John 3:8)
cannot be dictated to, to conform to a set pattern in the matter of His manifestations (visible or invisible)
at the beginning or at later stages in a Christian’s life.
All said and done, what ought to matter most to all Christians is like it was in their Bridegroom’s heart,
is their persistent joy of the Holy Spirit in their hearts too
(Luke 10:21/
1 Peter 1:8/
Acts 9:31-TLB)!!!
Persecution...
Now coming back to the broader subject of similarities between the inseparable Bridegroom and Bride, if the Bridegroom was subjected to the
persecution of mainly rejection (at the Proclamation stage of His life-
Mark 6:1-12/
John 5:43),
then His wife who He has “called out of the World” is bound to undergo the same painful treatment
(John 15:19/
1 Peter 4:4).
Crucifixion...
If subjugating the cravings of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life was step one in the life of the Son (in the early part of His life)
in the matter of enduring sufferings for Father’s Glory and experiencing painful rejection was step two in the said process, then submitting
Himself to the excruciating ordeal (mental, emotional, spiritual and physical) of the Cross was the Final Frontier
(allowing Himself who is the Truth to be a victim of lies and injustice) which the Son had to Cross, before He would be conferred the
honor of being the Saviour of this World and its Ruler
(Heb 2:10/
Phillippians 2:5-11/
Rev 3:21).
A Christian in his life too, goes these three stages...conquering the first two stages of overcoming temptations and enduring rejection may be
comparatively easy but to be crucified with Christ (being a silent victim of injustice and lies to which he is called-
1 Peter 2:21-23)
takes some doing. Barring total reliance on the energizing, joyous presence of the Holy Spirit, it wouldn’t be possible
(1 Peter 1:7-8).
The Saviour too through the Eternal Spirit alone could accomplish the task that was set before Him
(Heb 9:14).
When Apostle Paul says in
Galatians 2:20
that “he has been crucified with Christ that he is no longer alive and that Christ lives in Him”,
the pertinent question to be addressed here is “which Christ” is indwelling him? Christ who triumphed over the temptations of the Wilderness or the Christ who
took painful rejection in His stride or the One who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself on the Cross? The key to unlocking the answer
lies in the key, operative words “crucified with Christ”. It is that Christ who endured the Cross through the Eternal Spirit who was living
in Paul now, strengthening him from inside to “fight the good fight till the very end”
(2 Tim 4:8).
Cheer up Christian, when it comes to the crunch, the Saviour would strengthen you from within to be the Overcomer like Him.
He supplies the strength even as while you supply your will.
Transformation...
It is these trials and tribulations which eventually shape the bride to be as beautiful as the Bridegroom.
Let the Scripture take over at this stage...
“...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,”
Romans 5:3-4
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, or you know that the testing of your faith
produces steadfastness.4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing”-
James 1:2-4
Not willing to bear the Cross is a serious sin for it would mean not co-operating with the Holy Spirit in the
“moulding” process
(2 Peter 1:5-9).
Hmmm...No pain, no gain!!!
Resurrection...
Boy...the similarities continue...if Jesus rose from the dead, we would also one day rise from the dead (
1 Cor 15:20/
I Thess 4:16)
with His Resurrection (described by Apostle Paul as “First Fruits”) portending the Resurrection of countless Christians’ in future.
Ascension...
If Jesus ascended after He was resurrected
(Acts 1:9),
in our spiritual journey too ascension would follow resurrection at the Rapture
(I Thess 4:16-17)!!!
Adminstration...
If the resurrected, ascended Bridegroom would one day soon come down to the World at His Second Coming and rule
both the men of the World and the angels of the spiritual realm, then oh Boy the risen and the ascended
Bride too would come along with the Bridegroom and rule the not only the World but also the angels alongside Him
(Rev 3:21/
Rev 20:4/
1 Cor 6:3).
Mind-boggling indeed are the similarities between the Bridegroom and His Bride in many areas’ of the spiritual
realm. Never more so than in the matter of receiving Crowns after enduring the Cross!!! So take heart
Christians...remember the Pauline declaration
“And if we think that our present service for him is hard, just remember that some day we are going to sit with him and rule with him.”-
2 Tim 2:12a
Yours in His service,
Suresh Manoharan
An Unworthy Servant
Ps… All those whose heart the Lord is touching say this Prayer right where you are…”Father, I confess I am a Sinner.
Cloth me with Your Priceless Robes of Righteousness which Your Son Jesus Christ has purchased for me in the Cross.
Fill my heart with the joy of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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