The Maturity of the Bride
1 Cor
18-19 "But now hath God set the members every one
of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one
member, where were the body?"
Eph
4:15 "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ"
James
5:7 "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the
coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of
the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter
rain"
Cor
3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in
a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord"
Eph
6:10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the
Lord, and in the power of his might"
Phil
4:11-12 "I have learned, in whatsoever state I
am, therewith to be content"
Rev 8-9
"And to her was granted that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness
of saints. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the
Lamb"
Rev 21:2
"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband"
Aspect |
Meaning |
Distinction from Other Concepts |
Biblical Examples |
Practical Application |
Related Detailed Scriptures |
Basic Definition of Maturity (Greek: Telos - End/Goal) |
The final stage
of being filled with divine life, reaching the fullness of life |
Transformation: Transformation is metabolic change; maturity
is being filled with divine life. vs Regeneration: Regeneration is the
starting point; maturity is the endpoint |
Jacob from
grasper (Gen 27) → transformation (Gen 37) →
mature blesser
(Gen 47) |
Not being satisfied with regeneration alone, but
continually pursuing growth in Christ's life until fullness |
Heb 6:1 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,
let us go on unto perfection"; Col 4:12 "that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of
God"; Rom 12:2; 2 Pet 1:3-4 |
Body Consciousness of Mature Believers |
Knowing and
caring for Christ's Body, having Body consciousness, and being Body-centered |
Individualism: Not personal spirituality,
but Body maturity. Sectarianism: Transcending
denominations to see one Body |
Paul emphasized
the function of Body members: the eye cannot say to the hand "I don't
need you" (1 Cor 12) |
Coordinating
with all members in church life, not acting independently, seeking Body
fellowship and confirmation |
1 Cor 12:16 "And if the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am
not of the body";; 21 "And the eye cannot say unto the
hand, I have no need of thee"; 24 "For our comely parts have no need" |
Process of Pursuing Maturity |
From
regeneration onward, not being self-satisfied, pressing forward to reach
maturity, continually growing in divine life |
Stagnation: Not remaining at
elementary level, but pressing forward. Complacency: Never being satisfied with current state. Regression: Forgetting
what is behind, straining toward what is ahead |
Paul said
"Not that I have already obtained or am already made perfect," but
must press on (Phil 3) |
Daily Bible
reading and prayer, attending meetings, exercising spirit in daily life,
accepting enlightenment and dealing from the Word |
Phil 3:12 "Not as though I had already attained, either were already
perfect"; 14 "I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus"; 15 "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded";
|
Farmer and Harvest Parable |
The Lord Jesus
is the true Farmer, patiently waiting for believers to mature; believers are
the harvest, needing to mature in life to become firstfruits |
vs Impatience: Not rushing to see the
Lord's return, but letting the Lord wait for our
maturity. Passive waiting: Not passive waiting, but actively growing to
maturity |
James exhorted
believers to be like farmers patiently waiting for the precious fruit of the
earth (James 5:7) |
While waiting
for the Lord's coming, earnestly pursue life growth to become the firstfruits
the Lord desires |
Matt 13:3 Lord Jesus' parable of sowing; Rev 14:4 "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they
are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the
Lamb"; 14-15 harvest |
Christ Fully Formed |
Christ being
fully formed within us, completely transformed into His image, reaching life
maturity |
External imitation: Not outwardly learning Christ, but Christ
being formed within. Partial formation: Not partially like
Christ, but fully formed |
Paul travailed
for the Galatians until Christ was formed in them (Gal 4:19) |
Allowing
Christ's nature, character, and virtues to be fully formed within us,
expressing Christ in daily life |
Gal 4:19 "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until
Christ be formed in you"; 2 Rom 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son"; Eph 3:16-17 |
Surrender and Resurrection of Will |
The neck represents
the surrendered will; the Lord sees our will's surrender as beautiful; the
surrendered will must be strong in resurrection |
Passive will: Not elimination of will, but surrender followed by resurrection strength. Stubborn will: Not stiff-necked, but softly surrendered. No will: Not being a puppet, but
actively surrendering |
The beloved's
neck in Song of Songs is like David's tower, built in rows, with a thousand
shields hanging, all shields of mighty men (Song 4:4) |
Seeking the
Lord's heart in all matters, willingly submitting to the Spirit's leading,
while being strong to fight for the Lord |
Song 3:4 "Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury";
4:1 "Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold,
thou art fair"; 4 "Thy neck is like
the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand
bucklers, all shields of mighty men" 2 Cor 10:3-5 spiritual warfare |
Paul's Ministry Goal |
To present
every man perfect in Christ, making people complete and whole, for the one
new man |
Individual salvation: Not just personal
salvation, but for the one new man. Spiritual knowledge: Not just understanding
doctrine, but life maturity. Gift exercise: Not just gift function, but life growth |
Paul labored
and strived according to God's mighty power working within him to dispense
Christ into people |
In ministry,
not just preaching doctrine, but dispensing Christ into people to make them
grow and mature in Christ |
Col 1:28 "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man
in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus";
29 "Whereunto I also labour, striving according
to his working, which worketh in me mightily"; 3:10-11 one new man |
Jacob's Maturity Process |
From grasper
(Gen 27) → transformer (Gen 37) → mature person (Gen 47), life measure
enlarged, accepting the Spirit's discipline |
Natural life: Not improving the natural, but receiving divine life. External change: Not outward reform, but inward transformation.
Sudden maturity: Not overnight growth, but accumulated process |
Jacob lost
Joseph and learned to trust God, eventually becoming one who blessed Pharaoh,
embodying life maturity |
Seeing God's
sovereign arrangement in life's various encounters, allowing God to transform
us through circumstances, enlarging our measure |
Gen 27:27 Jacob's grasping; 37:31-35 losing Joseph; 43:11,13-14 trusting God;
47:7,10 blessing Pharaoh; Psa 4:1 "enlarged place"; Heb 12:5-11 "Spirit's discipline"; 2 Cor 1:8-10 Paul's experience Gen 47:7 "And Jacob blessed Pharaoh"; 10 "And Jacob blessed Pharaoh"; 48:14-16 blessing Ephraim and Manasseh; Heb 7:7 "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the
better"; 1 Tim 6:6-8 contentment |
Characteristics and Marks of Maturity |
Enlarged
measure, accepting the Spirit's discipline, trusting and resting in the
all-sufficient God, becoming a channel of blessing to others |
Narrow measure: Not petty, but broad in measure. Complaining about circumstances: Not
grumbling, but thanking God for His sovereignty.
Selfishness: Not for self, but becoming a blessing |
Jacob blessing
Pharaoh is the most powerful mark of maturity; Paul learned contentment in suffering |
Not complaining
in difficult circumstances, but rather thanking God and being able to bless
and intercede for others |
|
Realization of the Mature Bride |
The corporate
bride is the overcomers, prepared through life maturity, becoming the Lamb's
wife, reigning with Christ |
Individual believers: Not individuals, but corporate bride. General salvation: Not ordinary believers, but overcomers.
Earthly enjoyment: Not earthly blessings, but reigning with the Lord |
Revelation 19
Lamb's wedding, overcomers becoming the bride reigning with Christ for a
thousand years |
Pursue being
overcomers, overcoming the world, flesh, and Satan in this age, preparing to
become the Lamb's bride |
Rev 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for
the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready" 6 "Alleluia:
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth"; John 1:29 Lamb; 3:29 bridegroom;
Rev 21:2 holy city bride |
Kingdom and Wedding Feast |
The reigning in
the millennium is the wedding feast; overcomers are both the bride and those
who reign with Christ |
Separate matters: The kingdom and wedding feast are not two things, but two aspects of one thing. Future beginning: Must prepare now to participate in the future |
Those invited
to the wedding feast are the corporate bride, also those who reign with the
bridegroom |
Live a life of
overcoming now, pursue life maturity, preparing ourselves for the future
wedding feast and reigning |
Rev 19:6 "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth";
9 "Blessed are they which are called unto the
marriage supper of the Lamb";
20:4 "And they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years"; |
God's Eternal Economy |
The mature
bride is the goal of God's desire and purpose; God's New Testament economy is
to gain a bride for Christ |
Mere salvation: God's goal is not just saving sinners, but
gaining a bride. Individual relationship: Not just individual
relationship with God, but corporate bride's union
with Christ |
Genesis shows
God making Eve for Adam as a type of Christ gaining the church as bride |
Not being
satisfied with individual salvation, but being built together with all saints
in the church to become Christ's bride |
Gen 2:22 "And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made
he a woman, and brought her unto the man"; Rom 5:10 "saved by his life"; Eph 5:25-27 Christ loves the church; Rev 19:7-9; 21:2,9-10 holy city bride is the completion of God's economy |
Summary Application Principles:
1. Continuous Pursuit: From regeneration to maturity is a process
requiring continuous pursuit
2. Body Building: Individual maturity is for the Body's
building and the realization of the one new man
3.
Environmental
Cooperation: Accept transformation in God's sovereignly arranged
circumstances, allowing measure to be enlarged
4. Becoming Blessing: The mark of maturity is ability to bless
others, becoming a channel of God's grace
5.
Ultimate Goal: All
maturity is for becoming Christ's bride, completing God's eternal economy
*Please refer to the 2025
Memorial Day Blending Conference. General Topic: Preparation of the Bride.
Chapter 3: Maturity of the Bride.