So when it comes to Christianity, what does it mean to be a “bride of Christ”? Do we get to be a bride and fullfull every crossdresser’s dream? Check out Matt 26:27-29 . First we must understand Jewish wedding customs to understand this passage. When a Jewish man proposed marriage to a woman, He would give her a contract called a Ketubah. In the contract was everything he has promised to his new bride. It also stated the price he would pay for her. If she agreed, the bridegroom would hand her a cup of wine, and if she drank from the cup the marriage was sealed and they became legally married. He would then say to her “I will not drink of this cup until we are reunited”. This was said because they would separate for at least a year as he prepared a place for them. More on the drink below.
No wonder Jesus said, “drink from it, all of you”, because their acceptance of the cup meant they would be legally married. He also said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”. In this statement Jesus was laying out the price He would pay to obtain His bride. The wages of sin is death and He paid this on our behalf (Romans 6:23).
In John 14 Jesus said “I will go and prepare a place for you” just like the bridegroom prepares a place for his bride. Later in vs 23 he said “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
When the Lord’s Supper was instituted in Matthew 26 and Jesus passed the bread and wine, he said these words “27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of theb covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Back to our Jewish marriage when the man gave his bride a cup to drink yet he did not drink and would not until they were reunited in the future after their new house (New Jerusalem) has been prepared and completed. The scriptures are FILLED with marriage references and illustrations.
“How does this relate to crossdressing Candi”, you may ask.
Well we (the church of believers) are the bride of Christ. And there are two specific scriptures I want to point out to you. 1st is Genesis 1;27 where Adam was both male and female, even as God. Adam was made in the likeness and image of God, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27 NIV). 2nd, a principal truth in Scripture is that we are neither male nor female in the eyes of God, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28 NIV).
You see, we are the bride of Christ and we are all one in Christ, neither male nor female. When it comes to Christ and Christianity, it doesn’t matter whether you are male/female/gender neutral or if you are not sure what your gender should be. Also, if you are struggling with your gender and what this means to you as a person, you can come to God and ask those hard questions. Why am I like this? Who do you want me to be? Where do I go from here? He is able to take your questions and give you the love you seek.
Be blessed and seek the one who made you and is looking forward to the time he can say "well done good and faithful servant."
Hugs,
-Candi
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