'The Beauty of the Bride' vs. 'Purification, Transformation, Sanctification, Beautification, Glorification'

 

'The Beauty of the Bride' vs. 'Purification, Transformation, Sanctification, Beautification, Glorification'

"You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah" (S.S. 6:4)

"That He might present the church to Himself glorious" (Eph. 5:27)

"That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word" (Eph. 5:26)

"We all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3:18)

"This is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thes. 4:3)

"Christ will be a crown of beauty and a diadem of glory to the remnant of His people" (Isa. 28:5)

"The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7)

"Make haste, my beloved" (S.S. 8:14)

 

Analysis  Item	Beauty of the Bride	Purification (Cleansing)	Transformation	Sanctification	Beautification	Glorification
Definition & Meaning	The beauty that comes from Christ wrought into the church and shining out from the church, which is the expression of Christ Himself	Cleansing through the washing of the water in the word, removing earthly defilement and spots and wrinkles	Metabolic washing away of the old and replacing with the new, producing inner change	Being saturated with Christ in disposition, being separated unto God, becoming holy	Through Christ as the life-giving Spirit saturating the church, making the church Christ's counterpart	The ultimate glorification, the bride being presented to Christ as the glorious church
Essential Character	The expression of Christ Himself	Removing negative factors	Metabolic renewal	Separation unto God	Positive saturation	Glorious completion
Source	Christ shining out from within	The washing of the water in the word	The work of the life-giving Spirit	The element of Christ	Christ as the life-giving Spirit	Christ as the Bridegroom
Focus	Result and expression	Process of cleansing	Process of renewal	Process of separation	Process of saturation	Completed result
Time Stage	Eternal reality	Ongoing present	Ongoing present	Ongoing present	Ongoing present	Future completion
Christ's Identity	Bridegroom and Lord	Life-giving Spirit	Life-giving Spirit	Life-giving Spirit	Life-giving Spirit	Bridegroom
Work Content	Gaining expression from the church	Cleansing with the washing of water in the word	Metabolic renewal	Saturating with His element	Making the church His counterpart	Presenting the church to Himself
Purpose	Christ's satisfaction and expression	Removing spots and wrinkles	From glory to glory	Becoming holy and without blemish	Preparing the bride	Gaining the glorious church
Practical Application	Being beautified by Christ daily	Daily morning and evening cleansing	Receiving the Spirit's speaking within	Being saturated and transformed by Christ	Maintaining fellowship with Christ	Wearing bright and clean fine linen
Specific Operation	Pray-reading and musing on the Lord's word, beholding the Lord's beauty	Coming to the Bible, being cleansed through the laver of water in the word	Receiving Christ as the life-giving Spirit speaking within	Being saturated and transformed by Christ	Maintaining fellowship with Christ, hearing His voice	Walking in the righteousness of the saints
Achieved Result	Becoming a beautiful temple, expressing Christ	Washing away earthly defilement	Transformation from glory to glory	Becoming holy and without blemish	Becoming Christ's beautiful bride	Becoming the glorious church
Scope of Dealing	Overall expression	Spots (natural life), wrinkles (oldness)	Old man, old disposition	Natural, fleshly	Saturation of the whole being	All defects
Main Verses	Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:7-9; S.S. 6:4	Eph. 5:26; Exo. 30:18-21	2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 12:2	1 Thes. 4:3; 1 Pet. 1:15-16	Eph. 5:26-27; Isa. 28:5	Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:7-9
Typical Examples	The king's beauty (Isa. 33:17), the bride's beauty (Psa. 45:11)	Bronze laver (Exo. 30:18-21), mirror function (Exo. 38:8)	From glory to glory  (2 Cor. 3:18)	Priestly holy garments (Exo. 28:2)	Crown of beauty and diadem  (Isa. 28:5)	The Lamb's marriage (Rev. 19:7-9)
Key Elements	The expression of Christ	The water in the word	The life-giving Spirit	The element of Christ	The speaking Spirit	Fine linen (righteousness of saints)
Type of Word	Revelation of beauty	Rhema (immediate word)	Living word	Word of spirit and life	Personal and direct word	Sum of logos and rhema
Relationship with Christ	Expression of Christ	Cleansing of Christ	Renewal of Christ	Saturation of Christ	Presence of Christ	Satisfaction of Christ
Church's State	Glorious church	Cleansed church	Renewed church	Holy church	Beautiful church	Completed church
Ultimate Goal	Christ's satisfaction	Removing defects	Conforming to Christ's image	Separation unto God	Becoming the counterpart	Eternal union
Song of Songs Correspondence	"You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah" (S.S. 6:4)	Cleansing in the garden	Growth in love	Separated seeking	Beautification of the bride
Practical Value	God's expression	Life's cleansing	Dispositional renewal	Holy living	Intimate relationship	Eternal glory
Completion Time	Eternally continuing	Present age process	Present age process	Present age process	Present age process	At the Lord's return
Mutual Relationship	Is the goal and result	Are means and process	Are means and process	Are means and process	Are means and process	Is completion and

  

Conclusion: 

The beauty of the bride is the ultimate goal and reality, while purification, transformation, sanctification, beautification, and glorification are the processes and means to achieve this beauty. Christ as the life-giving Spirit, through the washing of the water in the word, sanctifies the church in disposition, ultimately making her His glorious and beautiful bride. This entire process is for Christ's satisfaction, enabling Him to gain a bride who matches Him.

 

 *Please refer to the 2025 Memorial Day Blending Conference. General Topic: Preparation of the Bride. Chapter 4 The Beauty of the Bride