The Bride or the Whore?

From Isaac Ambrose in his book, Looking Unto Jesus:

“Just so much as the world prevails in us, so much is God’s love abated both in us and towards us. ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses,’ saith St. James, ‘know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?’ When we have [had] enough of God and Christ, and yet desire to make up our happiness in the creature [the things of fallen humanity, the things of this age which is passing away], this is plain spiritual whoredom.

“We must look off [away from] the world in respect of its honours. What is this desire to be well thought of, or well spoken of? As if a man should run up and down after a feather flying in the air. It is a question whether ever he get it; but if he do, it is but a feather: such is honour, it is hard to obtain it, but, if obtained, it is but the breath of a few men’s mouths but what is worst of all, it hinders our sight of Christ.”

The language and syntax may be archaic, but the truth of what Isaac Ambrose writes remains with us today. Jesus teaches us that we cannot serve two masters, and that if our eye is single that our entire body [being] will be full of light. Paul teaches that we are to fix our minds on that which is above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.

(I think the idea that God’s love towards us is “abated” is perhaps problematic. Is the shepherd’s love for the lost sheep abated? Does the shepherd not leave the ninety-nine sheep and go after the one lost sheep? As for whether God’s love “in us” is also abated, as Ambrose writes above, I’m not certain what he means by “in us”. If Ambrose means God’s love expressed in us and through us towards Him in worship and obedience, and through us to others, then he is right – the spirit of this age cannot worship Him nor can it truly love others).

Over the past year I’ve been downsizing; included in the downsizing are awards and mementos of recognition I received during my business career in the form of plaques and framed documents. I also had some issues of a publication that had articles I’d written, a speech I’d made, and photos of yours truly. While they meant a lot to me at the time, and while I hope I used my career as a platform to witness for Jesus and to help others – the fact is that that season of life has passed and were all of these things to be found in an attic by someone decades from now they would mean nothing. I’ve saved a future someone the trouble of disposing of these items by placing them in the trash can. Do not misunderstand, I am thankful for God’s blessing on my career, and I am thankful that I had positions where I could help people – but the platform I had was given to me by our Lord Jesus for His glory, not mine – and the lasting elements of my career will only be known in eternity, they will not be found in publications, on plaques, or written on framed certificates.

Perhaps Ambrose offends our religious sensibilities when he points out that when we look for fulfillment and meaning and satisfaction beyond our Lord Jesus; that when we say, “I’ve had quite enough of Jesus for the moment, let me put Jesus on hold and seek additional sources of fulfillment,” that we engage in “plain spiritual whoredom.” Should Isaac Ambrose offend us, how would we react to what God says through Ezekiel (Ez. Chapter 23)?

Jesus says, concerning His followers, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16). “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

Is Jesus enough? Is He truly our Bread from heaven? Are we looking for more than Jesus when we gather on Sundays? Have we imported the world into our churches? Are we seeking the honor and approbation of the world? Am I? Are you?

In eternity we shall see the face of Jesus Christ, we will be in His Presence, and we will know the glory of the Trinity in such a fashion as is beyond our comprehension. Isaiah had a glimpse and taste of this glory when he saw, “…the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple,” (Isaiah 6:1).

In the Day when we see the fulness of Him (Christ) who fills all in all we will wonder how we could have ever desired anything other than Jesus Christ, anything in addition to Jesus Christ, any honor but the honor and glory that belong to Jesus alone. We will wonder (I speak with human speculation) how we could have been so foolish as to desire and value the approval of this world, which is passing away.

Should we not live now, as we shall live on that Great Day? Should we not be married to Jesus Christ now, as we shall be married to Him on that Great Day? Should we not speak of Him now, glorify Him now, as we shall do on that Great Day? Should we not see “plain spiritual whoredom” for what it is now, as we shall see it on that Great Day? Shall we be ashamed of Jesus on that Great Day? No! A thousand times No! Then why are we ashamed of Him now? If we will fall on our faces on that Great Day, then how can we resist falling on our faces now?

“But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Revelation 3:4 – 5).

“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Then he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.” (Revelation 19:6b – 9).