I was riding the train from Boston to New York on the day before New Year's Eve, when I unexpectedly got into a conversation with a young Chinese woman about Jesus. She was not a believer, but knew enough of what was in the Bible to ask some really interesting, wide-ranging questions. I am often a little tongue-tied in these real-time situations, but her questions, while probing, were not hostile. It was an honest discussion between two adults about the nature of life and God. And God was with me, as I seemed to be able to come up with what I thought were a rational set of answers.
At one point, after I had talked a little about how God had created the universe as a work of performance art, made Adam as a metaphor for Himself, and then had pronounced, "It is not good for Adam to be alone," she piped up with that question. Isn't God alone? And suddenly, I saw and excitedly tried to tell her that, yes, He is alone, at least for now, but after the Resurrection, when the church will be united with Him as the Bride of Christ, then He won't be alone any more. Just as the Father and Son are one, along with the Holy Spirit, so Christ and his bride will be one, in a way that is not possible now as we go through the time-space continuum.
It has a wonderful symmetry about it. And what's more, it may be a hint as to why He went to all this trouble in the first place. He didn't want to be alone; but how to find an appropriate companion, a "help meet for him"? The same way it played out in Genesis. In the end, it was not a creature formed from the dust of the world, but one that was formed from Adam's own living substance that became the companion that Adam needed to have. So also we, the church of Jesus Christ the Righteous, are born of His Spirit and made members of His body. Once the Father determines that the Bride is complete, He will start the wedding feast. Maranatha, Lord!
ps. I have recently joined Steemit, and reposted this there. It occurs to me that by adding the reference right inside my original post, I verify that this is indeed my content in both places.
At the Bell n Pomegranate, I want to focus on things of the Spirit and how our beliefs inform our lives in this world. So settle in with a drink of new wine, and put your two cents in with mine. Just remember this is a publick house, and I expect a certain amount of civility; but that does not rule out controversy, nor even passion.
