How Scripture Presents Our Relationship To Christ by ‘Brother Bill’
Scripture presents our relationship to Jesus in two primary covenant images:
1. Adopted children of God — brothers and sisters of Christ
2. The Bride of Christ — corporately united to Him as one
Together, these describe an adoptive family and covenant marriage relationship with Christ.
Below are the requested NKJV verses in full, followed by a short explanation tying them together.
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1) The Bridegroom & the Bride
Isaiah 62:5 (NKJV)
For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you.
Matthew 9:15 (NKJV)
And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Revelation 19:7 (NKJV)
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
Revelation 21:10 (NKJV)
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
(In Revelation 21:9, just before this, the angel says: “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” The bride is the redeemed people of God.)
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2) The Church Betrothed to Christ
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NKJV)
(Correcting the reference — 2 Cor 11:26–29 speaks of Paul’s sufferings; verse 2 speaks of betrothal.)
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
This shows the church is promised (engaged) to Christ, awaiting the marriage consummation.
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3) Examining Ourselves — Worthiness
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
Believers are called to spiritual self-examination — not to earn salvation, but to ensure we are genuinely abiding in Christ.
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4) The Lamp with Oil — Readiness
Matthew 25:1–4 (NKJV)
(Parable of the wise and foolish virgins)
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”
The oil symbolizes spiritual readiness — often understood as the Holy Spirit and genuine faith. The bride must be prepared when the Bridegroom comes.
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How Are We Related to Jesus?
We Are Adopted into His FamilyThrough faith in Christ, we become children of God (Romans 8:15–17).
Jesus is:
• Our Lord
• Our Bridegroom
• Our Elder Brother (Romans 8:29)
Individually, we are sons and daughters. Corporately, we are the Bride.
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The “Two Become One”Marriage language in Scripture reflects:
• Covenant
• Unity
• Intimacy
• Shared identity
Ephesians 5:31–32 teaches that earthly marriage reflects the mystery of Christ and the church.
When we are united with Christ:
• His righteousness becomes ours
• His Spirit dwells in us
• We become one body with Him
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Worthiness & ReadinessRevelation 19:7 says:
“His wife has made herself ready.”
This readiness involves:
• Faithfulness
• Holiness
• Perseverance
• Being filled with the Spirit (oil in the lamp)
Not self-earned righteousness, but living in covenant faithfulness.
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Summary
We relate to Jesus as:
• Adopted children in God’s family
• Brothers and sisters in Christ
• Betrothed bride awaiting the Bridegroom
• One body united to Him
It is both family and marriage covenant imagery — adoption and union.
