Weddings have always been, traditionally...special events. They should be. Marriage is a sacred institution, a covenant between two people, a man and a woman I might add, that was designed by God.

When God created Adam, it was God who stated that it is not ‘good for man to be alone’ (Gen. 2:18). So He caused a deep sleep to come over Adam and took one of his ribs and from it, He formed Eve and brought her to Adam and the two became one flesh. (Gen. 2:21-24)

Proverbs 18:22 tells us that “he that finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord”. One translation reads: “A man’s greatest treasure is his wife; she is a gift from the Lord”. (CEV). I’m sure that plays in to the counsel we received from Paul when he wrote to the Ephesians and admonished: “Husbands- love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word...” (5:25-26)

If you have never noticed or paid attention to the correlation God makes between marriage, weddings, and the relationship He has with His church...well, you have not been reading your Bible very much because it is a theme woven throughout those pages from Genesis to Revelation.

When I used to pastor a church years ago, I was often approached and asked to officiate wedding ceremonies. There was a standard question I usually would ask the couple up front and it basically was a simple inquiry as to why they wanted me, as a minister of God vs. a justice of the peace or some other secular official, to perform the ceremony. Their faces usually expressed a bit of apprehension as they fumbled to come up with the correct answer, which I usually helped coach them along to arrive at. And it was this: Most would/should want a ‘minister’, or a ‘representative of God’ to perform the ceremony so they might receive God’s blessings on not only the ceremony itself, but the marriage as well.

Why would anyone NOT...want God’s blessings on their marriage, given He was the one who designed the covenant practice? I don’t recall any couple ever telling me flat out: “Oh no, we have no desire or need for God’s blessings on this marriage.” So the next thing I would make clear after affirming their ‘correct response’ was this: IF...they wanted me to officiate the ceremony, and ask God to bless this ceremony and marriage, then it would be beneficial for all involved if they were willing to agree to move forward in a manner that was pleasing to God. Why ask God to bless something if we are not willing to do it ‘His’ way, right? I mean, why waste everyone’s time if you are not interested in pleasing Him?

This was usually my precursor to asking the couple to abstain from sexual relations until after they were married since doing so is a ‘sin’ called ‘fornication’. Whether folks fully complied with my ‘strong suggestion’ or not is between them and God; but let’s be honest here...our ‘actions’ speak louder than words, especially when God is listening in and observing. (full disclosure here: This was nowhere on my ‘radar’ when I sat down and began to type this message out this morning)

I will say this subject matter is one that hits ‘close to home’ for me because I remember quite vividly how God dealt with me early on after I gave my life to Him back in 1980 . He certainly revealed Himself to me in those early days of conversion before supernaturally orchestrating my getting married to Kathy in 1981. It remains today, a part of my personal testimony that I still share with people as my eyes fill up with tears remembering.

But back to the subject, in general, regarding weddings and marriages. God is quite a fan of them and He loves a good celebration. Did Jesus not perform His first miracle at a wedding in Cana by changing water into wine? (John 2)

No doubt, we see where weddings have drifted into a more secular format while maybe having a sprinkling of some outward ‘religious décor’; but they can still be big events. I’ve been to quite a few of them myself, being a wedding photographer. So let me get to the point I was heading in at the start....whether you are in the wedding, working the wedding, or simply attending the wedding as a guest, it’s pretty much a standard deal to get ‘cleaned up’ before you go...to the wedding. You know...shower/bathe, use soap, shave, clean clothes, fix the hair, make-up, maybe some cologne or perfume, etc. We tend to spruce up well for big, important events, do we not? (Yes...I’ve been to some where folks who came did not get that memo)

So circling back to Ephesians 5, we see quite the picture here where words are used that clearly indicate that Christ is coming back for a bride (church) that has ‘made herself ready’ and has been ‘cleansed’ or ‘sanctified’, not having a single ‘blemish, spot, or wrinkle’ and is ‘pure and holy’. (25-26).

Paul shared how his chief goal was to “present us (church) as a chaste (pure) virgin to Christ”. (2 Cor. 11:2). Most of us who have been around in churches for a long time are quite familiar with the metaphor used that speaks of a great wedding that is drawing near and we have heard how Christ is coming back for a pure bride (church) that is holy. The problem is, many have failed to get the full message as to what that means and involves, to be ‘pure and holy’. For the most part, have you not been told your whole life (Christian faith walk/life) that we could “never be holy enough for God’...because we are ‘wretched sinners saved by grace’, and therefore by simply saying we ‘trust Christ and His finished work on Calvary’, that we are ‘declared to be holy in His sight’.

I am going to say it again...we have no idea of the depth of deception we have fallen in to because of false teachings that have been passed down to us for decades, if not longer.

Picture this scenario, if you would please- I need to attend a wedding with my wife this Saturday that takes place in the early evening. So I wake up early because the lawn needs mowing and weed eating. It’s a hot, muggy morning and dust has swirled while cutting; and to add to my grime, I have to fix a leaky sewer line that I stumbled across when I’m done with yard work. All that to say...by lunch time, I’m a stinking mess. After putting all the tools away and finishing up, I sit down on a lawn chair under a shady tree to cool off and get distracted with scrolling through my phone. Meanwhile, my wife has spent the better part of the morning getting ready. I mean...hair, nails, laying out clothes, deciding on what shoes to wear, what purse to bring. She even has gone out of her way to lay out the clothes she would ‘prefer’ I wear to the big event. IYKYK ;- )

Little does she know how little progress I have made in getting ‘cleaned up’. We had agreed to leave the house at 3:00 PM -sharp, and it is now 2:50 when I stroll into the house looking for something to eat. You can only imagine the looks and words that are exchanged. Guys – how do you think this is going to land...if I try to reassure Kathy that I’m just gonna throw some jeans and a polo shirt on while skipping the shower so we can leave on time, reminding her that the ‘outward appearance does not matter, and the couple about to be wed will be thrilled to have me there?

Do you think it is possible...that many in the church today have taken a similar route, convincing and reminding themselves, and others, that ‘man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart’ and we don’t need to be concerned with getting ‘that cleaned up’ prior to the ‘Big Event’ that we have been preaching about for years???

Yet...scripture seems to set a more sober and serious tone to how we should be ‘preparing’ for this upcoming ‘wedding’. Paul admonishes us that while having these promises, we should be ‘cleansing ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God’. (2 Cor. 7:1). John reminds us that for those of us who are looking for His return and has this hope should be ‘purifying ourselves as He is pure.” (1 John 3:3)

And then...there is a parable Jesus told that had to do with a wedding, of all things. It’s found in Matt. 22 and He tells us that this story is a picture of ‘the kingdom of heaven’. (2). There was an approaching wedding that a certain king had arranged for his son. Servants were sent out to all who had been invited and we learn some interesting details as to how they responded. They were ‘unwilling to come’ (3). Others had more pressing matters to tend to and they ‘made light’ of it. (5 and Luke 14:18). And it gets worse- more servants were sent and they were treated spitefully and some were even killed.

The king was not happy. In fact, Jesus made a point to tell us the king was ‘furious’. (7) What follows next is both puzzling and disturbing when you consider that Jesus might have just been giving us a ‘heads up’, or a warning, which He was known to do. (Luke 13:3,5; John 5:14). ‘Armies’ were went out to ‘destroy and burn up those murderers and cities’. (7)

Where will judgement first fall on, according to 1 Pet. 4:17? Can I just tell you now that those ‘armies’ that will be sent won’t be ISIS, or the Russians, or the Chinese?! We are about to see a ‘flood’ poured out on this earth and you know that the ‘enemy will come in like a food’. (Isa. 59:19). And yes, God will ‘raise up a standard’ but it is for those who are abiding in Him. Jesus warned that as it ‘was in the days of Noah, so will it be when the Son of Man returns’, and those who were not ‘in the ark’ were carried away to destruction by that 'flood'. (Matt. 24:37-39). Those who are ‘in the ark, or ‘in Christ’ will not be harmed. (1 John 5:18). And how can you truly know if you are ‘in Him...and He is ‘in you’?  (2 Cor. 13:5; 1 John 2:3-6)

Once more...this is why Paul says...’having these promises beloved...let us cleans ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Holiness matters...just like fruit does! (1 Pet. 1:14-17; Matt. 3:10; 7:17-20)