GREAT BIBLE WORDS
THE CHURCH 3
“Thou art all fair, my love.”
“Thou art all fair, my love.”
Song of Solomon 4:7
Introduction:
The Lord’s admiration for his Church is very wonderful, and his description of her beauty is very glowing. She has a special place with the Lord because she is and has been faithful down through the ages preaching the whole counsel of God.
She is the Bride of Jesus Christ, the Lamb’s wife and as such she will be honored by the Lord.
I. CHRIST VIEWS HIS CHURCH IN LOVE
A. She is not merely fair, but “all fair,” Song of Solomon 4:1, 7, “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. 7- Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”
B. He considers her to be full of comeliness and beauty, a glorious church, Ephesians 5:27, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
C. She is not simply pure, or well proportioned, she is positively lovely and fair! Song of Solomon 4:9, “Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.
D. She has actual merit! 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
1. Her deformities of sin are removed, Psalms 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
2. Believers have a positive righteousness given to them when they become “accepted in the beloved,” Ephesians 1:6, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
II. CHRIST VIEWS HIS CHURCH IN HIMSELF
A. Washed in his sin atoning blood, Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
B. Clothed in his meritorious righteousness, Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
1. Nor is the Church barely lovely, she is SUPERLATIVELY LOVELY, the Bride of Christ, vv. 2-5; Revelation 21:9, “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
2. Her Lord styles her “Thou fairest among women,” Song of Solomon 5:9, “What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?”
C. The Church, the Lord’s Bride is seen in the Beauty of Holiness, 1 Chronicles 16:29, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
1. God’s glory is the beauty of His holiness, Psalms 29:2, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
2. The glory of the Lord’s church is His doing, 1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
D. One day soon the Lord will call his Bride to Himself, Matthew 25:34, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”
CONCLUSION