The Bible teaches that the woman is the glory of the man. This is why she takes what the man provides and glorifies. She is a glory, and she is a glorifier. The man brings home a paycheck, and she turns it into a living room, or bacon and eggs in the morning. Adornment is not a mere add-on extra; adornment is what the universe is driving toward. The woman therefore is the crown of her husband (Prov. 12:4).
But what about the Church? If this is true of wives generally, is it also true of the bride of Christ? It is true. The Church is described as the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way (Eph. 1:23). Christ fills the cosmos, and the Church fills Christ. Yes—just as women are called to adorn themselves, and not just externally, so also Christians are called to adorn the doctrine of the gospel (Tit. 2:10).
The Church is a woman, and is called to adornment. But she is called to adorn herself the same way individual Christian women are called to adorn themselves—with a gentle and quiet spirit first. God always works with both the outside and the inside, which makes sense because they are always part of the same reality. But when God cleans the whole cup, He does it by cleaning the inside of it first. The insides have priority.
The great harlot in Revelation is adorned. She wore purple and scarlet, and was arrayed in gold, jewels, and pearls, and had a cup full of abominations in her hand (Rev. 17:4). Her counterpart, the Christian Church, was also adorned. She was dressed in fine linen (Rev. 19:8), bright and pure. She was so great a glorious angel showed her off. She bore the glory of God, the radiance of a very rare jewel (Rev. 21:11).
So what are our plans? We hope to be able to move soon with the externals, but we are moving now on the internals. Gentle and quiet spirit, love one another, show hospitality, give yourselves away to your neighbors in the name of Jesus Christ.
So let the stones cry out.
In gospel glory, the intrinsic glory of the woman is still that of her creation in the image of God, as the glory of the man. Her glory has nothing to do with marriage. Yes we are sexual by design, and yes marriage is normative, but the blessing of marriage can never be placed as a state of glory above our creation. Biblical glory is in creation, not marriage. No sister, who has not yet wed, or perhaps cannot wed due to infirmity, or mental challenge, or a sister who’s Christ professing husband runs off in apostasy, is in any… Read more »
A lovely reminder. Thank you.