I can remember back, nearly 43 years ago, to my wedding day. I remember waiting forever for the day to come. When it finally did I waited forever for the hour. There was no fooling around. I watched the clock, waiting for the time I could begin readying myself for the ceremony. First I fixed my hair. Step two was applying makeup. The very last thing I did was put on my wedding gown. If a bride is wearing lipstick she knows to draw her lips inside her mouth if she puts her dress over her head. Can you imagine a stain or blemish of any kind on a beautiful wedding gown? Especially your own? I can’t fathom the thought. Every bride wants to be as beautiful as she can be for her future husband who she knows will be waiting for her.
I’ve done some thinking lately about what the scriptures say about Jesus’ bride. In Hebrews 5: 25-27 we see that Jesus gave himself for his church (bride) so that he could wash her clean and she could be presented to him as holy and blameless, without spot or wrinkle. Revelation 19:7 shows us this.
To be “without spot” means to be holy, blameless, set apart, having a clean heart, without a stain because Jesus has cleansed it. Specifically, in this verse, “spot” is from the word”spilow”, which means to “stain or defile.” When you get your shirt dirty and you wash it with laundry soap and water it becomes clean. But, if your shirt is stained regular washing doesn’t cut it. You have to bring in the stain remover because whatever caused that stain has penetrated into the fibers of the shirt and actually become a part of the cloth. It’s going to take some heavy duty cleaner and scrubbing to remove the stain.
The word “wrinkle” used here, is from “rutid.” It is used only here in the New Testament. It means “to draw together”, and refers to the wrinkling of the skin that comes with age. No bride wants to show up on her wedding day looking like a leather bag with teeth.
“Without blemish” is from “amomos”, and means “without flaw”. It is translated “faultless” in Jude vs. 24. (“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”).
We know that Jesus will have a spotless (sinless) bride. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. He has paid the price with his own life, his blood, that we may be cleansed and purified, without spot or wrinkle.
However, we have a part as well. It is up to us to sanctify ourselves (set ourselves apart unto Him), walk upright before him, and lead a sinless life. But if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Jesus told us in John 14:3 that he is coming again. If we want to be a part of his holy bride we must be ready. That means preparing ahead of time and “watching the clock” because we do not know the day or the hour.
All praise be to God, the author and finisher of our faith, who promises to finish that which he started!
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